With the Summer testing over and the break complete, the Formula One convoy returned to the roads to begin the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa. All the talk was about Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen before qualifying, but it was Jenson Button who would grab the headlines by securing Pole in stunning fashion.
No-one could catch the McLaren in Q2 or Q3 but none of the Championship rivals came close as Kamui Kobayashi secured second with Pastor Maldonado, quickest in Q1, finishing third. Raikkonen did manage to get fourth with Sergio Perez making it both Saubers in the top five. Alonso could only manage sixth with Mark Webber qualifying in seventh, but a five place grid penalty means he will start 12th. This pushes Hamilton up to seventh who will disappointed with his performance. Romain Grosjean brings the second Lotus into eighth with Paul Di Resta quietly parking his Force India ninth.
The big name to fall from Q2 was Sebastian Vettel but he will now start tenth with Webber's demotion. Nico Hulkenberg makes Vettel the meat in the Force India sandwich whilst being the meat in the Red Bull sandwich in 11th. Michael Schumacher continued to have difficulties with his car and will begin his 300th GP in 13th.
Felipe Massa also continued to struggle and will start in 14th, shrouding his future into further doubt. The Toro Rossos will start side by side in 15th and 16th, Jean-Eric Vergne out-qualifying Daniel Ricciardo. Bruno Senna completes the line-up after Q2 in 17th place.
The big name to fall from Q1 was Nico Rosberg who didn't time his final lap correctly and ultimately missed out. He has it all to do starting from 18th tomorrow. Heikki Kovalainen continues to be the best of the rest ahead of Caterham team-mate, Vitaly Petrov, in 19th. Timo Glock starts ahead of Pedro De La Rosa in the penultimate row of the grid. Narain Karthikeyan will be at the back of grid once again behind Charles Pic.
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