Championship leader Oscar Piastri survived a nail-biting start to Sprint Qualifying at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix before storming to a commanding pole position for Saturday’s Sprint race.
The McLaren driver saw his first push lap in SQ2 deleted for track limits, putting him at serious risk of elimination before he made the final cut.
Thereafter, with composure befitting a title contender, Piastri rebounded with a stunning lap in SQ3, clocking a 1m40.510s at Spa – a time that left reigning world champion Max Verstappen trailing by almost half a second.
McLaren team-mate Lando Norris secured third, albeit six tenths behind, underlining the sheer quality of Piastri’s final run.
"Sorry for the heart attack," Piastri radioed his team after taking provisional pole. "That wasn't in the plan, but the car was mega."
Surprise Names in the Top 10
Behind the McLaren-Red Bull front row lockout, Charles Leclerc slotted into fourth for Ferrari. But the surprise of the session came courtesy of Esteban Ocon, who delivered an outstanding lap to claim fifth for Haas, ahead of Williams' Carlos Sainz.
Haas continued their strong low-downforce showing with rookie Oliver Bearman in seventh, just ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar and McLaren-backed Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the top 10 after impressing in changeable grip conditions.
Mercedes and Hamilton Falter
Sprint Qualifying wasn’t without its high-profile casualties. Mercedes endured a forgettable afternoon as George Russell was knocked out in SQ2, finishing 13th, while rookie team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli spun at Stavelot in SQ1 and finished 20th after reporting brake issues.
But the biggest disappointment was delivered by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton who also failed to make it past SQ1 after suffering a spin at the Bus Stop chicane as his rear tyres locked violently under braking.
The Ferrari driver ended up 18th, sandwiched between Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto.
With Sprint Saturday set to deliver more drama, all eyes will be on whether Piastri can convert his dominant pole into another crucial win – or if Verstappen can fight back on his second home turf.
Either way, the momentum looks firmly with McLaren as the battle of the Ardennes heats up.
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
