Charles Leclerc was grateful for the wet weather that impacted Belgian Grand Prix qualifying as Max Verstappen's grid penalty handed him pole for Sunday's race.
Leclerc finished 0.6 seconds behind Verstappen at Spa, a stunning last lap of 1:53.754 seeing him leapfrog Sergio Perez into second.
That means he will start at the front of the grid at Spa for the second year in a row, with Verstappen taking a 10-place grid penalty after exceeding the maximum number of power units permitted throughout the season.
Perez will start second with Lewis Hamilton third, with McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in fourth and fifth one week on from their Hungarian Grand Prix one-two.
Speaking at the conclusion of the final session, Leclerc admitted the conditions had helped Ferrari exceed expectations but outlined his hope they can defend top spot.
"I definitely did not expect that this weekend," he said. "Obviously, with the tricky conditions, we could do something above our expectations.
"So it's a good day for the team, but now we need to focus on tomorrow and see what will happen when the rain is gone.
"Without this rain, probably P5 was the position we were fighting for with the Mercedes. With the rain, it helped us a little bit, but I'm not going to complain.
"I'm really happy, I'm really happy with the lap in Q3, and it's good to be back on the front part of the grid. Now we've got to finalise that tomorrow. Obviously, I'll try to keep that first place."
Verstappen also qualified fastest for the 2023 race in Spa, only for a five-place grid penalty to see him start in sixth.
He won from that position, though, and has 29 victories when not starting on pole – the fourth-most of any driver in Formula One history.
"I'm very happy," Verstappen said in his post-session interview. "The car was working quite well in the wet. I could just try to do clean lap times in the wet, which is always quite tricky.
"But tomorrow, of course, I know that it's quite a different day. It's going to be warmer, normally no rain, so it's all about tyre degradation. We just need to make sure we’re good on that.
"I know that I have to start 10 places back, so this was the best I could do today, and I go from there. I don't know how quick we're going to be. I hope we can be in the mix."
TOP 10
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
5. Lando Norris (McLaren)
6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
7. George Russell (Mercedes)
8. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
9. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
10. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Mercedes' luck turns in Las Vegas one-two
George Russell was relieved to see Mercedes' luck turn as the Silver Arrows clinched a stunning one-two at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday.
Russell held off challenges from Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, as well as team-mate Lewis Hamilton, to triumph from pole in Sin City.
He led for 49 of the 50 laps as he sealed his third victory in F1. Only at Sao Paulo in 2022 (66) and Sakhir in 2020 (59) has he led for more laps at a single grand prix.
Russell started at the front of the grid for the third time in 2024, having previously failed to convert poles in Canada and at Silverstone into victories.
Mercedes endured a difficult outing at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix last time out as Russell finished fourth and Hamilton 10th, and they were delighted to rediscover their consistency in Nevada.
"It's going to be a good party, I was planning on flying in a couple of hours but I'm definitely not getting on that flight. I’m going to enjoy this evening with all my team," Russell said.
"It's been a dream of a weekend. I don’t know how we've been so quick but I'm just riding this wave right now.
"To get the victory here, pole position and a dominant weekend, one-two with Lewis as well, we couldn't have chosen a better place to make this happen.
"I was just waiting for something to happen. The two races I've been on pole before it’s always been chaos, rain, dry, always something happening, last race in Brazil with the red flag... there is always something happening. Luck has turned and I'm so happy right now."
Hamilton, meanwhile, took the opportunity to congratulate his great rival Max Verstappen after the Red Bull driver sealed his fourth world championship by finishing ahead of Lando Norris.
"Firstly, congrats to Max winning the championship, still with several races to go," the seven-time world champion, who will join Ferrari for 2025, said.
"If I'd done my job yesterday it would have been a breeze today. But it's okay, I had fun coming from 10th and the team did a fantastic job.
"We don't know why we were quick this weekend but that's the best the car has ever felt. So I'm grateful to be a part of getting to that point.
"If the car drives like that in the next couple of races, then I think we'll be in a good spot to challenge the guys up front. The championship's done, so now it’s just all out, fight for the best positions possible."
Verstappen 'hungry' for more success after securing fourth world championship
Max Verstappen has said that he is hungry for more success after claiming his fourth consecutive Formula One world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver claimed the title by finishing fifth, ahead of championship rival Lando Norris, in the race which was won by George Russell of Mercedes.
Verstappen is now behind only Lewis Hamilton (seven), Michael Schumacher (seven) and Juan Manuel Fangio (five) in terms of world titles won, and the Dutchman has said he will aim for a fifth title in 2025.
"If you look to next year right now, I think it's going to be a proper battle between a lot of cars, but I'm hungry," said Verstappen, who secured the title with two races to spare.
Verstappen seals fourth straight Formula One world title
Max Verstappen secured his fourth straight Formula One world title with a fifth-place finish at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which was won by George Russell.
Verstappen merely needed to finish ahead of his sole title rival Lando Norris in order to get over the line in the Driver's Championship on Saturday.
And as Russell won from pole after fending off a challenge from the Ferraris and his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen ensured the crown as he finished fifth, one place ahead of McLaren's Norris, who is now 63 points behind the Dutchman with only 60 points left to race for.
The Red Bull star is now behind only Hamilton (seven), Michael Schumacher (seven) and Juan Manuel Fangio (five) when it comes to world titles.
Mercedes will celebrate an unexpected one-two, and Russell was largely in control throughout the race as he scooped a third win of his career.
He shrugged off an early effort from Charles Leclerc, who darted beyond Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz around the first two corners.
But as the Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz battled between themselves, and with Verstappen unwilling to take too many risks, Hamilton charged up through the grid, utilising a well-timed second pit stop to get ahead.
After pitting, Sainz and Leclerc got themselves back ahead of Verstappen in the final 10 laps, ensuring Ferrari closed the gap on McLaren in the Constructors' Championship to just 24 points.
There was some late joy for McLaren as Norris stopped for fresh tyres in order to set the fastest lap, and an extra point in a constructors' title race that is firmly in the balance with two races to go.
Data Debrief: Four in a row
Verstappen is just the fifth driver in F1 history to win four consecutive world titles.
The last to do so was Hamilton between 2017 and 2020, a run that was ultimately ended by Verstappen in 2021.
Sebastian Vettel (2010-13) and Fangio (1954-57) are the other drivers to have reeled off four straight championship wins, while Schumacher won five on the spin between 2000 and 2004.
Verstappen has now moved onto 2,989.5 points over the course of his career, meaning his next target is to break the 3,000-point barrier, something only Hamilton and Vettel have previously achieved.
Red Bull's chances in the Constructors' Championship seem slim, but if they can set a fastest lap in the final two races of the season, they will become the fifth team to hit the 100 mark, after Ferrari (263), McLaren (171), Williams (133) and Mercedes (109).
Top 10
1. George Russell (Mercedes)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
6. Lando Norris (McLaren)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
9. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
10. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers'
1. Max Verstappen - 403
2. Lando Norris - 340
3. Charles Leclerc - 319
Constructors'
1. McLaren - 608
2. Ferrari - 584
3. Red Bull - 555
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