Oscar Piastri Claims Pole Position for the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint
In an exciting qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint, Oscar Piastri has secured the pole position, setting the stage for a thrilling race. The McLaren driver clocked an impressive time of 1:40.510 in the final moments of the qualifying session held on Friday, August 25. Joining him on the front row is Max Verstappen, who will start in second place. Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, and Esteban Ocon rounded out the top five, promising an action-packed race ahead.
Gabriel Bortoleto, representing Sauber, also had a noteworthy qualifying session. The Brazilian driver advanced to the SQ3 phase and achieved a time of 1:41.1, placing him tenth on the starting grid for the sprint race. The Sprint race is scheduled for Saturday, August 26, at 7 AM local time, with the main race’s qualifying session set to take place at 11 AM, all in Brasília time.
Overview of the Sprint Qualifying Session
The lone practice session prior to the qualifying event allowed drivers just 60 minutes to finalize their setups for the weekend. As the competitors returned to the track for the qualifying session, the weather conditions were stable and warm at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The track temperature peaked at 39°C, with the air temperature around 22°C and humidity at 66%.
SQ1: The Initial Phase of Qualifying
During the first phase, known as SQ1, drivers had 12 minutes to post their fastest laps using medium compounds. Similar to traditional qualifying formats, the five slowest drivers would be eliminated from contention. As the session commenced, there was an immediate buzz as the engines roared to life around the Belgian circuit. The Aston Martin duo of Liam Lawson and Nico Hülkenberg remained in the pits at the start, waiting for the right moment to hit the track.
As the initial laps were recorded, Isack Hadjar set the early pace with a time of 1:42.711, closely followed by Gabriel Bortoleto in second place. Esteban Ocon, Lawson, and Hülkenberg were also among the early runners. Kimi Antonelli, aiming for a top spot, unfortunately spun out and went off track, but managed to avoid a collision and returned without significant damage to his car.
With five minutes remaining in SQ1, Oscar Piastri surged to the top of the timesheets, clocking a time of 1:41.769. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris were hot on his heels, with only 0.299 seconds separating the three drivers. Meanwhile, at the bottom of the leaderboard, notable names like Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto, Antonelli, and Oliver Bearman were in danger of being eliminated.
As the checkered flag waved, Hamilton’s spin resulted in a yellow flag, preventing any last-minute improvements from other drivers. Consequently, Hamilton would start from 18th position. Alongside Hamilton, Alexander Albon, Hülkenberg, Colapinto, and Antonelli also failed to advance.
Gabriel Bortoleto secured his place in SQ2 by finishing tenth, just over a second behind Piastri’s leading time.
SQ2: The Second Phase of Qualifying
The second phase of the Sprint qualifying session, SQ2, faced a delay due to the accumulation of gravel on the track, primarily caused by Antonelli’s earlier incident. Once the track was cleared, the session resumed with drivers given another nine minutes to set their fastest laps, again mandated to use medium tires.
In the initial moments, Lando Norris set the first competitive time of the session at 1:42.182. Shortly after, Piastri managed a lap of 1:41.736, but this was later deleted due to exceeding track limits. With only a minute left in the session, the top contenders had already established their positions, with Norris leading the way.
The checkered flag concluded SQ2, with Norris finishing with the fastest lap of 1:41.412, followed closely by Verstappen, Leclerc, Ocon, and Bortoleto making up the top five. Those who were unable to advance included Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, George Russell, Fernando Alonso, and Lance Stroll.
SQ3: The Final Showdown
The final phase, SQ3, also saw a brief delay due to track cleaning. The top ten drivers who would compete for pole position included Norris, Verstappen, Leclerc, Ocon, Bortoleto, Gasly, Bearman, Carlos Sainz, Hadjar, and Piastri. As the clock ticked down, the drivers switched to soft tires for their final attempts.
The session saw a flurry of activity as drivers began to leave the pits. In the final four minutes, Piastri and Bortoleto were the last to hit the track. After completing their initial laps, Norris briefly held the provisional pole before Verstappen overtook him. However, it was Piastri who stole the spotlight with an astonishing time of 1:40.510, not only securing pole but also setting an unofficial track record.
As the session wrapped up, Piastri’s performance solidified his position at the front of the grid for the Sprint race, with Verstappen sharing the front row. Norris and Leclerc followed closely, setting the stage for an electrifying sprint to come.
Final Results of the Sprint Qualifying Session
The results from the qualifying session for the Sprint at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix are as follows:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:40.510
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:40.987
- Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) – 1:41.128
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:41.278
- Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:41.565
- Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:41.761
- Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) – 1:41.857
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Renault) – 1:41.959
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – 1:41.971
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:42.176
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT) – 1:42.169
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull/Honda RBPT) – 1:42.184
- George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:42.330
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:42.453
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Mercedes) – 1:42.832
- Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) – 1:43.212
- Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber/Ferrari) – 1:43.217
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 1:43.408
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Renault) – 1:43.587
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:45.394
With the stage set for the Sprint race, fans can expect adrenaline-fueled action as these talented drivers battle for supremacy on the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
