Max Verstappen will start the third Sprint Race of the 2023 Formula 1 season in Spa from the top spot having nipped the fastest time from a sensational Oscar Piastri by the slightest of margins.
The result once again shows that Verstappen is in a good place with the RB19 and his Red Bull team, always able to finish on top regardless of what is thrown at him.
It also shows in equal measure how good Piastri is, as the rookie once again was fighting at the sharp end of the proceedings and only lost out to Verstappen by 0.011s.
The Belgium Shootout started after being delayed due to the heavy rain, and the first two stages SQ1 and SQ2 were contested on Intermediate tyres, while a solitary attempt from Aston Martin who put their drivers on Mediums in the final moments of SQ2 backfired spectacularly as Lance Stroll crashed out and ruined Fernando Alonso's lap. both were out.
In the end Verstappen set the fastest lap time in the Sprint Shootout by 0.011s from second-placed Piastri while Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was third fastest 0.014s behind the McLaren.
Verstappen said afterwards: "It was pretty difficult. It was similar to yesterday. I think we stayed calm, the gap was not as big as yesterday, but there was also no need to risk it all.
"My second sector was a bit careful but I am still on pole so that is what counts. It was getting better and better but Turn 8 and Turn 9 it was still super slippery so some time left on the table there.
"But is it OK, it is good to have a clean end to Qualifying. I will try to have a good start to have clean, clear vision. That is going to be important if it is wet," the Dutchman concluded.
Piastri added: "I’m mostly very happy of course, but when you cross the line and I saw myself in P1 and then I got the call I was P2 it’s a bit frustrating, especially when it’s by 11 thousandths.
"I did a really good lap and couldn’t have got much more out of that. I’m super happy to be on the front row. If there’s one track where you don’t want to be on pole it’s probably here," he added.
SQ3: What a performance by Piastri
Verstappen might have gotten pole, but Piastri was the star, as the rookie once again showed his immense talent and blistering pace on falling short to Verstappen by 0.011, the former clocking a session topping time of 1:49.056.
Sainz was third fastest in the Ferrari, 0.025s off the pace and edging teammate Charles Leclerc by 0.170s, the latter fourth fastest.
Lando Norris was fifth fastest in the other McLaren, the Briton outqualified for the second day in a row by his teammate, this time losing our to him by 0.322s
In what has been a tumultuous weekend for Alpine with team boss Otmar Szafnauer sacked, Pierre Gasly gave the Enstone squad something to smile about, setting the sixth fastest time in the Shootout, albeit 0.644s off the pace.
Behind Gasly, Lewis Hamilton was seventh fastest in the Mercedes, 0.844s off the pace and 0.060s ahead of Sergio Perez who was eighth fastest.
The Mexican's fastest lap was compromised by a group of slow cars at the Bus Stop chicane getting ready to start on their final flying laps.
Esteban Ocon put the other Alpine in the top ten, ninth fastest was George Russell struggled throughout the session, ultimately finishing tenth fastest and over six second off the pace.
On their final lap, Russell got in the way of teammate Hamilton, the former locking up at Turn1, which meant his teammate was on his gearbox exiting the corner and compromising his final lap. Hamilton also had to lift off at the end of the Kemmel straight to avoid rear-ending the #63 Mercedes.
SQ2: Stroll crashes in the dying moments
Logan Sargeant brought out the first Yellow flag of the session, losing the rear of his Williams at Turn 15, but managed to keep going.
In the final 30 seconds of the session, Stroll took a risk with Medium tyres, but the Canadian crashed at Turn 9 causing a Red flag after which the session was naturally not resumed. The Canadian ruined the chances of his teammate Alonso who was behind him on a fast lap as well.
As a result, Verstappen was fastest again, with a 1:55.200, 0.623s faster than Hamilton in second, while Perez was third, 0.678s slower than his teammate.
The second group of drivers to be knocked out were lead by Daniel Ricciardo who will start the Sprint Race from 11th.
Alex Albon was 12th fastest with Logan Sargeant behind him in 13th, both drivers not setting any times in SQ2.
Stroll will lineup 14th while Alonso will start from 15th, also both not having times on the board.
SQ1: Rain delays session by 35 minutes, Russell barely makes it
The third Sprint Shootout of the 2023 Formula 1 season has been delayed, with no clear time when it will be given the green light following heavy rain at Spa-Francorchamps.
Almost 15 minutes past the session's original starting time, the good news is that the rain has stopped, and drivers could be seen starting to get ready to get into their cars, awaiting the green light from the FIA.
The FIA announced that should the Sprint Shootout be cancelled, the results of Friday's Qualifying will set the grid for the Sprint Race on Saturday afternoon.
Verstappen will start from pole as he set the fastest time and his penalty does no apply for the Sprint Shootout or Race.
Twenty minutes into the session, race control announced that the Shootout will start at 12:35 local time, 35 minutes past the original starting time.
As such, several drivers started getting into their cars in preparation for the session.
With more than five minutes away from the start, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, and Haas drivers line up at the start of the pitlane.
The end of SQ1 saw Verstappen set the fastest time, a 1:58.135, 0.804s faster than Hamilton in second while Alonso was third fastest, 0.903s off the pace.
Yuki Tsunoda was 16th fastest at the end of SQ1 and missed out to Russell by 0.093s, the Mercedes driver barely making it into SQ2.
Valtteri Bottas was 17th fastest in the Alfa Romeo, 0.383s behind Tsunoda and 0.128s ahead of Kevin Magnussen who was 18th fastest in the Haas.
Zhou Guanyu was 19th fastest in the other Alfa Romeo, while Nico Hulkenberg was 20th, the German not even setting a time.
Belgium Shootout Official Results
A reminder of the Shootout rules
Before going though the details of what went down in the Sprint Shootout, here is a quick reminder of the rules; the Sprint Shootout will be divided into three sessions, SQ1 (12 minutes), SQ2 (10 minutes) and SQ3 (8 minutes), with new tyres mandatory in the first two phases of the Shootout, new Mediums for SQ1 and SQ2 and new/used Softs for SQ3.
The timings mean that drivers might get the chance to have up to two timed laps in SQ1, but only one in SQ2 and SQ3, which increases the chances of an unpredictable outcome.
That meant that drivers that used more Soft tyres in Qualifying on Friday and ran out of them will not take part in SQ3 if they reach it, but now the FIA have reacted to this and tweaked the rules allowing drivers to use any set of Soft tyres available to them, meaning they can use used Soft tyres should they need to.
If the sessions is deemed a wet session, any tyre compound can be used.
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