F1 2025 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint Race starting grid with LATE penalty applied

The sprint race returns to F1 on Saturday, July 26 at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, but neither of this season's sprint polesitters will be starting anywhere near the front of the pack.

Lewis Hamilton was absent from the fight for pole position on Friday, after he made a shock SQ1 exit at Spa alongside his Mercedes successor Kimi Antonelli.

The pair suffered separate spins that proved costly on Friday, and will start towards the back end of the grid in P17and P18 respectively, a far cry from Hamilton's previous success in Shanghai and Antonelli's P1 start in the Miami sprint race.

Pierre Gasly qualified an impressive eighth for Alpine but a late water leak saw him carted off the grid and into the garage ruling him out of the race.

Franco Colapinto had qualified 19th for Alpine but after his team made an illegal rear wing change under parc ferme, will now start the race from the pitlane.

Friday's only competitive session provided a flurry of surprise exits, with Antonelli's Mercedes team-mate George Russell ruled out in SQ2.

Meanwhile, it was once again a McLaren on top in sprint qualifying, where Oscar Piastri set the fastest time and will be joined on the front row of the grid by reigning champion Max Verstappen, who just missed out on pole.

Lando Norris will start third alongside Charles Leclerc on the second row, while the Haas' of Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman will both start in the top 10 in a boost for the midfield outfit.

Here is the confirmed starting grid for the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix sprint race at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

F1 2025 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint Race starting grid

*Franco Colapinto qualified 19th for Alpine but will start from the pit-lane

**Pierre Gasly did not start after suffering a late water leak on his Alpine car

What time is the F1 race on today?

Belgian Grand Prix 2025 Session Times

Sprint Race - Saturday, July 26 2025

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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.

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