Max takes pole after sprint shootout in Spa: 'Pretty difficult'
Published on 29 July 2023 by Kees-Jan Koster
Max Verstappen took pole position during the sprint shootout for the Belgian Grand Prix. Yesterday the Dutchman finished in first position for qualifying, and today he repeated that. However, the margin was a lot smaller, Max was only eleven thousandths of a second faster than Oscar Piastri in second place. The circumstances at the drying Spa-Francorchamps circuit were quite challenging. Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris completed the top five.
“It was pretty difficult”, says Verstappen after the sprint shootout. “It was quite similar to yesterday. Now we were a bit later into qualifying before we could use the slick tyres. We stayed calm. The gap was not as big as yesterday, but there was also no need to risk it all. My second sector was a bit careful. Still on pole, that is what counts.”
The start of the sprint shootout was wet, but later the sun came out. Max: “It was getting better and better. But turn eight and nine were very slippery. I guess I left a bit of time on the table there. But it is okay. It was good to have a ‘clean’ end of qualifying.” The weather circumstances at Spa are always quite changeable. Also, this afternoon for the sprint it can be wet. Max: “Let’s see this afternoon if it is going to rain again. Try to have a good start, then we have clean and clear vision. I think that is going to be very important if it is wet.”
The sprint shootout was delayed because of the rain in Stavelot. It is only 15 degrees at the circuit. SQ1 starts in the end half an hour later than planned. The whole field comes out on intermediate tyres. The first time of Verstappen is a 2:00.352, almost a full second faster than Oscar Piastri. The track is drying up and the times are getting faster. Max goes a bit faster and sets a 1:58.135. Also other drivers are going quicker on the drying circuit. Verstappen, Hamilton and Alonso are the fastest in SQ1. Hülkenberg, Zhou, Magnussen, Bottas and Tsunoda are the first to drop out. The Haas team makes a strategy mistake, causing Hülkenberg not to set another time.
For SQ2 the sun is out. The slicks are ready, but everyone is still on the green intermediate tyres. Sargeant causes some yellow flags after spinning but can continue. Stroll is the first to change his intermediate tyres for mediums. With more than two minutes to go, Verstappen sets the fastest time on intermediates: a 1:55.200, more than six tenths faster than Hamilton. The mediums for Stroll did not work: the Canadian crashes in turn nine and the session is red flagged. The session is not resumed, causing Ricciardo, Albon, Sargeant, Stroll and Alonso to drop out. Verstappen, Hamilton and Pérez finish the session as fastest.
In the final session of the sprint shootout everyone comes out on soft tyres. The first time set by Verstappen, a 1:51.286, puts him in second position, only just under nine hundredths of a second slower than Hamilton. The Dutchman only just gets over the line in time to do his final lap, he only had two seconds left. It looks like Oscar Piastri is going to take pole position, but Verstappen is eleven thousandths of a second faster. So, the Australian starts the sprint race from second position. Sainz, Leclerc and Norris complete the top five.
