'Pushing each other a lot': Lando Norris threatens title takeover after stunning Oscar Piastri for pole position
Lando Norris took pole position for Formula 1's Belgian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen won the sprint race earlier in the day.
Norris set the fastest time early in the final session, with his McLaren teammate and title rival Oscar Piastri unable to beat it on his final run, taking second place, 0.085 of a second off Norris' pace. Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari, with Verstappen fourth.
The performance delighted Norris’ mother Cisca, who is Belgian, as she made a heart gesture with her hands while watching from the McLaren garage.
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Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris tussle for the lead Getty
Norris is targeting his third straight win in a Grand Prix race and is the first McLaren driver on pole in Belgium since Jenson Button in 2012.
“The car has been been flying all weekend, Oscar has been doing a good job all weekend, so we’re pushing each other a lot,” Norris said.
“It’s tough because you see where your strengths and weaknesses are easily and you learn from each other quickly. It’s a good but tough battle that we have at the minute.”
Piastri's lead over Norris in the overall season standings has gone from nine points to eight as a result. Verstappen is third, 68 points off the lead.
Rain is expected on Monday (AEST), setting up the prospect of another wet-weather battle between the two McLarens after Norris won at his home British Grand Prix.
Lando Norris (centre) alongside Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc after qualifying Getty
Elsewhere, the disappointing weekend for Lewis Hamilton continued with 16th in qualifying after his best lap time was ruled out because he’d strayed off track. The day before, the Ferrari driver was 18th in qualifying for the sprint race following a spin.
Hamilton had declared earlier in the week that it was “crunch time” after struggling for much of his first season with Ferrari.
His teammate Yuki Tsunoda is set to start eighth, his best qualifying result of an otherwise disappointing time since joining Red Bull.
