Antonelli puts Mercedes on Belgian GP pole as penalties reshape the grid

Kimi Antonelli will start the Belgian Grand Prix from pole after setting the fastest lap in qualifying for Mercedes. Max Verstappen was second, 0.317 seconds behind, while George Russell could only manage fourth as his title rival extended his qualifying momentum.

Antonelli’s pole time was 1:44.361, and the result strengthens his position in a championship fight in which he is reported to lead Russell by 25 points. Russell was more than half a second off his team-mate’s benchmark, with the source reporting ongoing Mercedes concerns about straight-line speed on his side of the garage.

The front of the final classification may not match the final starting order. Lando Norris qualified third for McLaren but carries a 10-place grid penalty, while Isack Hadjar, 10th fastest, has a nominal 30-place engine-related penalty after helping Verstappen with a slipstream during qualifying. Fernando Alonso is also reported to have a 20-place penalty.

Behind the leading group, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were listed fifth and sixth, followed by Oscar Piastri and Arvid Lindblad, whose upgraded Racing Bulls package was noted as a strong point of the session. With Spa offering overtaking chances and several penalties affecting the order, the race setup looks less straightforward than the qualifying sheet suggests.