Antonelli takes Belgian GP pole as Hamilton overcomes crash repair

Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix with a lap of 1m44.523s, beating Max Verstappen by 0.317 seconds. The Mercedes driver capitalised on strong sector times, while Verstappen benefited from a tow from teammate Isack Hadjar but could not match Antonelli's pace through the middle sector.

Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth after a heavy crash in final practice damaged the right-rear of his Ferrari. The team repaired the car in two and a half hours, but Hamilton said the rear suspension did not feel the same, affecting balance. He finished just two thousandths of a second behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who lost time when he aborted his final lap after seeing a yellow flag that was actually for a car in the pit entry. Leclerc will start fourth on the grid, with Hamilton fifth, after Lando Norris's engine penalty.

George Russell took fourth in qualifying but will start third due to Norris's penalty. He reported losing up to eight tenths on the straights, a problem Mercedes has yet to solve. Team principal Toto Wolff praised Antonelli's recovery from early tyre overheating but warned that leading into Eau Rouge on the first lap could be difficult.