Mercedes are enduring one of their weakest performances of the year so far in Belgium.

Teams’ performance

Neither Mercedes driver reached the final round of qualifying for the sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps. Matters improved somewhat in qualifying for the grand prix where George Russell at least made it to Q3, though Andrea Kimi Antonelli was eliminated in the first round for the second time this weekend.

Russell was beaten to fifth on the grid by Alexander Albon. With the McLaren drivers locking out the front row, this was the first time Mercedes have been out-qualified by two of their customer teams in a straight fight this year (it also happened in Monaco, though Russell’s car broke down there).

Williams have made a huge year-on-year improvement at Spa. They were the slowest car over a single lap at this track last year but set the fourth-quickest time in qualifying.

The fourth Mercedes-powered team, Aston Martin, have gone in the opposite direction. Although they are over a second per lap faster than last year, the softer tyre allocation means all the teams have gained time, and every one of Aston Martin’s rivals have picked up more.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and

Field performance

Oscar Piastri set the fastest lap ever seen on this layout of the Spa circuit when he took pole position for the sprint race. However no one bettered it in qualifying for the grand prix.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and

Sector times

Both McLaren drivers looked capable of going quicker in Q3. Piastri said he lost time at Stavelot on both his laps while Lando Norris couldn’t improve on his final run.

“There were a couple of corners that I must have gone slower in, I guess,” he said. “I don’t know why. I don’t see if I’m going quicker or not on my lap.

“Maybe on turn one [La Source], I hit the kerb a little bit, and it’s a long run after turn one, so probably cost myself a little bit there. And the last corner, a bit too much kerb in both of them, and I probably lost half a tenth, a touch more, and I go slower. We’re talking small margins.”

The McLaren drivers’ sector times show they each had a little more time up their sleeves. But none of the drivers who progressed beyond the first round of qualifying managed to put completely clean laps together.

P. # Driver S1 S2 S3 Ultimate lap (deficit)
1 4 Lando Norris 29.991 (9) 42.532 (1) 27.879 (3) 1’40.402 (+0.160)
2 81 Oscar Piastri 29.983 (8) 42.623 (2) 27.869 (2) 1’40.475 (+0.151)
3 1 Max Verstappen 30.055 (14) 42.785 (3) 27.926 (5) 1’40.766 (+0.137)
4 16 Charles Leclerc 29.819 (2) 43.049 (5) 27.947 (8) 1’40.815 (+0.085)
5 63 George Russell 29.761 (1) 43.463 (13) 27.857 (1) 1’41.081 (+0.173)
6 23 Alexander Albon 29.858 (4) 43.226 (8) 28.009 (14) 1’41.093 (+0.108)
7 22 Yuki Tsunoda 30.019 (11) 43.081 (6) 28.077 (16) 1’41.177 (+0.068)
8 6 Isack Hadjar 30.032 (12) 43.172 (7) 27.991 (13) 1’41.195 (+0.086)
9 30 Liam Lawson 29.970 (6) 43.291 (10) 27.978 (11) 1’41.239 (+0.058)
10 87 Oliver Bearman 30.147 (18) 42.879 (4) 28.244 (20) 1’41.270 (+0.347)
11 5 Gabriel Bortoleto 30.051 (13) 43.267 (9) 27.986 (12) 1’41.304 (+0.032)
12 10 Pierre Gasly 29.921 (5) 43.619 (14) 27.933 (6) 1’41.473 (+0.160)
13 31 Esteban Ocon 29.828 (3) 43.749 (16) 27.942 (7) 1’41.519 (+0.006)
14 27 Nico Hulkenberg 30.072 (16) 43.328 (11) 28.136 (17) 1’41.536 (+0.171)
15 44 Lewis Hamilton 29.974 (7) 43.641 (15) 27.977 (10) 1’41.592 (+0.347)
16 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr 30.122 (17) 43.462 (12) 28.055 (15) 1’41.639 (+0.052)
17 43 Franco Colapinto 30.007 (10) 44.049 (19) 27.966 (9) 1’42.022
18 12 Andrea Kimi Antonelli 30.056 (15) 44.200 (20) 27.883 (4) 1’42.139
19 14 Fernando Alonso 30.185 (19) 43.969 (17) 28.193 (18) 1’42.347 (+0.038)
20 18 Lance Stroll 30.222 (20) 44.048 (18) 28.232 (19) 1’42.502

Go ad-free for just £1 per month

>> Find out more and sign up

Miss nothing from RaceFans

Get a daily email with all our latest stories – and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:

2025 Belgian Grand Prix

Browse all 2025 Belgian Grand Prix articles