Hello and welcome to this Total Motorsport live blog for Sprint Qualifying at the F1 2025 Belgian GP from the most beautiful circuit in the world, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.
Oscar Piastri and McLaren seized the early momentum at the Belgian Grand Prix, with the Australian putting in a commanding performance to top Free Practice 1. The FP1 session was especially significant given the sheer number of upgrades on display. Teams like McLaren, Aston Martin, and Red Bull were pushing hard to assess the impact of new wings and floor configurations
Total-Motorsport.com’s F1 2025 Belgian GP live updates for Sprint Qualifying will bring you real-time news, team developments, and the first on-track clues as the grid is set for the Sprint Race. Stay with us as we bring you all the latest from Spa.
F1 Belgian GP 2025 Sprint Qualifying LIVE: Latest Updates
Piastri reacts to Sprint pole in Spa
Oscar Piastri drove through the pressure of his track limits deletion to land a 1:40.510 and beat Max Verstappen and Lando Norris by 0.477 and 0.618 respectively on Friday afternoon in Belgium.
He’ll be on pole for Saturday’s Sprint Race so how does he feel about his efforts? And how is the McLaren package behaving in Spa?
“It was a good lap,” Piastri told F1 TV. “A little scare in SQ2 with the lap deletion but the car has been mega all day.
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“I feel like I was able to put in a lot of good laps. Thanks to the team, the car has been great. This is a track I love.
“It’s my favourite one of the year. Maybe that gave me an extra couple of tenths. When the car is handling as well as it was today, it’s a pleasure.”
OSCAR PIASTRI TAKES SPRINT POLE FOR MCLAREN
Oscar Piastri take a bow, half-a-second over Lando Norris in the McLaren pair’s battle for the Formula 1 title as Max Verstappen splits the pair for Red Bull.
That’s a mouth-watering front three for the run to Les Combes out of Turn 1 with all three in play due to the very long Kemmel Straight. Who will emerge in the lead?
Then comes Charles Leclerc in fourth ahead of an impressive Esteban Ocon for Haas on the third row, he is joined by Carlos Sainz’s Williams.
Then comes: Bearman (Haas), Gasly (Alpine), Hadjar (Racing Bulls) and Bortoleto (Sauber) in the Top 10. Points are paid to the top-eight finishers.
Four minutes to go: Drivers finally emerge onto the track
Drivers have waited until the last moment to get their laps on the board as Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen and the rest of the grid finally come out of the pits to take to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
Who will take Sprint Pole?
GREEN FLAG: Who will take pole in Sprint Qualifying?
Lando Norris just managed to get into SQ3 right at the end of the session and he will hope for a much smoother run if he hopes to shrug off Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen in Spa.
Drivers can finally use the soft tyre, but they have just eight minutes to get their times on the board.
Who will take Sprint Pole? Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com.
Lando Norris escapes SQ2 exit!
Lando Norris does just enough at the death to go through into SQ3 at the end of a few scary moments by going fastest overall at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
It means he manages to shrug off a tough run and books his place into the shootout for Sprint Pole in what was a crazy amount of track evolution.
However, George Russell isn’t so lucky and he joins his Mercedes teammate on the sidelines for the rest of the afternoon! What is going on with the Silver Arrows?
Out in SQ2: Stroll (15th), Alonso, Russell, Tsunoda, Lawson.
Verstappen goes to the top
Max Verstappen jumps ahead of Lando Norris with a 1:41.583 on the medium to beat the McLaren driver, who is then also pipped by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari for good measure.
Eyes are turning to Oscar Piastri, however, who needs to get himself out of trouble after having his lap-time deleted for track limits on his first run.
Piastri holds a huge margin over Norris
Lando Norris fails to improve on his first run in SQ2 as he finds himself almost half-a-second slower than Oscar Piastri, his rival for the championship in this 2025 Formula 1 season.
The Brit needs to find a lot of time otherwise Max Verstappen could split them apart – although Piastri has his lap-time deleted for track limits.
It was marginal so it’s unclear how true that gap gained or lost actually is for the Aussie.
GREEN FLAG: SQ2 begins in Spa
Ferrari will look for a more encouraging result in SQ2 after Charles Leclerc could only go eighth-quickest whilst Lewis Hamilton spun out and finished 18th.
McLaren topped the timing boards through Oscar Piastri, so can Lando Norris and Max Verstappen respond too?
Drivers are heading out onto the track now with just 10 minutes to get a time on the board.
Did Hamilton have a problem?
Lewis Hamilton going for a spin is not a common sight in Formula 1 so was it driver error or did he have a problem with his Ferrari car just days after a rear suspension update?
“His rear axle broke up under braking, highly unusual,” Martin Brundle tells Sky Sports F1. “I don’t think there’s anyone more surprised at that than Lewis.”
Anthony Davidson also concurs, thinking the sound of the gearbox indicates a technical issue with the SF-25.
