Author of an impressive pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli will start ahead of Max Verstappen. But the Mercedes driver knows that everything could be decided in the first meters of the race.
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Kimi Antonelli continues his exceptional 2026 season. After dominating the free practice sessions, the Mercedes driver turned this speed into a new pole position at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
The championship leader set a time of 1’44″361, relegating Max Verstappen by more than three tenths of a second. This is the largest gap recorded in qualifying this season, further proof of the competitiveness shown by the young Italian throughout the Belgian weekend.
However, nothing was guaranteed. The Red Bull driver temporarily held the pole after his final attempt, before Antonelli completed an exceptional last lap to reclaim first place at the decisive moment.
A qualification far from simple
Although the final result seems impressive, Antonelli assures that the session was more complicated than it appears. The constant evolution of the track forced Mercedes to progressively adjust the car’s settings to fully exploit its potential.
Throughout the different phases of qualifying, the German team found the right solutions, allowing their driver to regularly improve his performance until his final attempt.
The intermediate sector notably made the difference. It was in this part of the circuit that the championship leader made the biggest time gain, building the decisive gap that allowed him to secure a new pole position.
Verstappen represents the main threat
Despite this demonstration of speed, Antonelli refuses to consider victory assured. With Max Verstappen alongside him on the front row, the start promises to be crucial.
The Mercedes driver knows perfectly well that the four-time world champion excels in the first corners and will not miss any opportunity to take the lead of the race.
That is why Antonelli believes the first few hundred meters will probably be the most important moment of the Grand Prix.
“It’s great to be on pole. The session was not easy, as the track conditions changed a lot. We managed to improve lap after lap and go for the pole, which is very satisfying” explained the Italian.
However, he quickly reminded that the hardest part was yet to come: “Tomorrow will be another day. Max is starting next to me and it will be very important to get a good start to be ahead of him by the fifth corner.”
A great opportunity in the championship
This new pole puts Antonelli in an ideal position to increase his lead in the world championship. The 19-year-old driver has the most competitive car of the weekend and seems perfectly comfortable on the Ardennes track.
His last qualifying lap also gave him confidence.
“My last lap was very good. I especially improved in the second sector. There were still a few small details to improve, but I am very satisfied with the result” he concluded.
Now the challenge is to convert this pole position into a victory. Facing a Max Verstappen known for his aggressiveness at the start and his ability to seize any opportunity, Antonelli knows the battle could begin as soon as the lights go out. If the Mercedes driver manages to keep the advantage in the first corners, he will then have an excellent chance to make another strong move in the title race.
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