Sebastian Vettel made it nine poles from 12 grands prix this season at the end of a dramatic and controversial qualifying session ahead of tomorrow's Belgian Grand Prix.
In a patched-up McLaren sporting a new front wing and with parts bandaged with gaffer tape following a collision with Williams' Pastor Maldonado at the end of the middle session, Lewis Hamilton appeared to have grabbed his first pole since Canada last year.
But within seconds such pleasure was denied the Briton as reigning champion Vettel made it 24 poles in his career, beating his 26-year-old rival by almost half a second.
As for Michael Schumacher, on the 20th anniversary weekend of his Formula One debut at Spa, his qualifying session lasted just 90 seconds.
The seven-times champion hit a wet patch in his Mercedes which sent him skewering into a wall where he then lost a wheel, his car then sliding all the way down the hill into the gravel trap at Rivage.
Calmly over the radio the 42-year-old said: "I don't know what happened there, something unexpected. I'm out."
