Despite a scare in SQ2, Oscar Piastri topped sprint qualifying in Belgium to take pole for the sprint race. Image: XPB Images
Oscar Piastri stormed to sprint pole at Spa with a new lap record of 1:40.510s — nearly half a second clear of Max Verstappen — to claim his third career sprint qualifying pole position.
The Aussie rebounded from a scare in SQ2, where his first lap was deleted for track limits at Raidillon, before recovering to scrape into SQ3. He delivered under pressure, with Lando Norris rounding out the top three.
Charles Leclerc was fourth, ahead of Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz. Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli both spun out in SQ1, while big names like Russell, Alonso and Lawson were knocked out in SQ2.
Isack Hadjar impressed again with P9, as five teams missed out on SQ2. The Belgian Sprint begins at 12pm local (8pm AEST) on Saturday.
POS.
NO.
DRIVER
TEAM
Q1
Q2
Q3
LAPS
1
81
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:41.769
1:42.128
1:40.510
11
2
1
Max Verstappen
Red Bull Racing
1:42.043
1:41.583
1:40.987
9
3
4
Lando Norris
McLaren
1:42.068
1:41.412
1:41.128
12
4
16
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:42.763
1:41.786
1:41.278
12
5
31
Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:42.822
1:41.801
1:41.565
12
6
55
Carlos Sainz
Williams
1:42.776
1:42.051
1:41.761
11
7
87
Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:43.024
1:42.019
1:41.857
12
8
10
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:43.171
1:41.949
1:41.959
12
9
6
Isack Hadjar
Racing Bulls
1:42.711
1:42.088
1:41.971
11
10
5
Gabriel Bortoleto
Kick Sauber
1:42.806
1:41.901
1:42.176
12
11
30
Liam Lawson
Racing Bulls
1:42.897
1:42.169
9
12
22
Yuki Tsunoda
Red Bull Racing
1:42.912
1:42.184
9
13
63
George Russell
Mercedes
1:42.650
1:42.330
8
14
14
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1:42.427
1:42.453
7
15
18
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1:42.736
1:42.832
8
16
23
Alexander Albon
Williams
1:43.212
6
17
27
Nico Hulkenberg
Kick Sauber
1:43.217
6
18
44
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:43.408
6
19
43
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:43.587
6
20
12
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:45.394
6