Norris takes pole for F1’s Belgian Grand Prix after Verstappen wins sprint

By Canadian Press on July 26, 2025.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Lando Norris took pole position Saturday for Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen won the sprint race earlier in the day.

Norris set the fastest time early in the final session. His McLaren teammate and title rival Oscar Piastri couldn’t quite beat it on his final run, taking second place, 0.085 of a second off Norris’ pace.

Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari, with Verstappen fourth.

The likelihood of rain for Sunday’s race could shake things up.

Verstappen’s sprint win

Verstappen overtook Oscar Piastri and drove “15 qualifying laps” to win the Formula 1 sprint race at the Belgian GP as Red Bull begins a new era without fired team principal Christian Horner.

Verstappen surged past Piastri on the straight on the first lap. The Australian was close behind Verstappen for the rest of the 15-lap sprint race but couldn’t find a way past the four-time champion.

Lando Norris, in the other McLaren, was third after retaking the place from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and catching up to Piastri.

“You’re keeping faster cars behind, so you have to drive over the limit of what you think is possible,” Verstappen said.

“Tire management is out of the window, so that’s what’s making it really difficult. I’m just doing 15 qualifying laps to try and keep them behind on a track where tire management is important.”

It was Verstappen’s first race win of any sort since the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in May, and his first in a sprint since the United States Grand Prix last October.

Piastri extends his lead over Norris in the standings to nine points from eight. Verstappen is third, 68 points off the lead.

Leclerc held on to fourth and it was an impressive result for Haas, with Esteban Ocon fifth and Oliver Bearman seventh. Carlos Sainz, Jr. was sixth for Williams and Isack Hadjar took the final point for Racing Bulls in eighth.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The Associated Press

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