2024 Belgian Grand Prix – Qualifying F1 results
Haas’ Kevin Magnussen in the rain.
Max Verstappen dominated qualifying for the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, but it is Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on pole.
Verstappen was almost six-tenths clear by the end of Q3, but carrying a 10-place grid penalty after taking a new internal combustion engine, it meant that Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc inherited pole, with Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez joining Leclerc on the front row.
Charles Leclerc inherits Belgian Grand Prix pole
The rain which soaked the Spa circuit earlier in the day lifted in time for qualifying, with the intermediate tyres called into use for Q1.
Going into the final round of laps, Red Bull’s Verstappen – who will drop 10 places on the Belgian GP grid due to taking a new internal combustion engine – was bossing the session, six-tenths up on McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in P2.
But Piastri ultimately topped Q1 with a 1:54.835, 0.076s up on Pierre Gasly in the upgraded Alpine.
Zhou Guanyu, Logan Sargeant, Yuki Tsunoda, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg were eliminated. Tsunoda will drop to the back due to power unit penalties.
Onto Q2 and the rain had returned, but only in the form of drizzle as the dry lines continued to form. The final sector though remained rather wet, as Perez told his Red Bull team that the rain was now getting harder.
Verstappen topped Q2 by two-tenths from Lewis Hamilton, while Lance Stroll, Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon were out.
It was now time for the battle for pole position, with Verstappen comfortably setting the fastest lap after the opening runs, a 1:53.159. But team-mate Perez, six-tenths adrift after a run on used inters, was on provisional pole as the rain intensified once more.
That did not stop Leclerc from muscling his Ferrari in front of Perez on new inters, meaning it was Leclerc on pole for the Belgian Grand Prix for the second year running.
Q3 times
1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing 1:53.159
2 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +0.595
3 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing +0.606
4 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +0.676
5 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.822
6 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren +0.868
7 George RUSSELL Mercedes +1.025
8 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +1.318
9 Fernando ALONSO Aston Martin +1.606
10 Esteban OCON Alpine +1.651
Q2 times
1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing 1:53.837
2 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +0.200
3 George RUSSELL Mercedes +0.258
4 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +0.275
5 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren +0.299
6 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +0.356
7 Fernando ALONSO Aston Martin +0.421
8 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.521
9 Esteban OCON Alpine +0.623
10 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing +0.633
—
11 Alexander ALBON Williams +0.636
12 Pierre GASLY Alpine +0.798
13 Daniel RICCIARDO RB +0.845
14 Valtteri BOTTAS Kick Sauber +0.927
15 Lance STROLL Aston Martin +1.879
Q1 times
1 Oscar PIASTRI McLaren 1:54.835
2 Pierre GASLY Alpine +0.076
3 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing +0.103
4 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing +0.304
5 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari +0.334
6 Charles LECLERC Ferrari +0.514
7 George RUSSELL Mercedes +0.518
8 Esteban OCON Alpine +0.582
9 Daniel RICCIARDO RB +0.616
10 Fernando ALONSO Aston Martin +0.654
11 Valtteri BOTTAS Kick Sauber +0.696
12 Lando NORRIS McLaren +0.747
13 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +0.857
14 Alexander ALBON Williams +0.887
15 Lance STROLL Aston Martin +1.237
—
16 Nico HULKENBERG Haas F1 Team +1.473
17 Kevin MAGNUSSEN Haas F1 Team +1.665
18 Yuki TSUNODA RB +1.758
19 Logan SARGEANT Williams +2.395
20 Guanyu ZHOU Kick Sauber +2.940
Read next – Belgian GP: Max Verstappen quickest but Charles Leclerc takes pole and P3 gives Perez glimmer of hope