Belgian Grand Prix 2026 F1 Quali: Antonelli Grabs Pole At Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps

It took two of Kimi Antonelli’s rivals working together to put the Formula 1 standings leader to the test. It still wasn’t enough. The 19-year-old Italian beat a display of Red Bull formation flying to take pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix in qualifying on Saturday and boost his push to be the youngest-ever champion. Max Verstappen had set the fastest time after smart coordination with Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar to give him the strongest possible slipstream on his lap. Hadjar stayed in front through the high-speed Blanchimont corners, only moving across at the very last moment to avoid being hit by his own teammate. Mercedes driver Antonelli found a new level of pace on his lap to beat Verstappen by 0.317 of a second and dedicated the pole position as a birthday present to his father Marco, a sportscar racer who turned 62 on Saturday.

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Andrea Kimi Antonelli Formula One Racing
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after clocking the fastest time during the qualifying session ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert
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Belgian Grand Prix 2026 F1 Qualifying
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy, center, stands on the podium with second place Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, left, and third place McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain after clocking the fastest time during the qualifying session ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: AP/Omar Havana
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Belgian Grand Prix 2026 F1 Qualifying
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy, left, stands on the podium with second place Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, right, and third place McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain after clocking the fastest time during the qualifying session ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert
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Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates after clocking the fastest time during qualification ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: AP/Omar Havana
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Formula One racing Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy steers his car during qualification ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert
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Lando Norris Belgian Grand Prix 2026 F1 Qualifying
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain gets out of his car after clocking the third fastest time during qualification ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: AP/Omar Havana
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Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy gives the thumbs up after clocking the fastest time during the qualifying session ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert
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McLaren driver Lando Norris
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain gets out of his car after qualification ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert
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Belgian Grand Prix 2026 F1 Qualifying
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during qualification ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium. | Photo: Sarah Meyssonnier, Pool Photo via AP
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Belgian Grand Prix 2026 F1 Qualifying
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during qualification ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium,. | Photo: AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert
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