Charles Leclerc blitzed the rest of the field to take pole position for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, lapping nearly three-quarters of a second faster than teammate Sebastian Vettel to give Ferrari a front-row lockout at Spa-Francorchamps.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton could only manage third position, but he will be relieved to have qualified as high as that after his Mercedes mechanics completed a rapid rebuild of his car following a heavy crash at the end of third practice.

In truth, Hamilton has been unable to match the pace of Leclerc and Vettel all weekend, but the final lap was still a major statement from Leclerc as he clinched his third pole position of the season in his efforts to claim his maiden victory.

The opening runs of the final shootout saw drivers jockeying for position in order to gain a slipstream, which almost caused Hamilton to pile into the back of his Mercedes teammate Bottas and the Finn doing the same to the Renault of Nico Hulkenberg, with both locking up to avoid contact.

But when the first runs were finally delivered, Leclerc once again set the pace, with Ferrari having topped all three practice sessions this weekend. The Monegasque clocked a 1:42.644, more than half-a-second faster than Hamilton, but Vettel’s error at La Source ruined his opening lap as he could only manage third ahead of Bottas.

F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Show all 48 1 /48 F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Antoine Hubert's brother and mother are joined by the F1 paddock to remember the late F2 driver Reuters F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix A replica helmet was held by his Renault factory team on the grid. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Drivers, mechanics and others pay tribute to Anthoine Hubert. REUTERS F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix A large screen television shows Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert prior to the start of the Belgian Grand Prix AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix A jet plane and helicopter fly over Spa ahead of the race. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Leclerc made the perfect get away as Hamilton challenged Vettel for second. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Hamilton took second but trouble behind saw Verstappen and Raikkonen collide. REUTERS F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Max Verstappen crashed on the opening lap at Eau Rouge Getty F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix The safety car was needed to clear up Verstappen's car. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Leclerc had one hairy moment when he locked up and ran on at Les Coombs. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Vettel struggled with his tyres that allowed Hamilton and Bottas to attack. Getty F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Hamilton took second place from Vettel. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Leclerc's pit stop was inch-perfect from Ferrari. AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Whereas Hamilton lost a second in the pits. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Charles Leclerc crosses the line to take Belgian Grand Prix victory. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Lando Norris' stricken McLaren is retrieved after breaking down on the final lap. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Charles Leclerc celebrates winning the Belgian Grand Prix to take his maiden F1 victory Getty F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Leclerc contemplates on the podium as the Monaco national anthem is played. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Charles Leclerc dedicates his maiden F1 victory to late friend Anthoine Hubert AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Leclerc, Hamilton and Bottas decided not to spray their champagne out of respect. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Hamilton congratulates Leclerc's victory. REUTERS F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Leclerc celebrates with his Ferrari team. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Ferrari fans enjoy the victory. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Belgian Grand Prix Leclerc celebrates with his Ferrari team. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Qualifying Max Verstappen fans show their support for the Red Bull driver. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Qualifying Mercedes manager to get Lewis Hamilton back out in time for the start of qualifying. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Qualifying Drivers jostled for position in the hope of getting a slipstream. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Qualifying Hamilton salvaged third place after having his Mercedes rebuilt. REUTERS F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Qualifying Charles Leclerc celebrates taking pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix Getty F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Qualifying Charles Leclerc celebrates taking pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Qualifying Leclerc will start alongside Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel with Hamilton third. REUTERS F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Qualifying Lewis Hamilton saw the crash that killed Anthoine Hubert live while speaking to the media AFP/Getty F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Lewis Hamilton suffered a high-speed crash during final practice at Spa. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Hamilton tore the front-left corner off his Mercedes. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Hamilton's car suffered extensive damage in the accident. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice The team faced a race against time ti repair the damage before qualifying. AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice The car was retrieved to the paddock after the session was red flagged. AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Hamilton was given a lift back to the pits. AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Championship leader Lewis Hamilton arrives for the opening day of practice at Spa-Francorchamps. AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Alexander Albon gets to grips with the Red Bull after being promoted from Toro Rosso. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice McLaren wheel Carlos Sainz back into the garage. AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Sergio Perez heads out for a practice run... AFP/Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice ... but it didn't last long as his Racing Point engine gave up on him. AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Perez took no further part in Friday practice. AP F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets at the end of the day. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Albon reaches the end of the Kemmel Straight. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Alexander Albon prepares for his first weekend in the Red Bull. Getty Images F1 Belgian Grand Prix in pictures Practice Valtteri Bottas locks up during practice for the Belgian Grand Prix. Getty Images

But Leclerc still had more up his sleeve, and while Vettel could only improve to overtake Hamilton and move onto the front row, Leclerc posted a 1:42.519 to finish 0.748s faster than his Ferrari teammate with a stunning lap time, as Vettel was punished for a messy second sector.

"We were very strong and it felt amazing," said the 21-year-old pole-sitter. "We have struggled with the race pace so we need to work on that."

Vettel, who swore in frustration as he reacted to missing out on pole position, said: "It is good that we secured the front row, but I have no excuses."

Hamilton unsurprisingly paid tribute to his Mercedes team for repairing his car. "Final practice was terrible for me because you know how hard the guys work to build those parts and how hard they work to put the car back together.

"My guys are faultless and I tried to pay them back with a good qualifying session. I am grateful I am third. I am going to give it everything tomorrow and hopefully give these guys a good race."

Bottas followed home in fourth ahead of Max Verstappen, while Daniel Ricciardo edged the battle between the two Renaults to take sixth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, although both will serve five-place grid penalties.

Kimi Raikkonen qualified eighth, with Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen rounding out the top 10.

Hamilton was lucky to be qualifying at all after his practice crash (AP)

While Magnussen made it into the top 10 shootout, his Haas teammate Romain Grosjean was just edged out in Q2. He was joined in elimination by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was just over a tenth away from making it into Q3, along with Lance Stroll and Alexander Albon in his debut outing in the Red Bull – though he is destined to start from the rear of the field regardless due to engine penalties.

A disrupted Q1 saw Robert Kubica’s Williams engine let go in a big way early on, causing the first of two red flags. Once the session got going again with just under 13 minutes remaining, a dash to put in a strong lap time paid off when the Alfa Romeo of Antonio Giovinazzi suffered a similar engine failure, bringing a premature end to the session in the final minute.

The red flag caught out Pierre Gasly, who is in his first weekend back with Toro Rosso after being demoted this weekend in favour of Albon, as well as the second McLaren of Carlos Sainz despite the Spaniard looking the faster of their drivers this weekend. Daniil Kvyat and George Russell joined them in early elimination, and although Giovinazzi made it through to Q2, he was unable to take part.

Albon, Kvyat and Stroll will all have penalties applied, as will Sainz and Renault duo Ricciardo and Hulkenberg even though they decided to switch back to the ‘spec B’ engines.

Final Qualifying positions:

1 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1min 42.519secs

2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:43.267

3 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:43.282

4 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1:43.415

5 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:43.690

6 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Renault 1:44.257

7 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 1:44.542

8 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:44.557

9 Sergio Perez (Mex) Racing Point 1:44.706

10 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:45.086

11 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 1:44.797

12 Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:44.847

13 Lance Stroll (Can) Racing Point 1:45.047

14 Alexander Albon (Tha) Red Bull 1:45.799

15 Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing no time set

16 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:46.435

17 Carlos Sainz (Spa) McLaren 1:46.507

18 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:46.518

19 George Russell (Gbr) Williams 1:47.548