Antonelli storms to Belgian GP pole with Russell in fourth

Antonelli storms to Belgian GP pole with Russell in fourth Last updated 18 July 2026 4:43pm BST Save Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Add us as preferred source Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Kimi Antonelli took his sixth pole of the season Credit: Jakub Porzycki/Reuters Luke Slater live updates Last updated 18 July 2026 4:43pm BST Save Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Add us as preferred source Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Kimi Antonelli raced to an emphatic pole position for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix to leave his world championship rivals trailing in his wake. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver headed into qualifying as the man to beat after topping two of the three practice sessions in Spa-Francorchamps and he delivered on his status with a brilliant lap. Antonelli saved his very best to last to see off Red Bull driver Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds. Lando Norris qualified third, four tenths down on Antonelli, but the world champion will line up from 13th as he serves a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his allocated number of engine parts. “It is great to be on pole,” said Antonelli. “It was not a straightforward session, but we were able to improve lap by lap. Tomorrow is another day, but I have Max starting behind me so it is imperative to get a good start and lead into turn five. It is going to be fun tomorrow.” Norris said: “It is not nice knowing I have to go back 10 places on the grid and that is unfortunate, but we made the most of it and I have been happy with my performance all weekend. Hopefully we can have a good race tomorrow and make up some positions. That’s the plan.” Antonelli was the man to beat again Credit: John Thys/Getty Images Antonelli is without a win since the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, a streak of three races, but he will begin Sunday’s 44-lap race as the favourite to build on his 25-point championship lead over George Russell. Russell will start only third on another sobering afternoon for the British driver, who has spent much of a season he began as the bookmakers’ title tip in his team-mate’s shadow. Russell qualified fourth, half-a-second behind Antonelli in the same machinery, but he is upgraded one place because of Norris’s grid sanction. Charles Leclerc is bumped up to fourth, a place clear of Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Norris finished the opening Q3 laps with an advantage of 0.039sec over Antonelli. The climax to qualifying was then put on pause from seven minutes after Oscar Piastri kicked up gravel a the 14th corner. But when the running re-started Antonelli could not be caught. Hamilton’s participation had been in major doubt after he crashed out of final practice and sustained significant damage to the rear of his Ferrari. Hamilton’s mechanics had two hours to fix a machine described as “destroyed” by the seven-time world champion. And they succeeded to allow him a shot at disturbing Antonelli. However, he was unable to lay a glove on the Italian teenager, who romped to his sixth pole of the season. Hamilton finished 0.534s behind the man he trails by 32 points in the championship standings. The opening phase of qualifying had an all-too-predictable feel about it, with Williams’ Alex Albon, Haas’ Esteban Ocon, Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez and the hapless Aston Martin duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll all eliminated. Aston Martin are due to deliver a much-needed upgrade at the next weekend’s race in Hungary to salvage an utterly demoralising season. Double world champion Alonso, who is without a win in 13 years, and 11 days shy of his 45th birthday, finished two seconds slower than Perez in 20th and five seconds off Antonelli’s Q1 pace. Latest updates Luke Slater live updates 4:37PM The race tomorrow is at 2pm Link copied to clipboard Antonelli the man to beat again, you’d have thought but far from a guarantee that he finishes the first lap in the lead given the nature of this track. Let’s hope for a competitive race, as impressive as he was in qualifying.  4:26PM Six poles for Antonelli now... Link copied to clipboard That's a sixth career pole for Kimi 💪 Q3 TOP 10 Antonelli Verstappen Norris Russell Leclerc Hamilton Piastri Lindblad Bortoleto Hadjar#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/O8h3CUwOOV — Formula 1 (@F1) July 18, 2026 A lot can go wrong tomorrow, still. I am sure Russell will be perplexed again about how he is losing the time. 4:21PM Verstappen on a strong front-row start Link copied to clipboard He is asked by Naomi Schiff whether the tow from Hadjar helped or hindered him. He was very close to his team-mate coming into the final chicane.  “It was definitely helping me otherwise I would not be standing here, otherwise I would be like P6 or something. Isack did a very good job giving me a tow in the final sector. For sure tomorrow, I will be looking in my mirrors but at least today we had a good result. The car has been quite decent the whole weekend... we are happy of course to be in the front row with how we executed it as a team. It’s always tough around here with the tyres in the long run. I will do my best and see if we can hang in there or not.” 4:20PM Antonelli reacts to another pole Link copied to clipboard The biggest margin from pole to second so far this season, though this is the longest track.  “It’s great to be on pole, it was not a very straightforward session, the track changed a lot but we were able to improve lap by lap and to bring home pole. I have Max starting next to me, it’s going to be important to get a good start and be ahead into turn five. The last lap was good, I improved a lot in sector two especially. It was very clean, so very happy with that.” 4:14PM Same old story, really for Russell Link copied to clipboard Has just looked a few tenths adrift of Antonelli. At least he will start third on the grid tomorrow, which is better than his fourth but still. Half a second adrift again. A long lap, but he never looked like challenging, unlike a handful of other drivers.  4:13PM Q3 - Classification Link copied to clipboard ANT 1:44.361VER +0.317NOR* +0.440RUS +0.508LEC +0.532HAM +0.534PIA +0.655LIN +0.782BOR +1.267HAD* (NO TIME)*before grid penalties applied 4:12PM 🏁Antonelli takes pole! Link copied to clipboard Here’s what he said on the radio: “Let’s go man, let’s go! Happy birthday dad!” Norris ran into the gravel in the middle sector that cost him a shot at being fastest but it makes no odds really. 4:11PM Q3 - But Antonelli beats Verstappen to pole! Link copied to clipboard Russell is well adrift, so is everyone else, really... Antonelli and Russell find bags of time but most others struggled.  Antonelli, Verstappen, Norris and Russell. Fifth and sixth for Ferrari.  4:10PM Q3 - Verstappen does his best first sector Link copied to clipboard But it’s not especially quick compared to the others. Russell is faster than Antonelli after one sector... Lindblad is faster than anyone in that part of the track.  Verstappen, courtesy of a tow from his team-mate, has wrestled his Red Bull into contention here... It’s a 1:44.678 for Verstappen to go fastest... 4:08PM Q3 - Hmmmm Link copied to clipboard Russell has perhaps lost the tow. Bortoleto is between the two Mercedes cars, unless Bortoleto overtakes Antonelli. Which it doesn’t look like he will. Russell is probably too far back to get a tow from Bortoleto, though... Anyway, final runs under way.  4:05PM Q3 resumes... Link copied to clipboard Just under six minutes left on the clock. Norris leads the way but takes a 10-place grid penalty so Antonelli, truly, is the man to beat.  4:01PM No real idea what is going on here... Link copied to clipboard Nothing official, anyway. Some work is going on to Norris’s floor, which perhaps means he ran over the gravel that Piastri left. We haven’t seen any TV images of people sweeping the track, but it does look clearer.  Anyway, we are starting in another three minutes.  3:58PM Q3 - 🟥RED FLAG Link copied to clipboard What’s this for? Gravel on the track from Piastri’s minor off?  Not sure, there is some gravel still on the track but we have been downgraded to yellow flags. A bit odd, but the pit exit has closed and the timer has stopped. So it still is a red flag, effectively.  3:57PM Q3 - Order after the first runs Link copied to clipboard NOR 1:44.801ANT +0.039LEC +0.092VER +0.183HAM +0.261RUS +0.355PIA +0.661LIN +1.253BOR +1.678HAD (NO TIME)Russell is told where he lost the time and concludes that it was all lost in the straight. Piastri ran a bit wide in the middle sector of the lap which cost him some time.  3:55PM Q3 - Leclerc finds a fine lap! Link copied to clipboard He sneaks provisionally onto the front row... but then Norris beats Antonelli by 0.039sec! He takes a penalty but that is a fine lap.  The top five cars within 0.261sec of each other.  3:54PM Q3 - Actually Hadjar does give Verstappen a tow Link copied to clipboard He slows down entering the final sector to give him one all the way up to the bus stop chicane. Hadjar will be starting at the back of the grid after penalties so no harm done. Hadjar is giving Verstappen a tow in the opening Q3 run 👀#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/pozZ7YWG6P — Formula 1 (@F1) July 18, 2026 It’s a 1:44.984 for Verstappen, which is handy... but Antonelli beats it by 0.144sec! Russell is three tenths slower than Antonelli... 3:52PM Q3 - Hadjar lines up his hot lap Link copied to clipboard Is he giving Verstappen a tow? Well, not really. Not at all, in fact. The two Red Bull cars are too far apart for any of that.  3:52PM 🟢Q3 begins! Link copied to clipboard Right, onto the meaningful stuff for the championship contenders. Hard to see past Antonelli at the moment. Norris has been going well but takes a 10-place grid penalty.  