F1 Sprint Qualifying Results: Lewis Hamilton in DISASTER early exit at Belgian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton in Imola — Photo: © IMAGO

Belgian Grand Prix

F1 Sprint Qualifying Results: Lewis Hamilton in DISASTER early exit at Belgian Grand Prix

All the times from the Belgian Grand Prix sprint qualifying session!

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 25 July 2025 17:41 Updated: 19:02

Lewis Hamilton made a shock SQ1 exit at the Belgian Grand Prix as the F1 champion prepares for a tough sprint race on Saturday at Spa.

The 40-year old made an early error at the wheel of his Ferrari, where a snap of oversteer at Turn 14 cost him half a second and was unable to set a competitive time.

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On his second attempt at a flying lap, Hamilton spun in the final sector and thus ended his chances of progressing into SQ2, meaning he will start the sprint race at Spa from P18.

Rather than being a driver error, Hamilton's spin appeared to be a technical issue where the engine stalled out and forced the mistake, although Ferrari are yet to confirm the official cause of the exit.

Elsewhere, Oscar Piastri claimed sprint pole ahead of his team-mate Lando Norris, as Max Verstappen split the two McLarens with an impressive lap in SQ3.

Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli also endured a nightmare session, and was knocked out of SQ1 after a costly spin into the gravel, meaning neither of this season's sprint polesitters made it past the first knockout stage on Friday.

The mistake ruined the Italian's tyres and meant he was unable to set a time fast enough to make it into SQ2, forcing him to start Saturday's sprint race plum last.

His Silver Arrows team-mate George Russell also made a premature exit at Spa, unable to lift his Mercedes out of SQ2 as rival drivers enjoyed the track evolution.

F1 Sprint Qualifying Results: Belgian Grand Prix 2025

Position	Driver	Team	Time/Status
1	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	1:40.510secs
2	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+0.477
3	Lando Norris	McLaren	+0.618
4	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.768
5	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+1.055
6	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+1.251
7	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+1.347
8	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+1.449
9	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	+1.461
10	Gabriel Bortoleto	Kick Sauber	+1.666
11	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	OUT IN SQ2
12	Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull	OUT IN SQ2
13	George Russell	Mercedes	OUT IN SQ2
14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	OUT IN SQ2
15	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	OUT IN SQ2
16	Alex Albon	Williams	OUT IN SQ1
17	Nico Hulkenberg	Kick Sauber	OUT IN SQ1
18	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	OUT IN SQ1
19	Franco Colapinto	Alpine	OUT IN SQ1
20	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	OUT IN SQ1

How does F1 Sprint Qualifying work?

The sprint qualifying session is split into three finite windows, which provide a dramatic prelude to Saturday's short race.

The bottom five drivers are eliminated at the end of SQ1, with a further five eliminated after SQ2.

Then, SQ3 gives us a shootout between the remaining 10 drivers in the battle for positions at the front of the grid.

F1 HEADLINES: Red Bull gear up for major setback as Verstappen’s car in FIA summons at Belgian GP

Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Kimi Antonelli Belgian Grand Prix Spa