Kimi Antonelli Claims Pole Position at Spa-Francorchamps 2026

The Italian prodigy Kimi Antonelli has secured pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, outperforming Max Verstappen, who is making a comeback, and Lando Norris, who will face a 10-place grid penalty for the race.

Pre-Race Insights

This year's track presents challenges with the new car designs. The lap time is longer than the available energy allows, necessitating a strategic deployment of electric power. During the third practice session (FP3) this morning, times were recorded at four seconds slower than last year. The qualification round will reveal how teams adapt.

Several drivers faced difficulties, causing carbon debris on the track. Notably, Pierre Gasly had an incident yesterday, and Lewis Hamilton encountered trouble at the same spot this morning. Ferrari will have its car repaired, but many drivers are exceeding parts quotas, resulting in penalties of 10 places for Norris and Stroll, while others like Hadjar and Alonso will start from the back of the grid. Verstappen has reverted to a traditional rear wing design, believing he is responsible for his previous track exits.

Preparation laps will be critical, and it’s possible that only one timed lap will be seen in Q2 and Q3.

Q1 – Aston Martins Struggle

With Hadjar starting at the back, Red Bull may assist Verstappen by providing a slipstream. The Cadillac team opened with a time of 1:49, but improvements are expected. Gasly clocked in at 1:47.5, while Verstappen, the top contender, set a time of 1:45.9. Antonelli and Russell lagged behind, with Norris briefly taking the provisional lead at 1:45.865.

As the session progressed, it became clear that some drivers used worn tires for their initial laps while others opted for fresh ones. With seven minutes remaining, the following drivers were on the verge of elimination: Colapinto, Ocon, Perez, Bottas, Alonso, and Stroll. The Ferrari drivers found themselves in the middle of the pack, while Audi and Gasly aimed for progression.

Antonelli did not improve his time, unlike Russell, who moved up to fourth. Ocon managed to improve but remained 18th and thus eliminated. Hamilton improved to fourth, while Gasly climbed to 12th. Albon barely qualified, but Colapinto made a notable effort to join Gasly in Q2.

Eliminated drivers included Albon, Ocon, Bottas, Perez, Alonso, and Stroll. Ocon's performance raised questions about his future, as there are discussions of a potential replacement after the summer break. Aston Martin is expected to introduce upgrades in Hungary next week, as they are currently lagging by four seconds.

Q2 – Team Tactics Absent

In this session, drivers immediately switched to fresh tires. Antonelli set a blistering pace, clocking 1:45.142, while Russell followed half a second behind. Verstappen secured second place, four-tenths off Antonelli, and Norris and Leclerc were hot on their heels.

After the initial runs, the leaderboard featured Antonelli, Leclerc, Norris, Hamilton, Verstappen, Lindblad, Piastri, Russell, Hadjar, and Bortoletto. Most drivers would likely attempt another lap, potentially utilizing team tactics for slipstream advantage. Hadjar improved but remained ninth, while Gasly struggled with errors and stayed 12th.

Eliminated in this round were Lawson, Gasly, Colapinto, Hülkenberg, Sainz, and Bearman, with Antonelli emerging as the favorite for pole.

Q3 – Red Bull Collaborates

Hadjar, starting from the back, still took to the track. Speculation arose that Red Bull might help Verstappen with a slipstream. Although Hadjar was positioned too far back, they waited until the almost straight section leading to the final chicane. Verstappen set a time under 1:45, but Antonelli topped that by a tenth.

Leclerc managed to slot between Antonelli and Verstappen, while Hamilton and Russell followed. Norris surprised everyone with a time of 1:44.801. Unfortunately, a red flag was waved due to gravel on the track at Stavelot, prioritizing safety. After the interruption, Hadjar returned to the track ahead of Verstappen.

On this final run, Verstappen clocked in at 1:43.678, but Antonelli shattered that time with a stunning 1:44.361. Norris abandoned his lap after a near miss, while Russell could only manage fourth, five-tenths behind Antonelli. Leclerc and Hamilton followed closely, with Piastri slightly further back.

Qualification Results for the Belgian Grand Prix 2026

Despite Red Bull's team strategy and the slipstream assistance provided to Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix. As a result of the qualifying outcomes, Norris will drop ten places, while Hadjar will start at the back alongside Alonso and Stroll.

This marks Antonelli's sixth pole position of the season, placing him alongside fellow active drivers Sainz and Piastri.

Pos

Driver

1

Kimi Antonelli Mercedes

2

Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing

3

Lando Norris McLaren

4

George Russell Mercedes

5

Charles Leclerc Ferrari

6

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari

7

Oscar Piastri McLaren

8

Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls

9

Gabriel Bortoleto Audi

10

Isack Hadjar Red Bull Racing

11

Liam Lawson Racing Bulls

12

Pierre Gasly Alpine

13

Franco Colapinto Alpine

14

Nico Hülkenberg Audi

15

Carlos Sainz Williams

16

Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team

17

Alexander Albon Williams

18

Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team

19

Valtteri Bottas Cadillac

20

Sergio Perez Cadillac

21

Fernando Alonso Aston Martin

22

Lance Stroll Aston Martin