Rain lashes down on Spa-Francorchamps as Sprint Qualifying kicks off for the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix. McLaren’s Lando Norris grabs pole for tomorrow’s Sprint, edging out teammate Oscar Piastri by a slim 0.093 seconds in a soaked SQ3. Max Verstappen, the Red Bull ace, slots into third, just 0.169s off the pace.
The session starts under heavy clouds, with teams scrambling for wet tyres. In SQ1, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc sets the early benchmark, but it’s Williams’ Franco Colapinto who surprises, scraping through in P15. Eliminated early: RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu, and the Haas duo of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.
SQ2 ramps up the drama as rain intensifies. Mercedes’ George Russell pushes hard but misses the cut, joining Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, plus Ferrari’s Oliver Bearman and Williams’ Carlos Sainz in the drop zone. Lewis Hamilton, now in Ferrari red, advances comfortably to SQ3 alongside teammate Leclerc.
Final shootout in SQ3 sees Norris nail a 2:04.547 on his last lap, pipping Piastri. Verstappen complains of grip issues over the radio but holds third. Hamilton lines up fourth, with Leclerc fifth. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli takes sixth in his rookie season, ahead of Red Bull’s Liam Lawson in seventh. Alpine’s Jack Doohan, RB’s Isack Hadjar, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso round out the top 10.
Conditions remain tricky, with standing water forcing cautious laps. Norris credits his McLaren’s balance in the wet for the edge. Sprint race tomorrow promises more chaos if the forecast holds.