Out in SQ1: Who joins Lewis Hamilton?
Both the drivers who took Sprint Pole in China and Miami are out in SQ1 as Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli (20th) joins Lewis Hamilton (18th) on the sidelines.
Also out are Franco Colapinto (19th), Nico Hulkenberg (17th) and Alex Albon (16th).
HAMILTON OUT IN SQ1
Lewis Hamilton was doing just enough to get through into SQ2 but as he reaches the Bus Stop Chicane he locks the rears and spins the car!
He is out of Sprint Qualifying and will start the Sprint Race from 18th on the grid!
The yellow flags are out and that costs everyone running behind the seven-time Formula 1 world champion!
Three minutes to go: Who is in trouble?
Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli could be set for shocking exits in SQ1 in the Ferrari and the Mercedes. Hamilton had to catch a big snap of oversteer at Turn 15 and that would’ve hurt him all the way down that back-straight.
They will have one more shot to book their spot in the next part of Sprint Qualifying. Joining them in trouble are Oliver Bearman, Franco Colapinto, and Pierre Gasly.
They need to find extra time.
Five minutes to go: Big spin for Kimi Antonelli
Kimi Antonelli goes sailing off into the gravel trap at the exit of Turn 16 but manages to get going as his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, momentarily goes fastest.
The two McLarens and Max Verstappen get ahead of the Brit. Meanwhile for Antonelli? He will have to go again and will be hoping he hasn’t ruined his only set of medium tyres for this SQ1 session.
Seven minutes to go: Both Red Bulls on the track 😅
Both Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda head out onto the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and will get enough time for a few laps on the board.
Relief for Laurent Mekies in his new post. Elsewhere, Nico Hulkenberg escapes an unsafe release incident with Liam Lawson.
10 minutes to go: Problem for Verstappen? 👀
Red Bull’s life after Christian Horner doesn’t seem to be off to a flying start with Max Verstappen stuck in the garage as his mechanics work on his right-rear tyre.
There isn’t a lot of time because of the length of this circuit and Yuki Tsunoda is still in the pits too. Could this be a disaster for Laurent Mekies on his debut as team boss?
GREEN FLAG: Drivers head out to begin Sprint Qualifying
The clock runs down for almost a minute before the drivers come out onto the track and it’s time for Sprint Qualifying to begin in Spa!
Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli have taken the sprint poles so far, will we see another surprise polesitter?
Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com.
Sprint Qualifying is slightly different to normal
Sprint Qualifying puts even more urgency on the drivers to get a lap on the board with just 12 minutes in SQ1, 10 minutes in SQ2 and eight minutes in SQ3.
SQ3 is essentially just enough time to do two laps before the clock expires, so for the drivers it’s imperative to make sure that they bring their A-game.
Additionally, drivers are only allowed to use the soft tyres in SQ3. They must use mediums before this.
Your standings heading into Sprint Qualifying
A Sprint Race weekend means extra points are up-for-grabs in Belgium and we will even see a change for the lead of the drivers’ standings if Lando Norris wins both events for McLaren.
Here’s how the Top 5 shape up heading into the
Braking isn’t the only point of concern
It’s not just getting your stopping point into La Source or the Bus Stop Chicane wrong either.
Other drivers, gravel traps and running wide can all prove costly around this long Spa lap.
Getting in a smooth lap could even be more important than being the absolute quickest…
Tricky conditions ahead of qualifying
Some drivers found themselves caught out by the braking zones as they sailed straight on at Turn 1, which could be disastrous in Sprint Qualifying!
With a very long lap, the longest on the calendar, drivers have to keep mistakes to an absolute minimum otherwise it’s a long way back to the pits.
Welcome to the blog!
McLaren showed incredible pace through the middle sector at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, pulling almost a second on anyone else.
It seems as though Sprint pole will be an exclusive fight between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the top spot, but can Max Verstappen or George Russell or either of the Ferrari pair respond?
Find out with Total-Motorsport.com.
Where to Watch 2025 Belgian GP Sprint Qualifying
For fans in the United States, Sprint Qualifying from the Belgian GP will be broadcast live on ESPN2, with streaming available via the ESPN app and ESPN+ for subscribers.
In the United Kingdom, every session from the Belgian GP, including Sprint Qualifying, is shown live on Sky Sports F1. Australian viewers can watch FP1 on Fox Sports 506 (via Foxtel) and stream it on Kayo Sports.
Fans in other regions can also access live coverage through F1 TV Pro where available.
What time is Sprint Qualifying at the 2025 Belgian GP?
Sprint Qualifying at the 2025 Belgian GP is scheduled for Friday, July 25. The session begins at 4:30pm local time (CEST) in Belgium.
That means Sprint Qualifying at the 2025 Belgian GP begins at 3:30pm for fans in the UK, while those in the USA can catch Sprint Qualifying at 10:30am ET and a very early 7:30am PT on the West Coast. Down Under, it’s a 00:30am on Saturday AEST start.
