Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying: Leclerc on POLE in Ferrari front row

Charles Leclerc takes pole position at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix, beating team mate Sebastian Vettel in to second place. Mercedes takes the second row.

Charles Leclerc may not have managed to win a Grand Prix yet, but if today’s qualifying at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix is anything to go by, his maiden win is imminent.

Leclerc drove a stunning qualifying lap in Q3, setting a time 0.748 seconds quicker than Sebastian Vettel in the sister Ferrari, delivering a pole position and a Ferrari lock-out of the front row.

Hamilton could only manage third on the grid as the Ferraris dominated, but he nearly didn’t make qualifying at all after a heavy crash in final practice, and Bottas – who will be alongside Hamilton next year after all – secured the second row for Mercedes.

Behind the Ferraris and Mercedes, Verstappen is fifth for Red Bull, Ricciardo and Hulkenberg sixth and seventh for Renault, Rakkonen eighth for Alfa, Perez ninth for Racing Point and Magnuessen 10th for Haas.

The Red Bull new boy, Alexander Albon, didn’t get past Q2 and would start in 14th if penalties didn’t relegate him to the back of the grid, the McLarens of Norris and Sainz could only manage 12th and 17th, and the Williams of Russell and Kubica are at the back again.