Q1 and the first five eliminated
Sauber’s Guanyu Zhou and William’s Logan Sargeant have both struggled throughout the 2024 season and both haven’t recorded a top ten finish. Their miserable seasons continued with both drivers finishing 20th and 19th respectively. They are both expected to not be not on the grid in 2025.
They both will move up a position on the grid for Sunday’s race as RB’s Yuki Tsunoda will start from the back of the grid due to being handed a 60 grid penalty due to different infringements with the car. Each driver is allowed four internal combustion engine changes a season, this was Tsunoda’s fifth. Other infringements included having his third third energy store and a new set of electronics.
The two Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg finished in the 16th and 17th respectively.
Q2 and the next five eliminated
The weather can have a big impact on qualifying and an F1 race. It was drizzling at the start of Q2 but it got heavier half way through Q2 with all drivers going on the intermediates.
William’s Alex Albon missed out on the top ten by the tiniest of margins, only 0.003 seconds to Red Bull’s Sergio Perez who finished in 10th. Perez has been under immense pressure to hold his spot for the remainder of the 2024 season and beyond.
As it was getting wetter at the Spa track, RB believed their driver Daniel Ricciardo had done enough to make Q3 and decided he that he didn’t need come out of the garage to do a final lap. This decision backfired and Ricciardo finished in 13th. Ricciardo spoke with the F1 media after qualifying about his teams decisions.
“Of course we’re all a little disappointed but it wasn’t a call that we’re all kicking ourselves over, it’s just the one we made and wasn’t the [right] one” he said.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly has had many peaks and troughs in the 2024 season. Struggling in the first seven races, only managing to finish 13th or lower. But the next four races were such an improvement finished in the top 10 in all four but the last two he has failed to finish. He will start the race in 12th and will hope for another top ten finish.
Like his teammate at Sauber, Valtteri Bottas hasn’t recorded a point this season. He will start the race in 14th and it will be an uphill battle to make the top 10.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll will start the race in 15th.
F1 Obsessed Girlie 