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The 2024 F1 Belgian GP qualifying was a Max Verstappen show, as the driver took dominance to a whole new level. After struggling in the last few races, the Red Bull driver was back to his dominant best as he put the car among the pigeons. The driver was in a different league from everyone else, as he secured pole position by almost 6 tenths.
Charles Leclerc qualified in P2 and will start the F1 Belgian GP in pole position. He will be joined on the front row by Sergio Perez, who qualified in P3.
The session stayed wet for the most part, but what stood out was the fact that there were drivers who made the difference when it counted the most. Having said that, what did we learn from the F1 Belgian GP? Let's take a look.
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2024 F1 Belgian GP Qualifying: What did we learn?
#1 Max Verstappen and Red Bull cannot be counted out
Rest assured, the challenge is far from over on Sunday. Max Verstappen's setup has gifted him stunning pace in Sector 2, but he's still giving away time on the straights. Starting in P11, he'll face a tougher battle with Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren, who are much closer in pace compared to the last two seasons.
Winning won't be a walk in the park, but Verstappen’s shown he could be the next Spa king after Kimi Raikkonen.
#2 Ferrari nailed the strategy for a change
Ideally, Ferrari could have secured a front-row start but Carlos Sainz put together a horrendous run. At the same time, Charles Leclerc should be applauded for putting together a lap that helped him secure a pole position. More than that, this was the Italian team putting together what can only be described as a perfect strategy.
The team has been a disaster when it comes to strategies in general, but this time around it pulled off the perfect move.
#3 McLaren would be disappointed
McLaren would have hoped for a front-row start after yesterday's F1 Belgian GP FP2, where the cars were pretty competitive. It does appear that the wet weather has played a part, as Lando Norris was never comfortable in the car. Additionally, it seems that the car was setup more with the race in mind, which is why the qualifying was not entirely accurate.
Having said that, starting behind a Ferrari and a Mercedes was certainly not part of the plan for McLaren.
#4 Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon make the difference
As we mentioned in our qualifying predictions yesterday, drivers will have an impact, and the F1 Belgian GP demonstrated just how important they are when conditions are challenging.
As things got tough, we had Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon rising to the top once again and putting together a performance that will see both of them start the F1 Belgian GP in the top 10.
#5 Lewis Hamilton is continuing the rich vein of form
Lewis Hamilton will start the race on the front row, and this is another indication that this track rewards driver skill. Lis recent performances suggest he's in exceptional form and he will looking to mke it count on Sunday.
