Verstappen takes pole: "Was a very tricky qualifying"

"It was a very tricky qualifying session, it was difficult to keep the car on the track," said Verstappen in an initial reaction. "We also had to choose carefully which tyre we wanted to drive with at which times. We are first and that is the most important thing. It's a great circuit to drive, but particularly tricky with rain."

After the long red flag caused by Lando Norris, Verstappen went out on intermediates immediately, despite it having rained a lot beforehand. "We went out on the full wets along with many others in Q1, but we were really slow. We were really seconds off. Then we went to the intermediates and that tyre is not really suitable in standing water, but I am super happy to have such a good qualifying after the summer break," he concludes.

Hamilton will start the Belgian Grand Prix from third place. George Russell was too quick for the current World Championship leader on the wet Spa-Francorchamps.