Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. The Mercedes driver delivered a commanding final lap to achieve his sixth pole of the current season.
Antonelli recorded a 1:44.361 lap time, outpacing Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds. Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, qualified second after benefiting from a slipstream provided by teammate Isack Hadjar during his final Q3 run.
The qualifying session presented challenges, particularly in Q1, where Antonelli admitted to feeling ‘lost’. Changing wind conditions affected the car’s balance, making the initial stages difficult for the Italian driver.
Despite the early struggles, Antonelli progressively built confidence throughout the session. He topped Q2 with a 1:45.142 lap, demonstrating improved pace before his decisive Q3 effort.
Lando Norris initially showed strong form, setting the early pace in Q1 and even holding provisional pole in Q3. However, Norris will start Sunday’s race from 13th position due to a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his power unit component allocation.
The final grid, adjusted for penalties, sees George Russell promoted to third. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, both driving for Ferrari, will start fourth and fifth respectively, separated by just 0.002 seconds.
Oscar Piastri moves up to sixth, followed by Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad in seventh. Gabriel Bortoleto for Audi will start eighth, with Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly completing the top ten after further grid adjustments.
Antonelli’s pole position continues Mercedes’ perfect qualifying record in the 2026 season, having secured pole for every Grand Prix held so far.
However, Antonelli’s season has been marked by reliability issues despite his strong pace. He suffered an electrical shutdown at the Spanish Grand Prix, costing him a likely second-place finish.
At the British Grand Prix, a problem with his front-left wheel shield led to two unscheduled pit stops and a track limits penalty, preventing a potential victory.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has publicly addressed these concerns, stating the team ‘cannot DNF cars in a kind of regular, continued way.’ He emphasized the need to convert qualifying pace into consistent race results.
Antonelli currently leads the Drivers’ Championship, but the reliability setbacks have allowed George Russell and Ferrari drivers to close the points gap.
Looking ahead to the race, Antonelli remains cautious. He highlighted potential challenges from the lengthy Kemmel Straight, where slipstream effects are significant, and anticipated high tyre degradation.
