Mercedes Continues F1 Pole Streak with Kimi Antonelli Out Qualifying Max Verstappen
Kimi Antonelli takes pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds.
Key Takeaways
- Kimi Antonelli takes pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix.
- Max Verstappen qualifies second, 0.317 seconds behind Antonelli.
- Lando Norris qualifies third but will start 13th due to a 10-place grid penalty.
- George Russell qualifies fourth and will start third due to Norris’ penalty.
- Isack Hadjar receives a 30-place grid penalty for exceeding his power unit component allocation.
What Happened in Qualifying?
Kimi Antonelli took pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds. Antonelli’s teammate, George Russell, qualified fourth but will start third due to Lando Norris’ 10-place grid penalty.
Norris had the fastest time in Q1 but will start 13th due to the penalty. McLaren replaced the power electric unit in Norris’ MCL40, resulting in the penalty.
How Did the Other Drivers Perform?
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, each with one win on the season, qualified fifth and sixth and will start fourth and fifth. Oscar Piastri, the defending winner at Spa, will start sixth after struggling through qualifying.
Arvid Lindbald was the lone Racing Bulls driver in Q3 and will start seventh. Gabriel Bortoleto had his best qualifying result with Audi, qualifying ninth and starting eighth.
What About the Grid Penalties?
Lando Norris, Isack Hadjar, Fernando Alonso, and Lance Stroll all received grid penalties for various infractions. Hadjar received a 30-place grid penalty for exceeding his power unit component allocation, while Norris received a 10-place penalty for a power electric unit change.
Alonso and Stroll received 15-place penalties for making excess changes to their Aston Martin AMR26s.
What Does This Mean for the Race?
With the grid penalties, the starting lineup will be shuffled. Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly will start ninth and tenth, while Hadjar will start at the back of the field.
Verstappen acknowledged the help he received from Hadjar, saying, “It was definitely helping me. Otherwise, I would not be standing here.”
Specifications
| Driver | Qualifying Position | Starting Position |
|---|---|---|
| Kimi Antonelli | 1st | 1st |
| Max Verstappen | 2nd | 2nd |
| Lando Norris | 3rd | 13th |
| George Russell | 4th | 3rd |
| Charles Leclerc | 5th | 4th |
| Lewis Hamilton | 6th | 5th |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who took pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix?
Kimi Antonelli took pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Q: Who received a 30-place grid penalty?
Isack Hadjar received a 30-place grid penalty for exceeding his power unit component allocation.
Q: Who will start at the back of the field?
Isack Hadjar will start at the back of the field due to his 30-place grid penalty.
