Max Verstappen will start from the front row for the Belgian Grand Prix after a strategic qualifying session at Spa-Francorchamps. The Red Bull driver secured second position on the grid, utilizing a planned slipstream from teammate Isack Hadjar during the final qualifying segment. Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position for Sunday’s race.
Red Bull’s strategy in Q3 involved Hadjar providing a slipstream to Verstappen on the final sector of the circuit. Verstappen initially posted a time of 1:44.984, placing him fourth after the first runs, behind Lando Norris, Antonelli, and Charles Leclerc.
A subsequent red flag, caused by gravel on the track, allowed teams to refine their approaches. Verstappen then improved his time in the second run, briefly holding provisional pole position before Antonelli ultimately secured the top spot. Norris, George Russell, and Leclerc were unable to surpass Verstappen’s final effort.
Kimi Antonelli’s pole position marks a significant performance, following his strong showing in practice sessions. The Mercedes driver had topped both second and third free practice sessions, establishing himself as a contender for the front row.
Earlier in the day, Lewis Hamilton experienced a heavy crash during the final free practice session at Turn 13, similar to an incident involving Pierre Gasly on Friday. The Ferrari sustained significant damage to its rear-right side, including the wheel, rear suspension, and rear wing.
Ferrari mechanics faced a critical two-hour and twenty-eight-minute window to repair Hamilton’s car before qualifying commenced. Hamilton confirmed he was unharmed but expressed disappointment to his race engineer, Carlo Santi. The team successfully prepared the car, allowing Hamilton to participate in qualifying.
Several drivers incurred grid penalties for the Belgian Grand Prix. Isack Hadjar will start from the back of the grid due to exceeding his allocation of internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and exhaust components.
Lando Norris received a 10-place grid penalty for using a fourth battery/power electronics unit. Lance Stroll also incurred a 10-place penalty for a new MGU-K.
Fernando Alonso will also start from the back of the grid, having accumulated a 20-place penalty for multiple new engine components, including an energy store, control electronics unit, and power unit ancillary component. FIA regulations mandate a back-of-the-grid start for penalties exceeding 15 places.
In other qualifying developments, Carlos Sainz failed to advance to Q3. Nico Hülkenberg also caused a delay after stopping on track following the second qualifying segment.
The championship battle remains tight, with Kimi Antonelli currently leading the standings. George Russell trails Antonelli by 25 points, while Lewis Hamilton is 32 points adrift.
