Leclerc on Belgian GP pole as Verstappen takes grid penalty

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will commencement nan Belgian Grand Prix from rod position aft qualifying 2nd fastest down Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

World champion Verstappen dominated qualifying successful nan rainfall and hit Leclerc by 0.595 seconds but has a 10-place grid punishment for exceeding his permitted number of motor components.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was 3rd fastest, truthful will beryllium promoted to nan beforehand statement alongside Leclerc.

Lewis Hamilton will commencement 3rd for Mercedes, up of nan McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Mercedes’ George Russell was seventh fastest, from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and nan Alpine of Esteban Ocon.

Verstappen came to Belgium for nan last title earlier nan summertime break connected nan backmost of a shaky tally of form, pinch McLaren appearing to person seized nan ascendancy successful Formula 1.

But he was successful imperious shape connected his favourite track, wherever he has won nan past 3 years, and ever seemed to destined to beryllium fastest.

The conditions were tricky. The way was bedewed astatine nan commencement of qualifying, and persistent ray rainfall kept it that measurement throughout, but nan upwind ne'er deteriorated to nan constituent that nan convention was astatine consequence of being stopped - nan magnitude of spray was constricted and drivers were ever capable to spot wherever they were going.

“It was a bully qualifying. Luckily nan upwind was OK. It was raining a small spot but we could do a decent qualifying," Verstappen said.

“Everything went well. Every tyre group I was on, we could do decent thigh times. The car was moving rather good successful nan wet. I was conscionable capable to do cleanable laps.

“Tomorrow is going to beryllium a different day, warmer and nary rain, truthful it will beryllium astir tyre degradation, I don’t cognize really speedy we are going to be. I dream we tin beryllium successful nan operation to effort and move forward."

Leclerc’s beingness successful 2nd - and truthful connected rod position acknowledgment to Verstappen’s penalty, conscionable arsenic he was past twelvemonth - was not expected, slightest of each by nan man himself.

Ferrari person had a difficult tally since Leclerc won nan Monaco Grand Prix astatine nan extremity of May, and were not expecting Spa to suit their car.

Leclerc, who snuck up of Perez by conscionable 0.011secs, said: “I decidedly did not expect that this weekend, but pinch nan tricky conditions we could do thing supra our expectations.

“It is simply a bully time for nan squad and now we request to attraction connected tomorrow and spot what will hap erstwhile nan rainfall is gone.”

Leclerc knows that rod is not ever nan champion spot to commencement successful Spa because of nan consequence of being slipstreamed connected nan agelong tally from nan first area astatine La Source, done nan accelerated Eau Rouge swerves and up connected nan agelong Kemmel straight. But he says he will do his champion to enactment astatine nan front.

“When I americium successful Eau Rouge connected nan first lap, I will spot what is nan champion point I tin do, but I will effort to support that first place,” he said.

More to follow.