“So, regardless of my personal experience in these contract talks, at the moment you’ve to keep showing what you can do and never lift your foot off the throttle because if you do there will be a youngster coming through trying to take your seat.

“You can never be complacent.”

Lando Norris had looked set to be a contender for pole after going fastest in Q1 and Q2, but was a victim of the conditions as he span at Eau Rouge and hit the wall hard as the rain worsened at Spa.

A furious Sebastian Vettel, who stopped to check his fellow racer was okay, made his feelings clear over the radio and was adamant the session should have been red-flagged before that incident happened.

The McLaren ace was taken to hospital for scans, and was given the all-clear to take part in the race.

It’s likely Norris will have to start from the pit lane, though, with extensive damage done to his car by the 185mph impact with the tyre wall at F1’s most infamous incline.