Belgian Grand Prix LIVE: Piastri starts second on grid behind teammate Norris
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10.18pm
Where did Horner go? All the off-season shenanigans explained
Hannah Kennelly
The Belgian Grand Prix begins the second half of the F1 season, however the bigest moments so far have arguably come from the off-season.
In case you've been living under a rock, Red Bull abruptly fired their long-term team principal Christian Horner after a 20-year stint that included eight Formula 1 drivers' titles, six constructors' titles, and 124 race wins.
Red Bull did not give a reason for the decision, but thanked Horner for his work and said he will 'forever remain an important part of our team history'. The announcement comes more than a year after Horner was accused of misconduct toward a team employee.
So what actually happened?
The announcement follows a period of tense internal politics within Red Bull as well as a lacklustre performance on track during the 2025 season. Read more here.
Will Max Verstappen go to Mercedes?
If you weren't swept up in the Horner saga, it's likely you've been occupied by the rumour-mill concerning Max Verstappen and a potential move to Mercedes.
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Verstappen currently sits in third place in the driver's championship, and while the Dutchman's talent and drive to win remains unquestionable, it's clear that McLaren have the better car and pace.
Mercedes driver George Russell's contract expires this year and a contract renewal has not been announced. This potentially opens the door for Verstappen to switch teams.
That speculation hit a fever pitch when news broke Verstappen and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff happened to be in the Italian island of Sardinia at the same time a few weeks ago.
So far, no announcements have been made, but a typically wry Verstappen has remained tight-lipped during press conferences.
He batted away journalists persistent questions around a Mercedes move and quipped,'There is also a possibility I don't wake up tomorrow!' he said. 'So then, there is no driving at all. Life is unpredictable.'
10.08pm
What happened in Qualifying
By Hannah Kennelly
Nine points. That's all that separates Oscar Piastri (241) from his teammate Lando Norris (232) in the driver's championship standings.
During Saturday's qualifying session, Norris pipped Piastri to pole position with a time of 1:40.562, beating the Aussie by 0.085 – less than a tenth of a second.
'The second lap was coming together really well and I just made a little mistake in (turn) 14. It is fine margins out there,' Piastri said after qualifying.
'Not a bad place to be starting, but there was more in it so that is disappointing.'
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will start from third and Red Bull champion Max Verstappen sits in fourth for Red Bull.
McLaren's pace has been the talk of the season, but Verstappen has shown no signs of giving up his quest for a fifth consecutive championship. The Dutchman started second during the Spa Sprint race and manoeuvred past Piastri to win the race – his first victory since Imola.
In a post-race interview, Verstappen described his race strategy as like 'playing cat and mouse'. The Red Bull star sits in third place in the driver's championship with 173 points.
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News.com.au
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