Kimi Antonelli captured pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix, demonstrating strong form in the fight for the Formula One title. The Mercedes driver qualified ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris.
Antonelli's Mercedes teammate George Russell will start fourth. The gap between Antonelli and Russell in qualifying was significant, exceeding five-tenths of a second. While Antonelli has not won a race since the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, he has maintained a lead in the drivers' standings, with Russell currently 25 points behind his 19-year-old rival.
Antonelli had shown consistent performance throughout the practice sessions and qualifying stages. Verstappen initially set the pace, utilizing a tow from his teammate Isack Hadjar, before Antonelli ultimately secured the front spot by three-tenths of a second.
In other qualifying results, Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton secured fifth and sixth positions, respectively. Hamilton experienced a challenging session, having crashed in practice shortly before qualifying. His Ferrari mechanics worked to repair damage to the car, including the suspension, floor, rear wing, and gearbox, following an impact with a barrier at the Fagnes bend. Despite the repairs, Hamilton noted a loss of temperature in the garage, impacting his preparation.
At the back of the grid, Lance Stroll qualified last in his Aston Martin, with Fernando Alonso ahead of him. The Aston Martin team is anticipating a significant upgrade for the next race in Hungary. The Cadillac cars of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas were positioned ahead of the Aston Martins, with the American team being newcomers to the sport.