Formula 1 qualifying bizarre: the fastest finishes work early, the noble domestics of the top teams dust off the front row of the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix. World champion and championship leader Max Verstappen once again outclassed the entire competition in one lap in Spa. Alone, it was of no use to him: Because of penalties for engine and transmission changes, he is only allowed to start from 15th place. The competition is still trembling.
The Red Bull star was more than half a second faster than Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who inherited first place on the grid for Sunday’s race (3:00 p.m. in the live ticker) and a pole position for his personal statistics.
Sainz, who is allowed to start from the front for the second time in his career, is a bit uneasy, despite the buffer of 14 positions on Verstappen. “With the big gap to Max and Red Bull, I’m already wondering what will happen tomorrow,” he said. “But starting from pole is a good start. Of course we’ll try to win from there.”
Belgian GP
3. Free practice: Perez sets the best time, Vettel in the top ten
4 HOURS AGO
Sainz relegated Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez to second place on the grid, followed by the two former world champions Fernando Alonso in the Alpine and Lewis Hamilton (England/Mercedes). “Fourth place doesn’t really bring us much,” Hamilton said: “Red Bull and Ferrari are in a different league.”
Leclerc starts next to Verstappen
In addition to Verstappen, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is only in the third row from the bottom. The second in the world championship, 80 points behind the defending champion, was also sanctioned for replacing numerous parts. As did five other drivers, including Mick Schumacher.
Verstappen proved in the last race before the summer break in Hungary that he can also win from far behind. In Budapest he managed this feat from tenth place – on a track that offers far fewer overtaking zones.
Heavy crash in Spa: That’s why the F1 qualifying was delayed
Schumacher starts from the last place on the grid
It was also bizarre the other way around on Saturday: The four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, for example, starts the 14th race of the season in the Aston Martin from tenth place, although he only finished 16th in qualifying. “The whole weekend was up and down,” said Vettel on “Sky”: “The bottom line is that I think there will be a little something tomorrow.”
Haas driver Schumacher starts from 20th and last place. Many parts were also replaced on his car, so qualifying was “not our primary focus at all,” said the 23-year-old, who still has some calculations for the race: “Especially this year with the new cars, overtaking seems quite possible hopefully we can attack.”
Numerous position changes are guaranteed on Sunday. It probably doesn’t even need the infamous Ardennes rain.
The starting lineup
1. Carlos Sainz jr. (Spanish) Ferrari
2. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Red Bull
3. Fernando Alonso (Spanien) Alpine-Renault
4. Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) Mercedes
5. George Russell (Great Britain) Mercedes
6. Alexander Albon (Thailand) Williams-Mercedes
7. Daniel Ricciardo (Australian) McLaren-Mercedes
8. Pierre Gasly (France) AlphaTauri-Red Bull
9. Lance Stroll (Kanada) Aston Martin-Mercedes
10. Sebastian Vettel (Heppenheim) Aston Martin-Mercedes
11. Nicholas Latifi (Canada) Williams-Mercedes
12. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Haas-Ferrari
13. Yuki Tsunoda (Japan) AlphaTauri-Red Bull
14. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Alfa Romeo
15. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull
16. Charles Leclerc (Monaco) Ferrari
17. Esteban Ocon (France) Alpine-Renault
18. Lando Norris (Great Britain) McLaren-Mercedes
19. Zhou Guanyu (China) Alfa Romeo
20. Mick Schumacher (Gland/Switzerland) Haas-Ferrari
(SID)
Mercedes driver Russell reveals: This is the relationship with Hamilton
Belgian GP
Formula 1: Experts predict a difficult start for Audi
5 HOURS AGO
Belgian GP
Decision on Monday: Piastri case before arbitral tribunal
6 HOURS AGO