Kimi Antonelli Secures Pole for 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, 19, claimed pole position for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, beating Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds. Lando Norris qualified third but dropped to 13th due to a ten-place grid penalty for exceeding control electronics limits, promoting George Russell to third. Multiple drivers, including Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll, also received penalties, reshuffling the grid. Antonelli dedicated the pole to his father. The race is scheduled for Sunday.
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Antonelli Wins Belgian Grand Prix, Extends Formula 1 Championship Lead
Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old Italian Mercedes driver, won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, extending his Formula 1 World Championship lead to 49 points over Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli lost the lead at the start to Max Verstappen but quickly retook it and drove a flawless race. His Mercedes teammate George Russell retired early after a collision with Hamilton, angrily citing battery power loss. Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari, with Verstappen third. The race featured intense battles and was influenced by new energy management regulations, which Antonelli handled best. The victory is Antonelli's sixth of the season, solidifying his status as a championship favorite.
Antonelli Wins Belgian GP as Hamilton Hits Mechanic; Championship Lead Grows
Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old Mercedes driver, won the action-packed Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, extending his Formula 1 championship lead to 49 points over Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli lost the lead at the start to Max Verstappen but quickly retook it and drove a flawless race. His teammate George Russell retired early after contact with Hamilton, angrily citing battery problems. During Hamilton's pit stop, he accelerated prematurely and struck a mechanic, who hit his head on a tire but was reported okay. Hamilton received a five-second penalty for the earlier crash with Russell. Charles Leclerc finished second, Verstappen third. The race featured numerous overtakes and a brief safety car period due to light rain. Antonelli's sixth win of the season underscores his mastery of the new energy management regulations.
Kimi Antonelli Wins Belgian Grand Prix as George Russell's Title Hopes Dented by Hamilton Collision
Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, overcoming a Virtual Safety Car that cost him the lead to overtake Charles Leclerc for victory. His Mercedes teammate George Russell suffered a major blow to his title hopes after being spun into the gravel on the first lap in a collision with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, which stewards deemed Hamilton's fault. Hamilton received a five-second penalty and finished fourth, but is under post-race investigation for an unsafe pit release that knocked over a mechanic. Max Verstappen finished third. Antonelli now leads the championship by 45 points over Hamilton, with Russell 50 points behind. The next race is the Hungarian Grand Prix before F1's summer break.
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Mercedes' Day of Extremes: Antonelli Wins Belgian GP, Hamilton Crashes with Russell and Runs Over Ferrari Mechanic
The 2026 Belgian Grand Prix was a dramatic race for Mercedes. Kimi Antonelli secured a commanding victory, while teammate George Russell retired after a first-lap crash with Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton received a five-second penalty for the collision. During Hamilton's pit stop, a dangerous incident occurred when he accelerated too early and ran over a Ferrari mechanic, who hit his head on a tire but was reported okay. Charles Leclerc finished second after a virtual safety car pit stop, and Max Verstappen took third. The race featured multiple battles, including a strong recovery drive from Lando Norris, who started 13th and finished 7th. Antonelli's win was sealed with a decisive overtake on Leclerc on the Kemmel straight 15 laps from the end.
Belgian Grand Prix Live: Antonelli Leads from Pole, Russell Crashes Out
The 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps began with Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) starting from pole position, his sixth of the season. The race saw early drama as George Russell spun at Les Combes and was forced to retire after contact with teammate Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) briefly overtook Antonelli at the start but the Italian reclaimed the lead. Lando Norris (McLaren), the reigning champion, started 3rd but dropped 10 places due to a penalty for exceeding component limits. The race is being followed lap by lap, with a safety car deployed to recover Russell's car. Antonelli's pole lap was 1:44.361, ahead of Verstappen and Russell in qualifying.
Formula 1 Starting Grid Reshuffled Hours Before Belgian Grand Prix
Just before the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, the starting grid was significantly reshuffled due to multiple grid penalties. Williams driver Carlos Sainz received a ten-place penalty for installing a fourth Control Electronics Unit, dropping from 14th to 19th. Lando Norris also received a ten-place penalty for the same infraction, falling from 3rd to 13th. Other penalized drivers include Lance Stroll, Isack Hadjar, and Fernando Alonso. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) retains pole position ahead of Max Verstappen and George Russell. Nico Hülkenberg improved from 14th in qualifying to 12th due to penalties. The race is scheduled for 3 PM live on Sky, RTL, and BILD live ticker.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli qualifies on pole for F1's Belgian Grand Prix
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds. Verstappen had set the fastest time after a coordinated slipstream effort with teammate Isack Hadjar, but Antonelli found extra pace on his final lap. Antonelli dedicated the pole to his father Marco on his 61st birthday. Verstappen acknowledged that even with the tow, Red Bull cannot match Mercedes in race conditions. George Russell qualified third but will move up due to penalties on Lando Norris, though Russell continues to struggle to match Antonelli's pace. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth and sixth after a disappointing session following Leclerc's British Grand Prix win. The race is set for Sunday with Antonelli leading the championship charge.
How Antonelli found half a second to thwart Verstappen in Belgian GP qualifying
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured a stunning pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, outpacing Red Bull's Max Verstappen by half a second in qualifying. The article details how Antonelli managed to find the extra pace, likely through a combination of car setup, driving technique, and track conditions. This performance thwarted Verstappen's bid for pole, marking a significant achievement for the young Italian driver. The qualifying session also saw Lewis Hamilton crash at the end of final practice, adding to the drama of the weekend. Antonelli's pole position is a major talking point ahead of the race, as he aims to convert it into a victory.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli Takes Pole at Belgian GP Qualifying
Kimi Antonelli (19) of Mercedes dominated qualifying for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, setting the fastest time ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris. Despite finishing third, Norris will start 13th due to a ten-place grid penalty for exceeding the allowed number of control units. Antonelli's teammate George Russell qualified third, half a second slower. Nico Hülkenberg of Audi qualified 14th but starts 12th after penalties, hindered by a hydraulic issue. The starting grid includes multiple penalties affecting Norris, Lance Stroll, Isack Hadjar, and Fernando Alonso.
Antonelli beats Verstappen to Belgian GP pole
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, beating Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds in a tense qualifying session. Antonelli dominated practice, but Lando Norris initially took provisional pole in Q3 before being overtaken by Antonelli and Verstappen. Verstappen benefited from a slipstream from Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar, who starts at the back due to a power unit change. Norris will start 13th due to a 10-grid place penalty for exceeding his control electronics allowance, promoting George Russell to third on the grid. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth, with Hamilton recovering from a heavy crash in final practice. British rookie Arvid Lindblad qualified eighth in his impressive debut season. The race is scheduled for Sunday at 2pm live on Sky Sports F1.