Max Verstappen begins the sprint race of the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday from the second starting position. The reigning champion had to concede almost half a second to World Cup leader Oscar Piastri in the McLaren on Friday at Circuit Spa-Francorchamps.
With his 1.40.987, Verstappen did stay ahead of Lando Norris in the other McLaren. With his improved Red Bull, he was two tenths faster than Norris in the equally modified McLaren. Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari.
But there was no match for Piastri, with his 1.40.510. This showed that the McLaren is the car to beat again this weekend in the Ardennes.
A number of striking names also did well at Spa. Esteban Ocon, for example, who conquered the fifth starting place for the sprint with the Haas. Carlos Sainz finished sixth in the Williams, ahead of the second Haas of Oliver Bearman.
Russell, Hamilton and Antonelli disappoint
The fact that these drivers are so far forward is also because a number of regular names let it slip. The sprint qualification did not go well for George Russell. The Mercedes driver went into the fog in the La Source hairpin and then did not get further than the thirteenth time.
A number of big names already fell in SQ1. Lewis Hamilton spun in the bus stop chicane and did not continue with the Ferrari and starts the sprint in eighteenth place. Andrea Kimi Antonelli spun earlier, complained about braking problems with his Mercedes and did not get further than the last time. Nico Hülkenberg, who was on the podium in Silverstone, starts the sprint in seventeenth place.