Credit: Alastair Staley/LAT Images 3:49PM We have a start time for Q3 Link copied to clipboard It’s in a minute.  3:44PM ❗Q3 delayed Link copied to clipboard Hulkenberg has indeed stopped on track on his way back to the pits. It was, Audi say, a hydraulic leak and he was told to stop the car. It should not be a significant delay. Hulkenberg, who was knocked out in Q2, has to stop on his way back to the pits A hydraulic leak the apparent cause #F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/7kWRFKk64P — Formula 1 (@F1) July 18, 2026 3:43PM Has Hulkenberg stopped on track? Link copied to clipboard There are yellow flags on the track and it looks like he has stopped before turn 10 on the driver tracker. He is out anyway so it does not make much of a difference but might delay the start of Q3.  3:42PM 🏁Q2 - Classification Link copied to clipboard ANT 1:45.142LEC +0.255NOR +0.312HAM +0.401VER +0.447LIN +0.487PIA +0.529RUS +0.547HAD +0.681BOR +0.940OUT: LAW, GAS, COL, HUL, SAI, BEA 3:41PM Q2 - Can anyone dislodge Antonelli? Link copied to clipboard It doesn’t really matter as this is just a qualifier to get into Q3. Russell cannot afford a bad lap, though he might be OK with what he has.  Hadjar needs to improve from ninth and does not. A bit faster, but not a great deal.  Gasly not out of the bottom six. Russell does not improve but it doesn’t matter, really. He should be safely through. Liam Lawson, however, is not. Bortoleto makes it through.  3:34PM Q2 - Order after the first runs Link copied to clipboard ANT 1:45.142LEC +0.255NOR +0.312HAM +0.401VER +0.447LIN +0.487PIA +0.529RUS +0.547HAD +0.731BOR +0.940DROP ZONE: LAW, GAS, HUL, COL, SAI, BEA 3:33PM Q2 - Some competition for Antonelli? Link copied to clipboard Well, Leclerc into second 0.255sec off the Italian and Norris in third 0.3sec off.  Russell curently in eighth and needs to find some more time. He’s closer to being eliminated than he is to pole... another tricky weekend, or so it seems.  3:32PM Q2 - Antonelli posts a 1:45.142... Link copied to clipboard Antonelli goes purple in all three sectors 🟣🟣🟣 P1 with nine minutes to go 💪#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/u6YXUXfrdA — Formula 1 (@F1) July 18, 2026 Russell is more than half a second off that. What has Hadjar got? Third, 0.731sec off Antonelli. Verstappen is a long way off Verstappen, but moves ahead of Russell at least. Piastri in third knocks Russell down another place and Lindblad, into third, does the same. The Racing Bulls is looking handy this weekend. 3:30PM Q2 - Antonelli begins his flying lap Link copied to clipboard 30.194 in the first sector. Faster than the Alpines but that isn’t saying much. Russell is a couple of tenths off, though.  After two sectors Antonelli posts a 1:16.827sec.. Russell has a 1:17.050... so Antonelli a good margin up.  3:26PM 🟢Q2 begins Link copied to clipboard Again, a bit of a delay to the cars getting out on track.  3:24PM A fairly surprising order after Q1, then Link copied to clipboard Decent from Sainz to get into Q2 but that says everything about Williams’ season so far.  3:20PM 🏁Q1 ends - Norris fastest Link copied to clipboard Here is the top 10:  NOR 1:45.865VER +0.065HAD +0.197HAM +0.259RUS +0.320LIN +0.326LEC +0.413ANT +0.439PIA +0.568LAW +0.636OUT: ALB, OCO, BOT, PER, ALO, STR 3:18PM Q1 - Russell improves... Link copied to clipboard ...but not by a great deal. Fourth and 0.320sec off Norris’s best lap.  Ocon stays 18th so will be out but his team-mate Bearman should be fine in 13th. Leclerc gets ahead of Antonelli in sixth.  Piastri doesn’t post a very impressive time. Hamilton moves up from 10th to fourth with a much better lap. Gasly is safely through, as is Colapinto, which knocks out Alexander Albon. Another race where he is out-qualified by Carlos Sainz... 3:15PM Q1 - Four minutes remain Link copied to clipboard Out come the cars again. Some work to do for Ocon and Colapinto to get out. I don’t think the Aston Martins are getting out here and neither the Cadillacs, as has been the case for most of the season and probably the rest of it too.  3:12PM Q1 - Top 10 after the first runs Link copied to clipboard NOR 1:45.865VER +0.065HAD +0.197LIN +0.326ANT +0.439LEC +0.511RUS +0.555PIA +0.615LAW +0.636HAM +0.637Cars in the drop zone are: COL, OCO, PER, BOT, ALO, STR The Aston Martin of Stroll is almost as far off Bottas in 20th (2.5sec) as Bottas is off Norris in first (2.7sec). A chassis upgrade coming in Hungary next week, though.  3:09PM Q1 - Ferrari not hooked up on their first runs Link copied to clipboard Leclerc 0.446sec off Verstappen’s time, Hamilton worse than that: 0.572sec off and in seventh.  What does Hajdar have up his sleeve? A good lap to make it a Red Bull 1-2 so far.  Norris, who will take a 10-place grid penalty, goes fastest of all... interesting.  3:08PM Q1 - Hamilton out on track Link copied to clipboard Suspension at the rear, floor and rear wing all changed. Verstappen begins his first hot lap but his Red Bull does not bite at turn one.  