F1 championship leader Oscar Piastri stormed to a dominant pole position for Saturday’s Sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix, with chief title rival Lando Norris behind Max Verstappen in third.
After the frustration of his race-losing penalty to Norris at the British GP three weeks ago, Piastri has hit the ground running at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps and had already set the pace in Friday’s sole practice session before claiming the weekend’s first of two poles by a whopping 0.4s margin.
Verstappen, whose Red Bull team are at a race weekend without former team boss Christian Horner for the first time after 20 years, beat Norris to second in the effective single-lap shootout of SQ3.
Charles Leclerc was fourth in the lead Ferrari but team-mate Lewis Hamilton made one of several shock early exits.
Hamilton will start Saturday’s 15-lap dash from 18th after spinning in his Ferrari on his final lap of SQ1, while 2024 Spa victors Mercedes qualified 13th and 20th with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli respectively.
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Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton spins out of Sprint Qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix.
With Hamilton and both Mercedes’ out early, the midfield runners made hay – with Haas particularly cashing in to take fifth with Esteban Ocon and seventh with Olivier Bearman.
Carlos Sainz was sixth for Williams while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out an unusual-looking bottom of the top 10.
More to follow…
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the Belgian Grand Prix
Saturday July 26
8.10am: F3 Sprint
10am: Belgian GP Sprint (lights out at 11am)
12.20pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
12.40pm: F2 Sprint
2pm: Belgian GP Qualifying (session starts at 3pm)
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday July 27
7.25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.40am: Porsche Supercup Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Belgian GP build-up*
2pm: THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered flag: Belgian GP reaction*
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
The 2025 Formula 1 season resumes this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix as the Sprint format returns, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.
