Leclerc Secures Belgian GP Pole in F1 2023 Following Verstappen’s Grid Penalty

For the 13th round of the season, Formula One heads to the 7.004 km long Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot for the Belgian Grand Prix. The Belgian GP is yet another Sprint weekend, and will be the last race before the paddock heads for a summer break. Despite going the fastest in Qualifying, Max Verstappen will not be taking the Pole at the Belgian Grand Prix, and instead, it will be Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who will be starting the race out on the front of the pack.

Here’s how the Qualifying went down today at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix weekend, take a look –

2023 Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying 1
The start of the Qualifying was delayed by 10 minutes, and with the track still damp, all drivers came out on Intermediates. Charles Leclerc went fastest in Q1 with a lap time of 1:58.300, followed by Max Verstappen in second and Lewis Hamilton in third. Fellow countrymen Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso took P4 and P5 respectively.
Daniel Ricciardo saw his lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, and hence, was out in the first Qualifying. Alex Albon, Zhou Guanyu, Logan Sargeant and Nico Hulkenberg were the other four drivers who did not make it to Q2.

2023 Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying 2
With the track now drying up a bit, at least the racing line, all 15 drivers felt confident to eventually pit for slicks. Esteban Ocon damaged his front wing after clipping into the wall, ending his Qualifying. Piastri led Q2 ahead of Ferrari duo Sainz and Leclerc in second and third respectively. Lance Stroll took P4 while McLaren’s Norris was on fifth. Current Championship leader Verstappen managed to make it to Q3 after qualifying on 10th!
Yuki Tsunoda, Pierre Gasly, Kevin Magnussen, Valterri Bottas and Ocon were disqualified from the second qualifying, and will be lining up from 11th to 15th on the grid at the start of the GP on Sunday. Replays also showed Magnussen’s Haas barging into the wall in Q2.
2023 Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying 3
Verstappen managed to go fastest in the final Qualifying, with a lap time of 1:46.168. Leclerc finished second behind the 2x World Champion, while the latter’s teammate Perez occupied third. Lewis Hamilton took P4, ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on fifth. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took P6 and P7 respectively, with George Russell on eighth. Aston Martin drivers Alonso and Stroll will be lining up on ninth and tenth on the grid.
It should be noted that Max Verstappen will be serving a five-place grid penalty during the main Grand Prix race on Sunday, which means that Charles Leclerc will be starting on Pole, joined by Perez on the front row.
The lineup for the Sprint tomorrow evening will be decided by the Sprint shootout that will be held prior.
Stay tuned to TOI Auto for the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint report tomorrow and Race report on Sunday.