Sprint Shootout Report - Verstappen takes sprint pole in mixed conditions

By Peter Habicht

Max Verstappen took the sprint pole position for Red Bull-Honda today after a rain delayed the start at the Spa Francorchamps circuit, as McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri drove to an impressive front row start alongside the Dutchman, trailing him by 0.012s in drying conditions.

Piastri was followed by the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. with Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Mercedes Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top seven drivers. Red Bull's Sergio Perez was eighth fastest, with Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Mercedes George Russell in ninth and tenth.

Daniel Ricciardo 11th fastest for AlphaTauri, leading the Williams of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, but the story was one of disappointment for Aston Martin as Lance Stroll's ambitious attempt on slick tires around a damp circuit saw him lose control in the closing minutes of Shootout 2. With the rest of the field on intermediate tires, Stroll wasn't able to make his medium slick tires work, understeering into the wall at turn 9, bringing out the red flag and ending the stage as teammate Fernando Alonso had yet to set a time on his out lap.

Yuki Tsunoda was fastest of those who went out in the first segment in 16th in a very wet opening shootout, with the Alfa Romeos of Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou split by the Haas of Kevin Magnussen. Hoping to take advantage of a drying circuit, Haas released Nico Hulkenberg to the track late when a front jack failure held up the German driver in the pits, leaving him unable to attempt a lap time.

Today's sprint race starts at 4:30pm local time.