Formula 1 leaves Spa-Francorchamps with the feeling that, for now, only tomorrow’s rain could reshuffle the cards.
Lando Norris took pole position for the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, posting the fastest time of 1:40.562 ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri (1:40.647). An excellent Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari finished third, capitalizing on Verstappen’s small mistake on the decisive lap.
McLaren uncatchable
The Woking cars dominated from the opening stages of qualifying, confirming the technical superiority seen in the Sprint Race a few hours earlier (won by Max Verstappen). Norris put together a perfect final lap, laying the foundation for a historic hat-trick after Austria and Silverstone. Piastri will start alongside him, ready to challenge his teammate for race pace.
Leclerc Saves Ferrari
The updated SF-25 has finally given Leclerc some confidence: “This time I’m happy,” Charles said. “The car was responding well, I immediately felt an improvement.” The Monegasque will start from the second row, ahead of a less brilliant Verstappen than usual, slowed by a loaded setup chosen in anticipation of a possible Sunday downpour.
Hamilton and Antonelli in Crisis
Saturday at Spa marks another dark page for Lewis Hamilton: eliminated in Q1 for exceeding track limits at Eau Rouge, he will start sixteenth. Repeated errors in the Sprint and Qualifying sessions, difficulty finding a feel for the new aerodynamic package, and a lot of frustration. “I apologize to everyone,” the seven-time world champion said over the radio. Andrea Kimi Antonelli fared even worse, only 18th, far behind teammate Russell (6th). The Bolognese talent seems to struggle on fast tracks, and the long corners at Spa have put him in trouble, as they did at Silverstone.
The surprises in the top 10
If McLaren and Ferrari did their job, Alexander Albon’s performance in the Williams (5th) and the presence in Q3 of two young Racing Bulls: Isack Hadjar (8th) and Liam Lawson (9th) are noteworthy. Also noteworthy is Gabriel Bortoleto’s performance, tenth in the Sauber-Ferrari.
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Starting Grid – 2025 Belgian GP
1. Norris (McLaren)
2. Piastri (McLaren)
3. Leclerc (Ferrari)
4. Verstappen (Red Bull)
5. Albon (Williams)
6. Russell (Mercedes)
7. Tsunoda (Red Bull)
8. Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
9. Lawson (Racing Bulls)
10. Bortoleto (Sauber)
Hamilton will start 16th, Antonelli 18th.
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Tomorrow’s weather forecast calls for constant rain. McLaren is the favorite, but anything can happen at Spa. Ferrari is banking on Leclerc to stay on the podium, while Hamilton will have an uphill battle.
Sprint Race – Belgian GP 2025
• Winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• Podium finishers: Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 2nd, Lando Norris (McLaren) 3rd
• Ferrari: Leclerc 4th, Hamilton 15th
• Duration: 15 laps
Report:
Verstappen took advantage of the slipstream at the start to overtake Piastri on the first lap, immediately building a small lead. Piastri tried to stay close, but the Red Bull’s lighter setup made the difference on the Spa straights. Norris, starting third, was forced to reclaim the position from Leclerc after an initial pass from the Monegasque.
Ferrari had two contrasting races: Leclerc took home a solid fourth place but lacked the pace to fight for the podium, while Hamilton was trapped in the midfield with no chance of a comeback.
Sprint Standings (Top 8):
1. Verstappen
2. Piastri
3. Norris
4. Leclerc
5. Ocon
6. Sainz
7. Bearman
8. Hadjar
Important points for Max, who breaks McLaren’s streak and relaunches Red Bull’s ambitions ahead of Sunday’s long race.
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Would you also like me to prepare a graphic box for social media (Sprint podium + top 8) or a mini infographic ready for publication?
Fabio Averna – AISportNews.it