SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS (Belgium): Charles Leclerc claimed pole position for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix with a dazzling lap in a dramatic qualifying session on Saturday as Ferrari delivered a dominant front row lockout. The Monegasque, who was quickest in two of the three practice sessions and is seeking his maiden victory in Formula One, clocked a fastest lap in one minute 42.519 seconds.
He was 0.748sec clear of his Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel. It was his third pole of the season after successes in Bahrain and Austria, but he goes into the race seeking to claim his maiden victory, having been left frustrated at both previous races.
It was Ferrari’s first lockout since the Bahrain Grand Prix in March and the 63rd in the team’s F1 history, one fewer than Mercedes. Defending five-time world champion and series leader Lewis Hamilton was third for Mercedes ahead of his team-mate Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen, who was fifth for Red Bull, and Daniel Ricciardo of Renault. “That felt good,” said Leclerc. We were struggling a little bit more for race pace and we need to work on that, but I am sure we will be strong.” – AFP
