McLaren Locks Front Row at Belgian GP, Rain Could Be Decisive Factor

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from McLaren have secured the front row for the Belgian Grand Prix — an achievement that leaves the team mindful of various challenges ahead.

Third position is held by Charles Leclerc from Ferrari, while sprint race winner Max Verstappen will start from fourth after a less-than-ideal qualifying session.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella outlined the strategy for the opening lap:

“Both drivers will try to get the fastest run through corner one. The positioning of the car to take the slipstream will be a decisive factor.”

Technical changes have been implemented on both McLaren cars with rear wing adjustments to anticipate wet conditions. Red Bull has done similarly, while Ferrari maintains its low downforce setup.

Weather becomes a crucial factor — with rain probability varying between 40% to 80% throughout the race. These conditions could make Eau Rouge particularly challenging on the first lap.

Les Combes — an area that has been a critical point in the past — will be under special attention given the history of incidents at this location.