Work on mixed condition weakness “paid off” at Spa F1

Leclerc took second in Friday qualifying for Sunday’s race, ceding eight tenths to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in Q3 on a drying track.

But as Verstappen was hit with a five-place grid penalty for taking his fifth gearbox of the season, one more than is allowed, Leclerc will line up first on Sunday.

After recently admitting he was struggling in mixed-weather conditions, particularly with finding grip on slicks on a damp circuit, Leclerc thought…