Oscar Piastri delivered a masterclass in pressure driving to claim Sprint pole at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, laying down a 1:40.510 (a new lap record) in a tense final-minute showdown at Spa-Francorchamps. With the top 10 drivers in SQ3 each limited to a single set of soft Pirellis for one shot at pole, Piastri rose to the occasion, beating Max Verstappen by nearly half a second in the dying moments of Sprint Qualifying. The Australian’s effort continued his charge in the 2025 F1 World Championship, while McLaren teammate Lando Norris—who came into the weekend with back-to-back wins—had to settle for third after an early run that couldn’t be improved upon.
What To Know
- Piastri led Sprint grid with a lap record of 1:40.510, nearly 0.5s clear of Verstappen.
- Norris third; Hamilton spun out in SQ1 and started P18.
- Big names like Russell and Tsunoda also missed SQ3.
Sprint Qualifying delivered all the drama expected from Spa’s high-speed layout and unpredictable grip levels. Norris had set the benchmark early with a 1:41.128, only to be eclipsed by Verstappen’s 1:40.987. But Piastri’s final effort blew them both away, putting him in prime position for Saturday’s Sprint.
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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fourth, almost eight tenths off the top, followed by a sensational performance from Esteban Ocon in the Haas, who starts fifth. Behind him, Sainz split the Haas pair with Oliver Bearman in seventh, while Gasly, Hadjar, and Bortoleto rounded out the top 10.
Piastri’s path to pole wasn’t without peril—he narrowly avoided elimination in SQ2 after having his first lap deleted for a track limits violation at the top of Eau Rouge. His backup time, a 1:42.169, saw him scrape through by just 0.041s over Liam Lawson, while big names fell early.
George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, and both Aston Martins missed the SQ3 cut, while Lewis Hamilton was the shock exit of SQ1 after a high-speed spin at the final chicane left him P18.
Alex Albon, Nico Hülkenberg, Franco Colapinto, and Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli—who beached his car in the gravel at Stavelot—joined Hamilton on the sidelines.
With rain still looming over the Ardennes and a Sprint up next, the stage was now set for another twist in this unpredictable 2025 season.
2025 Belgian GP Sprint Qualifying Results
2025 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying, 25 July 2025
| POS. | NO. | DRIVER | TEAM | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:41.769 | 1:42.128 | 1:40.510 | 11 |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:42.043 | 1:41.583 | 1:40.987 | 9 |
| 3 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:42.068 | 1:41.412 | 1:41.128 | 12 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:42.763 | 1:41.786 | 1:41.278 | 12 |
| 5 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:42.822 | 1:41.801 | 1:41.565 | 12 |
| 6 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:42.776 | 1:42.051 | 1:41.761 | 11 |
| 7 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:43.024 | 1:42.019 | 1:41.857 | 12 |
| 8 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:43.171 | 1:41.949 | 1:41.959 | 12 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:42.711 | 1:42.088 | 1:41.971 | 11 |
| 10 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 1:42.806 | 1:41.901 | 1:42.176 | 12 |
| 11 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:42.897 | 1:42.169 | 9 | |
| 12 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 1:42.912 | 1:42.184 | 9 | |
| 13 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:42.650 | 1:42.330 | 8 | |
| 14 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:42.427 | 1:42.453 | 7 | |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:42.736 | 1:42.832 | 8 | |
| 16 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:43.212 | 6 | ||
| 17 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 1:43.217 | 6 | ||
| 18 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:43.408 | 6 | ||
| 19 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:43.587 | 6 | ||
| 20 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:45.394 | 6 |
2025 Belgian Sprint Starting Grid
The Sprint starting grid, with or without penalties, after the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying session.
| POS. | NO. | DRIVER | TEAM | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:40.510 |
| 2 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:40.987 |
| 3 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:41.128 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:41.278 |
| 5 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:41.565 |
| 6 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:41.761 |
| 7 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:41.857 |
| 8 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:41.959 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:41.971 |
| 10 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 1:42.176 |
| 11 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:42.169 |
| 12 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 1:42.184 |
| 13 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:42.330 |
| 14 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:42.453 |
| 15 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:42.832 |
| 16 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:43.212 |
| 17 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 1:43.217 |
| 18 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:43.408 |
| 19 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:45.394 |
| 20 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:43.587 |
Race Guide
Race: 2025 Belgian Grand Prix
Season: 2025 F1 World Championship
Race weekend: 25 July 2025 – 27 July 2025
Race date: Sunday, 27 July, 2025
Race start time: 15:00 local time
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Laps: 44
Circuit length: 7.004km
2024 winner: Lewis Hamilton
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