But as the rain eased in the dying stages over the Spa-Francorchamps circuit and a dry line appeared, Di Resta dropped to fifth in his Force India.

In the final 30 seconds Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, then Red Bull’s Mark Webber and team-mate Sebastian Vettel were all on pole, only to be deposed by last man over the line Hamilton in his Mercedes.

For the fourth successive race Hamilton will lead away the field, the first time since Damon Hill in 1995 a Briton has achieved such a feat.

It is also the 31st pole of his F1 career, elevating him to seventh on the all-time list, just one behind another world champion Briton in Nigel Mansell.