Lewis Hamilton learns Belgian GP grid fate as F1 stewards make penalty decision

28 July 2023 , 16:31

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Lewis Hamilton visited the F1 stewards after qualifying at Spa (Image: AP)

Lewis Hamilton avoided a qualifying penalty to benefit from Max Verstappen's grid drop at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Brit qualified fourth fastest at Spa-Francorchamps, but was investigated by the Formula 1 stewards for an on-track incident with George Russell.

Hamilton was accused of re-entering the track unsafely after briefly going off, and impeding his Mercedes team-mate. But, after an investigation, the seven-time world champion escaped without punishment.

That meant he would rise a place on the grid after all, thanks to a penalty for Verstappen. The Red Bull star has exceeded his annual allowance of gearboxes and drops from first to sixth as a result.

But he did catch his F1 rival Hamilton's eye with how quick he was able to go to set the quickest time, almost a full second faster than the Brit. "At the end I was still a good chunk off Max – pretty impressive," he said.

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"I'm really happy with the result we've got. I have Max behind but the goal, of course, will be to chase those guys down... The car didn't feel bad today, pretty decent.

"But in the middle sector we're losing a second, so I've got to go and study to try to figure out where that is and if there's any way, within the package that we have, that I can close that."

Lewis Hamilton was impressed by Max Verstappen in qualifying (Sky Sports)

Charles Leclerc was the big beneficiary of Verstappen's penalty, inheriting pole from the Dutchman. But he laughed at the suggestion of holding off the rampant Red Bulls, given Ferrari's poor race pace this season.

"Let's be realistic, I don't think so," he said when asked if a first win of the year was on the cards. "Red Bull are too quick – even if Max has a five-place grid penalty, I expect him to catch up."

And, as the Monegasque went on to add, he would have Sergio Perez right on his tail from the get-go in the other Red Bull. The Mexican finally ended his qualifying hoodoo to put himself in a strong position for a potential first win since Baku in April.

Verstappen set the quickest time but his penalty means Charles Leclerc will start on pole (Getty Images)

"We've got Checo next to us, and it will be very difficult to keep him behind," Leclerc added. "If there's an opportunity then, as always, I will try to take it. But it looks difficult on paper."

George Russell opted for a different rear wing set-up to his Mercedes team-mate and struggled in qualifying as a result. He managed only eighth on the grid, but will hope to reap the benefit with more race pace on Sunday.

He said: "We've been off the pace and struggled in that session, I don't really know why. I usually love those transitional sessions but, on every lap, we were nowhere.

"Qualifying is not everything around here, but we definitely would have liked to have been higher up the order."

Daniel Moxon