Lando Norris stormed to his fourth pole of the 2025 season at Spa-Francorchamps, edging teammate Oscar Piastri by just 0.085 seconds in a tense Belgian Grand Prix qualifying session. But the big story was Lewis Hamilton’s shock Q1 exit, his worst of the year.
The McLaren duo were a class apart again. Norris set the early pace, and Piastri pushed him all the way, but came up just short. Charles Leclerc took third for Ferrari, while Max Verstappen, fresh off a sprint win, starts fourth.
Only 0.003 seconds separated Leclerc and Verstappen. It was a session of fine margins. Just 0.619 seconds split the top five in Q2.
Lewis Hamilton’s day fell apart early. The seven-time world champion had a flying lap good enough for Q2. But it was deleted for exceeding track limits. He will start 16th, and labelled it “a very, very poor performance.”
Up front, Norris delivered when it mattered. His consistency in the final sector helped him hold off Piastri. The pair now sit just nine points apart in the title race.
Williams pulled off a surprise as Alex Albon qualified fifth. He starts alongside George Russell on row three. Behind them, Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar form a youthful fourth row.
McLaren, Red Bull, and Racing Bulls all had both drivers in the top 10. Bortoleto impressed with seventh for Haas, pushing out teammate Hülkenberg. Gasly also missed out, knocked down by Liam Lawson’s late charge.
The final laps in Q2 brought chaos. Alonso, Stroll, and Antonelli all briefly looked safe. But Hülkenberg’s late improvement knocked out the rookie Mercedes driver.
In Q3, Piastri and Norris were the first to strike. Verstappen split the two before Leclerc responded late. The order changed again in the closing seconds.
The mood in the paddock was mixed. McLaren looked clinical and calm. Ferrari and Mercedes were left scrambling.
Hamilton’s frustration reflected a growing pressure at Ferrari. His track-limit mistake proved costly. He admitted, “It’s unacceptable.”
