Charles Leclerc secures pole position at Belgian Grand Prix after Verstappen's gearbox penalty

The excitement at the Belgian Grand Prix intensified as Charles Leclerc claimed the coveted pole position, demonstrating his skill on the challenging Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Charles Leclerc will take pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix, despite Max Verstappen initially setting the fastest time in qualifying. Verstappen incurred a five-grid penalty for changing his gearbox, dropping him to sixth on the starting grid for Sunday's race. Leclerc's Ferrari teammate, Sergio Perez, will start alongside him on the front row. Last year's champion, Verstappen, who currently leads the championship, won at Spa-Francorchamps from 14th on the grid.

Leclerc expressed satisfaction with his qualifying performance, being eight-tenths of a second slower than Verstappen. The second row will be occupied by Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz from Ferrari. McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Verstappen will follow, with Lando Norris (McLaren), George Russell (Mercedes), and Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in the Aston Martins completing the top 10.

Saturday will feature the third sprint race of the season, but Verstappen's penalty will not apply to this part of the event. The session leading to the starting grid was challenging due to changing conditions, with some drivers struggling to find the right balance. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the weather earlier in the day, qualifying ultimately took place in improved conditions after a delayed start.