Kimi Antonelli secured pole position in a thrilling qualifying session for the Belgian GP. He will be joined on the front row on Sunday afternoon by Max Verstappen. Thanks in part to a slipstream from Isack Hadjar, Verstappen managed to stay ahead of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Read more VT3 GP Belgium: Kimi Antonelli leads competitive front group, Max Verstappen P3
Read here how the qualifying unfolded.
Q1: Hamilton ‘just’ participates
When Q1 starts, Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari is found to be repaired in time. The Brit crashed hard at the end of the third free practice, and as a result, his mechanics had to work hard to get the car ready to start. Among the top drivers, Verstappen is the first to set a fast time; he is quicker than Antonelli and Russell. Norris soon follows with an improvement, although Isack Hadjar is also performing well. They are two of the four drivers (Alonso and Stroll are the others) with a grid penalty for replacing parts.
As expected, the Aston Martin duo crashes out in Q1: Stroll and Alonso start last and second to last. Ahead of them are the Cadillacs of Bottas and Pérez, while Ocon (18th) and Albon (17th) also do not survive the first cut. Notably, Antonelli only ranks eighth.
Q2: Antonelli and Ferrari show up at the front
Antonelli quickly shows in Q2 where the real standings lie: the Italian drives 1.2 seconds faster than in Q1 and takes the lead. Verstappen follows by four tenths, Leclerc and Norris then pass the Dutchman. Hamilton follows as well. In short: Ferrari now also shows up at the front. Except for Leclerc, the top 5 then stays in for the second run. The real tension is in the battle in the midfield.
Read more Result third free practice (FP3) GP Belgium
Besides the eight drivers from the top teams, it is ultimately Arvid Linblad (Racing Bulls) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) who join the top ten. They may proceed to Q3. This does not apply to Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hülkenberg, Carlos Sainz, and Oliver Bearman, respectively.
Q3: Pole for Antonelli
Red Bull knows that Isack Hadjar will start at the back due to a grid penalty, so the team can ‘sacrifice’ him in Q3 to give Verstappen a slipstream in the hunt for pole position. This happens; the Frenchman gives him a so-called tow in sector 3. It results in a fast time, but Antonelli goes under it. It can be even faster, as it turns out: after the first run, Norris leads, followed by Leclerc and then Antonelli.
In the second and decisive run, Verstappen is fast again, partly thanks to another slipstream from Hadjar. The pair are very close, and the Dutchman is then faster than in the first run. Antonelli goes under it again and is three tenths quicker. Norris and Leclerc do not make it; the Brit finishes third, Russell ultimately fourth, and Leclerc fifth. Hamilton ends sixth.
Read more Red Bull solved problems with the ‘Macarena’ wing, aims for comeback during Hungarian GP
Read everything about the Belgian GP here
