After leading yesterday’s free practice sessions, Max Verstappen aced qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
The Red Bull Racing driver set a fast lap of 1:43.665, while his title rival Charles Leclerc settled for fourth with a 1:44.553 lap in his Ferrari.
“It was an amazing qualifying; the car has been on it all weekend and it’s been very enjoyable to drive. We fine-tuned a few things overnight and it seemed to work out,” Verstappen said.
However, both Red Bull’s Verstappen and Leclerc are facing grid penalties in Belgium for making changes to power unit elements on their car, so the pair will start 15th and 16th for Sunday’s race.
Second-place qualifier Carlos Sainz will start from the pole for Ferrari.
“Happy to be starting on the pole. Obviously not happy to see the gap to Max this weekend and the gap that Red Bull has on us,” Sainz said. “We need to keep digging.”
Sainz ended the qualifying session with a best lap of 1:44.297. Behind him, Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez claimed third, finishing a mere 0.165 seconds behind the Spaniard.
Alpine teammates Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso will share row three.