F1 LIVE | Qualifying for the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa!

Qualifying for the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix is about to start. Will it be the World Championship leader Max Verstappen on pole position in his Red Bull, or will Ferrari take another Saturday P1 through Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz? Sergio Perez and Mercedes can’t be ruled out either in this 60-minute session at Spa-Francorchamps.

For the first time, we will get to see the new technical directives in a meaningful session. The FIA introduced the rule over the summer break and it is making its debut during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. It will be interesting to see if this makes any alternation to the standings or gaps between teams.

There has been some suggestion, mainly from the Mercedes camp, that both Red Bull and Ferrari have bent the floor rules. The brand new rules and regulations mean the floor is an integral part of the car as this generation focuses on ground effect.

Last year’s Belgian qualifying session actually turned out to be the showcase part of the weekend which saw half-points awarded for the drivers’ efforts. In a rain-soaked session, Max Verstappen took the top spot, with his rival for the title Lewis Hamilton qualifying in third place.

Then Williams driver George Russell left it late to emerge from the pits in Q3 and clinched second place. With the Sunday ‘race’ being a washout, Russell, and all other drivers in the field, simply followed the safety car for a few laps. His efforts in qualifying, therefore, earned him his first Formula 1 podium.

The event that weekend triggered a number of changes to Formula 1’s shortened race procedure. In the winter, F1 confirmed a number of changes including the removal of half points. For any points to be awarded, drivers have to complete two racing laps without the safety car. There are various thresholds for the number of points awarded depending on the percentage of laps completed before the stoppage.

Whilst Red Bull Racing and Verstappen top the standings, Leclerc and Ferrari have had the upper hand when it comes to qualifying. Ferrari’s car has been far stronger over a single lap and Leclerc’s seven pole position in 2022 demonstrates that more than anything. For comparison, Verstappen only has three to his name this season.

Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz both have one pole position each, and they were joined by Mercedes driver George Russell last time out in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Mercedes have been improving throughout the season, solving their porpoising issues. This resulted in Russell claiming P1 for the first time.

This could be the final qualifying session to ever take place in Belgium. The circuit is yet to sign a contract for the coming years, and question marks loom over its future as Liberty Media look to expand F1 outside of Europe.