Lando Norris stormed to pole position in a chaotic, rain-hit qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix, edging out McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri by just over three tenths of a second. The Briton’s lap of 1:53.981 locked in a front-row lockout for the papaya squad at Spa-Francorchamps, setting up an intriguing race day.
Max Verstappen, despite topping the timesheets in Q3 with a blistering effort, faces a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding engine allocations, dropping him down the order. That promotes Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to third on the grid, with team-mate Lewis Hamilton lining up in sixth after a scrappy final run.
The session unfolded amid tricky wet conditions, with drivers grappling for grip on the Ardennes circuit. Q1 saw early drama as Zhou Guanyu spun into the barriers at Les Combes, triggering a red flag, while Alex Albon’s Williams also found the wall, ending his day prematurely.
In Q2, the rain intensified, catching out several runners. Daniel Ricciardo missed the cut in 13th for RB, joined by the Haas duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen in a disappointing showing for the American team.
Q3 delivered high tension as the track evolved. Verstappen set the pace initially, but Norris responded with a composed flyer to snatch pole. Piastri’s late push fell short, while Mercedes’ George Russell secured fourth, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Williams.
Further back, Sergio Perez starts seventh for Red Bull, with Esteban Ocon’s Alpine in eighth. The top 10 rounds out with Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso.
With Verstappen’s penalty mixing up the grid, and forecasts hinting at more rain for the race, strategy could prove decisive in this 44-lap battle. Norris, chasing his maiden title, now holds the advantage from the front.
