Charles Leclerc takes surprise pole position in Belgium after Max Verstappen penalty

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will start from the front of the pack for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix despite Max Verstappen taking a hugely impressive pole position at a rain-hit Spa-Francorchamps.

Verstappen reigned supreme throughout qualifying but the Dutchman’s 10-place grid penalty for an engine change means he will line up from only 11th on the grid.

His demotion elevates Leclerc to the sharp end with Sergio Perez second, one place ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Lando Norris will start fourth in his McLaren.

Verstappen has been bumped down the order for taking on his fifth internal combustion engine of the season here, one more than the four he is allowed.

But the field will be looking over their shoulder during Sunday’s 44-lap race with the world champion, a winner of the last three races staged in the Ardennes, on a different level to his peers.

Verstappen was 1.4 seconds faster than any other driver – and two seconds clear of Perez in the other Red Bull – after the 20 drivers had completed their opening efforts on a damp surface.

And although Verstappen’s advantage by the end wasn’t quite as emphatic, with Leclerc 0.595 sec adrift, the Dutch driver proved just why he should not be written off ahead of Sunday’s race.

“It was a nice qualifying session,” said Verstappen. “The car worked well in the wet.

“I know tomorrow will be warmer, and with no rain. This was the best I could do today with the penalty. I hope we can be in the mix to try and move forward.”

Ferrari’s Leclerc said; “I did not expect this today. With the tricky conditions we could do something above our expectations. Without the rain, we would have been looking at fifth position.

“It is a good day for the team but we need to focus on what happens tomorrow when the rain has gone.”

Norris, who might have won the last five races but for mistakes by driver and team, would have expected to take greater advantage of Verstappen’s sanction.

But the Englishman never looked at the races on Saturday, and he might regret not pitting for a fresh set of intermediate tyres – just as Leclerc did – in the closing stages of Q3.

McLaren completed a one-two finish six days ago at the Hungaroring but Oscar Piastri, who claimed his maiden win there, qualified only sixth, almost nine tenths adrift.

However, with dry conditions forecast for race day, Norris, who heads into Formula One’s concluding round prior to the summer break 76 points behind, will still hold hope of progressing up the grid.