Bottas slotted into 2nd to offer Mercedes their very first front row lock out in Belgium because 2015, the Finn making his very first appearance in the leading 2, however only just with Red Bulls Max Verstappen ending up simply 0.015 s adrift in 3rd.
The Mercedes chauffeur appeared like he had the speed from the minute certifying began, the Briton at one with his Silver Arrows, conveniently surviving Q1 and after that easing through Q2 on the medium tire to provide him the favoured compound for Sundays race.
Then when it came to Q3, he pulled out a legendary lap on his first run, and after that was even quicker, ending up 0.5 s clear of group mate Valtteri Bottas, to protect his sixth pole at Spa and 5th of the season.
Lewis Hamilton was silently positive after Friday practice regardless of having failed to hook a up a tidy lap at Medspa Francorchamps– but as he has done so often in his glittering profession, the ruling world champion delivered when it mattered with an amazing lap to take lead for the Belgian Grand Prix.
FOUND OUT MORE: Bottas not troubled to miss pole as he tries to find Lap 1 advantage over Hamilton
1
Lewis
Hamilton
HAM
Mercedes
1:41.252
2
Valtteri
Bottas
BOT
Mercedes
1:41.763
3
Max
Verstappen
VER
Red Bull Racing
1:41.778
4
Daniel
Ricciardo
RIC
Renault
1:42.061
5
Alexander
Albon
ALB
Red Bull Racing
1:42.264
Renaults Daniel Ricciardo finally handled to carry his Friday pace through to certifying as he wound up a dazzling fourth fastest, his best-ever certifying at Spa on what is his 10th visit, ahead of Red Bulls Alex Albon who continued his improved type with his most accomplished certifying efficiency of the year.
Esteban Ocon made it two Renaults in the leading six for the first time since Monza last year, while Carlos Sainz begins seventh– his best Spa certifying, beating the two Racing Points, who didnt light up the timesheets as prepared for. McLarens Lando Norris completed the top 10.
Ferrari, who were so dominant at Spa last year, were no place to be seen in the leading 10 shoot-out, the red cars doing not have the rate in all 3 sectors, with Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel 13th and 14th respectively. That was the first time given that Silverstone 2014 that a red car took no part in Q3. They have a lot of work to do if they are to restore anything from this race.
Still, the Dutchman remains in an excellent position for Sundays race, given his Red Bulls groups supreme race speed and the reality he will begin on the more long lasting medium tire like the 2 silver automobiles ahead of him.
Belgian GP qualifying stats and truths: No Ferraris in Q3 for very first time because 2014
View all the highlights from Belgian GP qualifying
Q1– Ferrari scrape through as Russell impresses
The Ferraris only just scraped through into Q2 at Spa.
Haas might have begun in the top 10 with both automobiles at Spa for the last 2 years, but they were both tossed out in Q1 this time around, Kevin Magnussen getting it all incorrect on his last lap to skate across the gravel before re-joining.
Up front, Lewis Hamilton was quickest, ahead of Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas, with the Silver Arrows 0.959 s quicker in Q1 than they remained in Q3 in 2015.
But after some jostling for position on the last out-laps, as drivers attempted to avoid being the first cars and truck on track, Vettel and Leclerc conserved their blushes by scraping through in P13 and P15 respectively, the latter scraping through by a tenth. What a distinction a year makes, the red cars and trucks 1.048 s slower than they were in 2015.
So the big concern heading into Q1 was whether the Scuderia could avoid the ignominy of seeing a minimum of one cars and truck getting booted out in the very first part of getting approved for the very first time in the turbo hybrid age based upon pure performance.
It wasnt looking excellent after the very first run, with Vettel in the drop zone after the very first runs, the Ferrari looking very uncomfortable around the sweeping turns of Spa
Kimi Raikonnen just lost out, 2 places clear of Alfa Romeo group mate Antonio Giovinazzi, who stays the only chauffeur to have actually been knocked out in Q1 in every certifying session this season. On the other hand, George Russell impressed once again, splitting the Ferraris as he made it into Q2 for the fifth time in 7 races.
Knocked out: Raikkonen, Grosjean, Giovinazzi, Latifi, Magnussen
2020 Belgian GP Qualifying: Not much more I can do states Leclerc
Q2– Albon impresses as Mercedes control
Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll needed to box and in shape soft tires, as they ended the first runs in the drop zone, but with the softer rubber fitted, they had the rate to make the top 10 shoot-out.
Red Bulls Albon has actually looked stronger in Spa and in qualifying he showed a great turn of pace as he used the soft to go third fastest, with McLarens Carlos Sainz likewise providing a splitting lap with the 5th best time.
Such is Mercedes rate advantage over the remainder of the field, the Silver Arrows had the ability to go out on the medium tyre. Verstappen did the same as did the 2 Racing Points. Nevertheless, just Mercedes and Verstappen had the ability to make it work.
Ferraris revival ended in Q2, Leclerc confessing he did the best that he might on group radio, as he wound up 13th quickest, one location ahead of Sebastian Vettel, behind the 2 AlphaTauris.
CHECKED OUT MORE: Leclerc states P13 better than expected after double Q2 drop-out for Ferrari
Knocked out: Kvyat, Gasly, Leclerc, Vettel, Russell
Alex Albon had a much better session for Red Bull, certifying 5th for Sundays race
Q3– Hamilton beats Bottas as Verstappen simply loses out
The Finn, who commemorated his 31st birthday on Friday, recuperated to finish a more decent lap, however he was no match for Hamilton, who went even much faster on his next run, breaking the track record again.
Hamilton looked effortless as he pumped in a brand-new performance history on his very first run in the last segment of certifying, while his group mate Bottas made a mistake in the opening seconds, running wide on the exit of the very first corner.
Verstappen came ever so close– closer than even he anticipated– to the front row, but slotted into 3rd for Red Bulls first top-four start in Spa because 2016. Elsewhere, Ricciardo was third quickest after the very first runs and was strong enough in the second to guarantee a top 4 spot on the grid.
Norris was exceeded by team mate Sainz, his Q3 appearance surface indicates he is he just motorist other than the two Mercedes racers and Verstappen to begin every race this year inside the leading 10.
2020 Belgian GP Qualifying: Lewis Hamilton takes brilliant pole at Spa
The essential quote
” But Turn 1s probably been a weakness for me for the last few years and I simply got stronger and more powerful through there. I saw that I was up out of Turn 1 and after that I simply kept eking away throughout the lap, so that was a really, excellent lap, so Im pleased with that.”
” I didnt make any errors on all of the laps,” said pole-sitter Hamilton, “however the Q3 run one lap was ace and I was believing theres most likely no other way Im going to beat that.
LEARNT MORE: Hamilton says Chadwick Boseman influenced him to drive to excellence as he commits Spa pole to late actor
The Belgian Grand Prix begins at 1510 regional time, which is 1210 UTC. Mercedes lock out the front row for the very first time in five years, but they will be careful of the huge risk Red Bulls Verstappen postures from P3.
Bottas likewise fancies his chances starting second, with an eye on capturing a tow down the Kemmel Straight that might see him catapult past Hamilton.
Ferrari, who were so dominant at Spa last year, were nowhere to be seen in the top 10 shoot-out, the red cars lacking the rate in all three sectors, with Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel 13th and 14th respectively. That was the first time since Silverstone 2014 that a red vehicle took no part in Q3. They have a lot of work to do if they are to restore anything from this race.
Whats next?
Verstappen followed suit as did the two Racing Points. Just Mercedes and Verstappen were able to make it work.
