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31 August 2019

In the Belgian Grand Prix, all front row Ferrari with a great Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel before the Mercedes of Hamilton and Bottas.

After having dominated the free practice, Ferrari attempts the blow. In Q1 he fought against time at Mercedes to restart Hamilton, the victim of an accident in the third free practice session. To save him the stop imposed because of the fire on the Williams of Kubica that interrupts the test. Some problems also with the Ferrari of Leclerc that is anyway solved. After 10 minutes the qualifying resumes, but Giovinazzi's Alfa is also on fire and the last 5 are eliminated at that moment: Gasly, Sainz, Kvyat, Russell and Kubica.

Bad luck for Antonio Giovinazzi. He qualified for the Q2 with a brilliant eighth place, but his qualifications ended due to engine failure and will start 15th. In the Q2 the Ferraris are still treadmills, but the Mercedes are starting to increase the pace. Albon's Red Bull technical problem, whose qualification is compromised. Amazing Leclerc, first in 1'42 ″ 938, just 99 thousandths ahead of Vettel. At 0 "654 Hamilton, at a second Bottas. Ricciardo, Verstappen, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Perez and Magnussen complete the top 10. Outside Grosjean, Norris, Stroll, Albon and, obviously, Giovinazzi. It comes alive and Leclerc wins a phenomenon pole in 1'42 ″ 519, the new track record. The Monegasque has trimmed 0 "748 to Vettel and 0" 763 to Hamilton. The German Ferrari also made a mistake in the last attempt, but he still preceded Lewis by a whisker.

The first row is all red. Following Hamilton, Bottas (9 tenths), Verstappen, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Raikkonen, Perez and Magnussen. Spa confirms itself as a haunted track for Lewis Hamilton who has always struggled in Belgium. An opportunity for Ferrari to break the fast of seasonal victories. The last one was at Spa 2018. It remains the unknown of the race pace and also of the weather, but the viaticum seems encouraging.
The starting grid

First row
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
2. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Second row
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
4. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
Third row
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
6. Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo)
Fourth row
7. Sergio Perez (Racing Point)
8. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Fifth row
9. Romain Grosjean (Haas)
10. Lando Norris (McLaren)
Sixth row
11. Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) * discounted 5 penalty positions
12. Nico Hulkenberg (Renault) * discounted 5 penalty positions
Seventh row
13. Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo)
14. Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Eighth row
15. George Russell (Williams)
16. Robert Kubica (Wiliams)
Ninth row
17. Carlos Sainz (McLaren) * discounted 5 penalty positions
18. Lance Stroll (Racing Point) * start from the bottom grid
Tenth row
19. Alexander Albon (Red Bull) * starting from the bottom grid
20. Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso) * start d