Belgian Grand Prix 2026 – Saturday

Kimi Antonelli secured the pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, with his teammate George Russell starting from third place. After a difficult Friday, the team focused on fine-tuning the car for a quick lap on Saturday. Both drivers improved compared to the first day, with Kimi finishing the session as the fastest and George in fourth place. However, the higher track temperatures caused balance issues at the start of qualifying, which improved as the session progressed and the track temperature decreased. Kimi achieved the pole position with a time of 1:44.361, just three tenths of a second ahead of Max Verstappen. Lando Norris was third fastest, but due to a penalty, George will start from the second row. Kimi expressed his satisfaction with the pole position, particularly on a track where he struggled last year. He credited the team’s hard work overnight to improve the car and is confident in their overall package. George, on the other hand, was pleased with his last lap in Q3 but acknowledged that he has been struggling with his pace in recent races. The team is working to find a solution, and George is focusing on his driving style to see if it can be improved. Team principal Toto Wolff noted that the team had difficulty managing the tires at the start of Q3 but was able to find a better window later on. He also mentioned that George has been losing time, particularly on the straight before the last chicane, and the team is investigating the cause. Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director, congratulated the team on another pole position and third place, which gives them a great starting position for a good result on Sunday.