It looks like a good lap from Verstappen. Indeed it is, a 1:45.930, which Antonelli cannot match. He’s 0.374sec behind, in fact. Lindblad splits then. Russell is nearly half a second off Verstappen’s time... 3:05PM Q1 - Here we go, then Link copied to clipboard A gaggle of cars come out to start their out laps. The two Cadillacs are running quite close to one another with Perez behind Bottas. He is getting a decent tow througout the lap, but how much is it affecting him in the corners? Perez is the faster of the two men and crosses the line with a 1:49.307, 0.7sec ahead of Bottas.  3:02PM Q1 - 16 mins remain Link copied to clipboard No cars out on track yet... it’s a long out lap (a long lap generally) and congestion should not be too much of a problem.  Ah, now we have cars. Stroll and two Cadillacs.  3:00PM 🟢GREEN LIGHT - Q1 begins! Link copied to clipboard 18 minutes, 22 drivers and six will be eliminated. 🟢 QUALIFYING GREEN LIGHT 🟢 Cars are on track for Q1! 🤩#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/Pt0kT6H8Ux — Formula 1 (@F1) July 18, 2026 2:57PM Will Hamilton’s car be ready at the start of Q1? Link copied to clipboard It looks like it, at the moment.  2:52PM Can anyone dislodge Antonelli from pole? Link copied to clipboard Well, he’s not there yet, but he looks to be the man to beat. Naomi Schiff on Sky Sports F1 believes Verstappen will be his closest challenger. Let’s see... 2:43PM Standout drivers of the year so far? Link copied to clipboard I think there are a few that warrant further mention. Kimi Antonelli, Pierre Gasly, Arvid Lindblad are all doing fine jobs. Lewis Hamilton, too, with his best season since 2021 in my book. So far, anyway.  2:27PM Speaking of which... Link copied to clipboard Here is the average qualifying position from all sprints and grands prix sessions.  2:25PM Qualifying head to heads Link copied to clipboard These do not tell the full story, obviously. If you are one place behind in every race but are only 0.05sec behind on average you will look a worse qualifier by this metric. Still, they are a fair indicator.  2:15PM Can Ferrari’s drivers challenge for the title? Link copied to clipboard Hamilton has half a chance if Ferrari’s strong development continues and Mercedes’ reliablity woes carry on, too. I think Leclerc is probably too far back at this point and with too many drivers ahead of him. Still, two wins in the last three rounds is decent, even if the race between was far from it.  Credit: Guido De Bortoli/LAT Images 2:08PM Current driver standings Link copied to clipboard Yes, Antonelli has been reeled in significantly in the most recent few rounds. However, Russell needs to find form and not just fortune in then next half of the season. Can he do that? Yes. Will he? That is for everyone to find out.  1:59PM FP3 times Link copied to clipboard 1:50PM Watch: Hamilton’s FP3 ends in the barriers Link copied to clipboard NOT how Lewis wanted to prepare for Qualifying! 💥 pic.twitter.com/stBjD5HVwk — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 18, 2026 1:48PM Good afternoon Link copied to clipboard Welcome to our live coverage for qualifying for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix from Spa-Francorchamps. The biggest news from final practice was the hefty crash that Lewis Hamilton had towards the end of the session. He ran wide into the gravel in the high-speed section towards the end of the lap and his rear caught the edge of the barrier that was sticking out. It rather ruined the rear end of his car, and there will be a frantic fight in his Ferrari garage to get the thing fixed in time to get him out in qualifying.  What else happened in FP3? Well, championship leader Kimi Antonelli was fastest, ahead of Lando Norris in the McLaren by a couple of tenths or so. Max Verstappen was third in an improved showing for Red Bull whilst George Russell was fourth in the second Mercedes, then it was Hamilton just behind and Leclerc, the winner at Silverstone a fortnight ago, another 0.3sec behind. Credit: Omar Havana/AP This is a track that Mercedes are expected to dominate, but then again that was the case at Silverstone and look what happened there. So far it looks like one of them perhaps has the edge, and it is not Russell. Still, four different manufacturers in the top five and within 0.4sec of one another bodes well for a competitive qualifying session.  They have mostly been that way in recent times, but Mercedes have managed to take every grand prix pole position so far this season.  That is probably enough evidence for them just having the edge when push comes to shove, whatever the final practice times (and Q1 and Q2 times) suggest.  There were not many surprises down the order with Williams, Cadillac and Aston Martin bringing up the rear. I would not expect much of a mixing up of that order on this track, but it doesn’t mean we will not see a couple of surprises in the next couple of hours.