Charles Leclerc loses position in Belgian GP qualifying

Charles Leclerc lost a position in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix after easing off the throttle in the final corner due to a yellow flag, according to Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur. The Monegasque driver will start fourth on the grid, benefiting from Lando Norris's penalty.

What happened in qualifying?

Ferrari struggled to match the pace of championship leader Kimi Antonelli at Spa-Francorchamps. Leclerc initially looked strong but was forced to lift in the final corner when a yellow flag appeared. This cost him valuable time, dropping him behind George Russell by just thousandths of a second.

Vasseur admitted the team couldn't extract much more from the session but noted the minimal gaps between drivers. He praised Leclerc's performance despite the setback, saying the Monegasque driver had shown decent pace throughout the weekend.

Why it matters for Charles Leclerc

The Belgian Grand Prix has historically been a challenging track for Ferrari. Starting fourth gives Leclerc a chance to fight for a podium, but he'll need to navigate the long, fast circuit carefully. Vasseur believes the team's race pace is stronger than their qualifying performance, which could work in Leclerc's favor.

What comes next for Ferrari?

Vasseur expects a long, competitive race with several energy management strategies in play. He believes Ferrari can mix it with the top teams, especially if they can maintain their rhythm from qualifying. The team will focus on maximizing their race pace to secure the best possible result.

The Belgian Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, with Leclerc aiming to make up for his qualifying disappointment. Ferrari will need to be at their best to challenge the likes of Antonelli and Verstappen, who have dominated recent races.