Saturday at Spa-Francorchamps delivered a day of dramatic and stunning performances. From Verstappen’s masterful Sprint victory to Norris bouncing back for pole position, day two showcased why Belgium remains one of F1’s greatest theaters. What unfolded during the Sprint and qualifying sessions? Let us here at Supercars.com.GH explain!
Sprint
Max Verstappen executed a perfect race strategy to claim his first Sprint victory of the season, making a brilliant overtake on Oscar Piastri at Turn 5 on the opening lap before defending superbly for the remaining distance. The Dutchman’s victory margin of 0.753 seconds over Piastri told the story of a masterclass in racecraft under pressure.
Piastri made a strong start from Sprint pole but couldn’t prevent Verstappen’s slipstream-assisted move down the Kemmel straight. The championship leader spent the entire race hunting the Red Bull but couldn’t find a way past despite several attempts, including a bold move around the outside that Verstappen expertly defended.
Lando Norris completed the podium in third after initially losing out to Charles Leclerc at the start, though the Briton quickly reclaimed the position. Drama struck before the race even began as Pierre Gasly’s Alpine suffered a water system failure, forcing him to start from the pits two laps down.
The tight battle at the front saw all three drivers remain within seven-tenths throughout, with Verstappen admitting post-race that he “couldn’t afford to make big mistakes” while managing DRS zones and battery deployment.
Qualifying
Norris delivered a perfect response to his Sprint disappointment, securing pole position with a commanding 1:40.562 that proved unbeatable throughout the session. The McLaren driver topped Q1, grabbed provisional pole in Q3, and held on despite intense pressure from teammate Piastri, who finished just 0.085 seconds behind.
The session’s biggest shock came in Q1 as Lewis Hamilton suffered a dramatic exit. The seven-time champion initially appeared safe in seventh before his lap time was deleted for track limits violations, dropping him to 16th and out of qualifying. The elimination marked another frustrating chapter in Hamilton’s challenging weekend.
Alex Albon impressed with fifth place for Williams, ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes, while both Red Bulls showed competitive pace with Verstappen fourth and Yuki Tsunoda claiming his best grid position as a Red Bull driver in seventh.
The Haas duo’s strong Sprint form didn’t translate to qualifying success, with both Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman exiting in Q2. Aston Martin endured a nightmare session with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll occupying the back row after Q1 eliminations.
Can Norris convert pole position into victory at this challenging circuit? Join Supercars.com.GH tomorrow to find out!