Charles Leclerc says a yellow flag and Ferrari’s lack of straight-line speed prevented him from securing a stronger qualifying result at Spa.

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari narrowly missed out on a better qualifying result for the Belgian Grand Prix after a confusing yellow flag disrupted the Monegasque driver’s final flying lap. Although he qualified fifth (moving up to fourth after Lando Norris’ penalty) Leclerc believes the incident cost him at least one position on the grid.

Charles Leclerc believes a yellow flag compromised his final qualifying lap at Spa.

Leclerc Says Ferrari Lost Time at the Worst Moment

Leclerc explained that a yellow flag displayed near the pit entry was highly visible from the racing line, forcing him to hesitate during his final attempt. While he admitted Ferrari still lacked the pace to challenge for pole, he believes the interruption prevented him from overtaking George Russell in the final standings.

The Ferrari driver also pointed to Mercedes’ superior straight-line speed, describing power as the team’s biggest weakness at Spa-Francorchamps.

Ferrari continues to trail Mercedes in straight-line performance.

Ferrari Hopes Slipstream Can Make the Difference

Despite the qualifying setback, Charles Leclerc remains optimistic for Sunday’s race. He believes slipstreaming could help Ferrari compensate for its straight-line deficit and create opportunities to move forward during the Belgian Grand Prix.

Leclerc hopes Ferrari can recover positions during the Belgian Grand Prix.

George Russell revealed Mercedes is still battling a technical issue that is costing significant time on the straights ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

George Russell and Mercedes continue to battle a frustrating technical issue that has compromised the team’s straight-line performance since the British Grand Prix. Despite qualifying fourth for the Belgian Grand Prix—promoted to third after Lando Norris’ grid penalty—Russell admitted the problem is costing him valuable lap time at Spa-Francorchamps.

The British driver believes the issue has prevented him from fighting for pole position, even though he was satisfied with his qualifying performance.

George Russell says Mercedes is losing valuable time on the straights because of an unresolved issue.

George Russell Says Mercedes Is Losing Speed on the Straights

Russell revealed that Mercedes has identified an ongoing problem that causes his car to lose speed at full throttle, costing anywhere between two and six tenths of a second per lap on the straights.

Initially, the team suspected the issue was related to the brakes or even Russell’s driving style, but after extensive analysis, Mercedes is now convinced the problem is mechanical rather than driver-related.

The issue has forced the team to focus on recovering top speed instead of improving car setup and tire performance throughout the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.

Mercedes has been investigating the straight-line performance issue since Silverstone.

Mercedes Still Searching for Answers

Although Mercedes has not identified the exact cause, Russell does not believe the power unit is responsible. Instead, he says something is preventing the car from reaching its full potential on the straights, leaving the team searching for answers before the next race.

Russell hopes Mercedes can solve the issue before the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Russell Remains Optimistic Despite the Setback

Despite the ongoing problem, George Russell remains encouraged by the pace shown in the corners and believes he had the speed to challenge for the front row under normal conditions. Mercedes will now continue working to resolve the issue before the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Russell hopes the team can finally unlock the car’s full performance.

Max Verstappen says Isack Hadjar’s teamwork in qualifying was crucial to securing second place on the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar combined for one of Red Bull’s smartest qualifying strategies at the Belgian Grand Prix, with the reigning world champion admitting he would not have secured a front-row start without his teammate’s assistance.

Hadjar, who is set to start from the back of the grid because of power unit penalties, reached Q3 specifically to provide Verstappen with a crucial slipstream during his final qualifying laps at Spa-Francorchamps.

Max Verstappen praised Isack Hadjar for helping him secure second on the grid at Spa.

Verstappen Says Hadjar’s Slipstream Made the Difference

During the final sector of Q3, Hadjar positioned his RB car perfectly to give Verstappen a tow through Blanchimont and toward the final chicane. The strategy allowed Verstappen to improve his lap enough to qualify second behind pole-sitter Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Verstappen admitted the slipstream was decisive, explaining that without Hadjar’s help he could have finished as low as sixth because of how close the competition was throughout qualifying.

The Dutchman also praised Red Bull’s teamwork, saying the entire squad executed the plan perfectly despite Hadjar’s grid penalty.

Hadjar sacrificed his own qualifying session to help Verstappen in Q3.

Hadjar Explains the Difficulties Behind the Strategy

Hadjar revealed that executing the slipstream plan was more complicated than expected because lifting off the throttle affected the hybrid system’s energy deployment. The first attempt failed to provide the ideal tow, while the second was limited because the car had less electrical energy available.

Red Bull’s qualifying strategy helped Verstappen secure a front-row start for the Belgian Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s Teamwork Pays Off

Despite the technical challenges, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar successfully executed Red Bull’s qualifying strategy, allowing Verstappen to secure a valuable front-row starting position for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

The result highlights the importance of teamwork in modern Formula 1, where even a perfectly timed slipstream can make the difference between the front row and the third row of the grid.