Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday, beating championship rival Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds. The 19-year-old Italian posted a lap time of 1:44.361 in Q3, marking his sixth pole of the season and the largest pole margin of the year.
Qualifying Highlights
Antonelli's pole came after a challenging session where he struggled with overheating tyres early on. However, he recovered to dominate the final qualifying segment. Verstappen, aided by a tow from Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar, managed to secure second place but acknowledged the advantage. 'It was definitely helping me, otherwise I'd be P6,' Verstappen said. 'Tomorrow I'll be looking in my mirrors. The car has been quite decent all weekend.'
Lando Norris finished third in his McLaren but will drop 10 places on the grid due to a penalty, promoting George Russell to third alongside Charles Leclerc. Norris commented, 'It's nice to be standing here, not nice knowing I'll be 10 places back.'
Top 10 Qualifying Times
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:44.361
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.317
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – +0.440
- George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.508
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.532
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +0.534
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.655
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – +0.782
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – +1.267
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – no time (back of grid)
Session Incidents and Penalties
Q3 was briefly delayed after Nico Hulkenberg's car suffered a hydraulic leak, forcing him to stop on circuit. Norris's penalty for a previous infringement means he will start from 13th, while Hadjar goes to the back of the grid. Antonelli expressed satisfaction with his performance: 'It's great to be on pole. Not a very straightforward session... But tomorrow is another day and I have Max starting next to me.'
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised Antonelli's recovery: 'Slowly but surely he comes back and at the end he is dominant.' Wolff also expressed concern about Russell's mysterious loss of straight-line speed and the threat from Verstappen at the start.
Outlook for the Race
With Antonelli on pole and Verstappen alongside, the race promises a tight battle. Antonelli leads the championship and will aim to extend his advantage, while Verstappen seeks to close the gap. The Belgian Grand Prix is set for Sunday at Spa-Francorchamps.
