Max Verstappen apologises for X-rated rant but ends Belgian GP qualifying fastest

There was a definite whiff of deja vu in the Ardennes air on Friday as Max Verstappen annihilated the field in qualifying for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix – but only after a foul-mouthed tirade at his race engineer for which he later apologised.

Verstappen, who has won seven races in a row and nine of the last 11, was furious after he nearly exited in Q2, only just squeaking through in 10th place, and was quickly on the radio to accuse his team of “s— execution”.

It hardly mattered. In the end, Verstappen not only made it through, he utterly dominated Q3, going a massive 0.8sec faster than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, although he will have to start in sixth on Sunday after copping a five-place penalty for a change of gearbox.

That will not worry Red Bull too much. Verstappen came through from 14th on the grid to win in Spa last year and they will be confident of repeating the trick from much closer to the front this time given their superiority. In fact, that was why Red Bull elected to take the penalty here, at a track where overtaking is relatively straightforward. “I think it’s the best place to do it,” Verstappen admitted afterwards. “I think Sunday looks more and more dry. That’s why we went for it here basically.”

The second Red Bull of Sergio Perez will line up alongside Leclerc on the front row, followed by the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton who declared himself “very happy” with third on the grid.

Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell could only go eighth quickest, though, behind the two McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who will be separated by Verstappen. And that was despite Norris having to drive with damage from going off track in Q1.