WATCH: Max Verstappen congratulates Charles Leclerc on Belgian GP pole position amidst his 10-place grid penalty

Max Verstappen received similar penalties due to power unit changes at the Belgian Grand Prix last year as well.

WATCH: Max Verstappen congratulates Charles Leclerc on Belgian GP pole position amidst his 10-place grid penalty

Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen (via: IMAGO, X/nini, screenshot)

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the fastest time in qualifying around Spa-Francorchamps. Verstappen is, however, compelled to start P11 in the 44-lap race, having received a 10-place grid penalty for power unit changes throughout the 2024 season.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc now starts in pole position despite being second fastest due to Verstappen’s penalty. Leclerc’s front-row result comes at a crucial time, having endured a rough spell for the past few races.

YouTube video

Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen have been friends since their karting days. While the Dutchman will start tomorrow’s race from P11, he showed true sportsmanship by congratulating the Monegasque on his lively qualifying performance.

FS Video

Verstappen will now have to make his attempts at winning the race from P11 despite a strong qualifying run. Leclerc, on the other hand, gets left with no option but to perform and win, starting ahead of everyone in the Belgian Grand Prix.

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Sergio Perez confirms changes in RB20 despite P2 in Belgian GP qualifying

Sergio Perez took a sigh of relief after securing a front-row start in Spa for the first time in over eight races this campaign. Despite his strong run, Perez faced issues regarding tire degradation that needed to be addressed by the team.

Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez (via IMAGO)
We are going to have a different car tomorrow compared to Friday. We made some tweaks to look after the tyre better.
Sergio Perez said after the Belgian Grand Prix qualifying

The Milton-Keynes-based team did not have fruitful practice sessions ahead of qualifying at Spa. But the team managed to take advantage of the rainy afternoon, finding the grip with intermediates to clock good results.

Sergio Perez‘s outcome at the Belgian Grand Prix will be a major factor in deciding his future with Red Bull. The Mexican will be pleased with his starting position and will give his best shot at winning the 44-lap race tomorrow.

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