The Mercedes of Nico Rosberg will start on pole for the Belgian Grand Prix tomorrow after taking pole by just a tenth of a second from the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.
Rosberg, who was fastest in the first practice session pulled out the lap when it mattered to gain pole position with a time of 1:46.744. It was a key move in the championship battle as Rosberg looks set to hunt down his Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton in the second half of the season. Despite taking pole Rosberg was still cautious about his chances tomorrow, especially due to tyres.
“It’s going to be a very challenging race because the tyres are extremely difficult. It will not be easy.”
Rosberg will share the front row with F1 youngest ever front row starter in Verstappen. Much to the delight of the Belgian and Dutch fans here to support him this weekend, the Red Bull driver managed to steal second place. However, he seems to possibly be at a disadvantage for the race. Starting on the supersoft tyres which have had issues hanging on all weekend, while the others around him start on the preferred soft tyres.
Meanwhile the king of Spa Kimi Raikkonen had to settle for 3rd place behind the Mercedes and Red Bull. He can take some solace in the fact he outpaced his team mate Sebastian Vettel, who will start 4th following a mistake into the final corners of the lap. Vettel seemed particularly annoyed and took to the radio to complain about the place. Saying to was all down to the supersoft tyres being unable to hang on around the lap. He was not the only driver to make a mistake that cost him. As the Red Bull of Daniel Riccardo also made a mistake on his final flying lap of the session. Far from being disappointed, Ricciardo was quick to point out he felt he was on a favourable strategy to his team mate.
“Max wanted his strategy and l wanted mine so we both obviously feel it’s the right way to go,” said Ricciardo. “I’m happy that I’ve picked the best one.”
Force India once again celebrated a great qualifying session as both their drivers qualified in front of the Williams drivers. With Sergio Perez in 6th and Nico Hulkenberg in 7th. It was a slightly underwhelming end to the session for Williams after Felipe Massa went fastest in the first part of Qualifying. He starts in 10th tomorrow while his team mate Valtteri Bottas will start 8th. The two Williams are split by the much improved McLaren of Jenson Button, who called the lap he did to put his car 9th one of the best laps he’s ever done. Something that will be of very little solace to Massa right now, as it is suspected Button might be replacing him next season at Williams.
Elsewhere It was a much improved session for the Renault team. As both driver got into Q2 for the first time since Australia. An under pressure Jolyon Palmer had his best qualifying of the season in 14th, while team mate Kevin Magnussen was able to qualify 12th. They were not the only ones celebrating Q2 success, as the Manor of Pascal Wehrlein qualified 16th. The session was important to show an early dominance over his new team mate, and fellow Mercedes protégé Esteban Ocon. Ocon had a positive first session, qualifying 18th ahead of the Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat.
The Mercedes driver Hamilton went into qualifying knowing he already had to serve enough grid penalties to send him to the back of the grid anyway. So the current leader of the drivers’ championship completed just four laps in the first part of qualifying to ensure he would be permitted to participate in the race before parking up for the day.
“It was definitely a weird qualifying session for me,” said Hamilton. “Today was really important for us to make sure the car was right for tomorrow. There was no point in showing any pace today.”
However, he will not start from last place despite the penalties he accumulated. That honour goes to the McLaren of Fernando Alonso, who pulled over with an engine issue and failed to even set a time. On top of this he has his own grid penalties to serve for engine related infringements too.
With strategy being a key focus of tomorrow thanks to the increased temperature taking life out of the tyres faster than predicted. And an out of position Hamilton looking set to fight his way through the grid. As well as the unpredictable nature of the first corner. All eyes should be on the race tomorrow, which looks very promising.
Belgian GP Qualifying
Q1
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:46.744
2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 1:46.893
3. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:46.910
4. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1:47.108
5. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, 1:47.216
6. Sergio Perez, Force India, 1:47.407
7. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, 1:47.543
8. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:47.612
9. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:48.114
10. Felipe Massa, Williams, 1:48.263
Q2
11. Romain Grosjean, Haas, 1:48.316
12. Kevin Magnussen, Renault, 1:48.485
13. Esteban Gutierrez, Haas, 1:48.598 (5 Place Grid Penalty For Dangerous Driving in FP3)
14. Jolyon Palmer, Renault, 1:48.888
15. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, 1:49.038
16. Pascal Wehrlein, Manor, 1:49.320
Q3
17. Felipe Nasr, Sauber, 1:48.949
18. Esteban Ocon, Manor, 1:49.050
19. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso, 1:49.058
20. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber, 1:49.071 (10 Place Grid Penalty For Engine Infringements)
21. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:50.033 (55 Place Grid Penalty For Engine Infringements)
22. Fernando Alonso, McLaren, No time set (35 Place Grid Penalty For Engine Infringements)
Feature Image Credit: Scuderia Ferrari Press Release
