Lando Norris takes pole as McLaren locks out front row at Belgian Grand Prix
Lando Norris Takes Pole as McLaren Secures 1-2 in Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium – Lando Norris delivered a stellar performance in Saturday’s qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix, securing pole position and leading McLaren to a commanding 1-2 finish. Teammate and season-long title rival Oscar Piastri came close but ultimately fell 0.085 seconds short of Norris’ benchmark lap time of 1:40.562 at the renowned Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
McLaren’s front-row lockout sets the stage for another chapter in the fierce intra-team rivalry that has come to define this Formula 1 season. Norris, riding high after back-to-back victories in Austria and the British Grand Prix, attributed his success to the car’s exceptional performance all weekend.
“It was a decent lap, so happy,” Norris said following the session. “Everyone was pretty worried after yesterday. I wasn’t even that far off, it was just a couple of little issues that we had. The car has been flying all weekend, Oscar has been doing a good job all weekend, so we are pushing each other a lot.”
Norris will aim to further narrow the nine-point gap to Piastri in the drivers' standings, with momentum clearly on his side heading into Sunday’s race.
Piastri "Disappointed" Despite Strong Showing
Earlier in the day, Piastri inched one point further ahead in the championship by besting Norris in the sprint race, where he finished second to Max Verstappen. However, the Australian rookie wasn’t entirely satisfied with his qualifying effort.
“A bit disappointing,” Piastri admitted. “The second lap was coming together really well, and I just made a little mistake into [Turn] 14 and lost a lot of time. I felt like the car was very good again, but it’s fine margins out there. It’s obviously not a bad place to be starting, but there was more in it, which is always disappointing.”
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc exceeded expectations by clinching third, edging Verstappen by a mere 0.003 seconds. Leclerc finished 0.338 seconds off Norris’ time but expressed satisfaction with his result.
“I’m very happy today. It’s strange to say that because it’s still 0.3s [to Norris] and it’s only a third place, but I did not expect it,” Leclerc remarked. “We thought we were quite a lot more back. We knew that we had something more in the car with the upgrade this weekend, but we still struggled yesterday. That was a really, really good lap.”
Verstappen and Hamilton Struggle
Reigning world champion Verstappen, who had triumphed in an electric sprint race earlier, suffered wheel spin during his final Q3 attempt, leaving him unable to replicate his earlier heroics.
Lewis Hamilton endured another dismal outing, as his lap was deleted in Q1 for exceeding track limits at the Eau Rouge section of the circuit. The seven-time world champion initially set a time good enough to advance to Q2 but was ultimately relegated to 16th on the grid. This marks the second consecutive qualifying session in which Hamilton has failed to progress past Q1, adding to his misfortunes after finishing 15th in Friday’s sprint.
Standout Performances and Team Struggles
Williams driver Alex Albon delivered a standout performance, qualifying fifth ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, who showed signs of recovery after a disappointing sprint race earlier. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda, driving a Red Bull featuring a new floor upgrade, took seventh – marking his best qualifying result since the Australian Grand Prix.
The Racing Bulls duo of Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson secured eighth and ninth, respectively, showcasing the team’s growing consistency. Impressive Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, benefitting from Hamilton’s Q1 misstep, rounded out the top ten.
Haas, which impressed in the sprint, struggled to maintain its pace in standard qualifying. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were eliminated in Q2, finishing 12th and 13th, respectively. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto slotted into 17th, while Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli continued to face challenges, qualifying 18th.
It was a day to forget for Aston Martin, as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll languished at the bottom of the timesheets. Both drivers will start the race from the back of the grid, with the team struggling to make any headway at Spa.
Looking Ahead to Sunday’s Race
As the championship battle heats up, all eyes will be on the front row when the lights go out on Sunday. McLaren’s resurgence has injected new life into the 2023 season, with Norris and Piastri’s rivalry promising another thrilling contest at Spa-Francorchamps.
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