Sainz puts Ferrari on pole in Belgium

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz will start Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix from the front of the grid despite Max Verstappen obliterating the field in qualifying.

World champion Verstappen was fastest by almost seven tenths, but he will be relegated to 15th after serving a penalty for an engine change.

Leclerc, who trails Verstappen by 80 points and is also penalised after taking on a new power unit on Formula One’s return to action following the summer break, is demoted from fourth to 16th.

Sergio Perez moves up to second. Despite the penalties for Verstappen and Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will start only fourth and fifth respectively.

Hamilton finished an eye-watering 1.8 seconds down on Verstappen, with team-mate Russell a further three tenths back.