Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli takes pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, beating Max Verstappen in a close qualifying session. Multiple outlets report that Antonelli sets the fastest lap on Saturday, securing his pole position in a tense final segment of qualifying. Verstappen finishes second, with his team-mate also mentioned as being involved in the circumstances around the closing minutes, though the accounts differ in wording.
BBC Sport and Yahoo Sports both add that Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell qualifies fourth. Other coverage highlights the margin between the front row contenders, with The Independent stating Verstappen is beaten by 0.317 seconds.
Additional reports note that Lando Norris faces a grid penalty and is expected to start further back, while The Independent also says Lewis Hamilton has difficulty mounting a serious challenge. The qualifying result places Antonelli on pole ahead of Verstappen, with Mercedes also placing Russell among the leading qualifiers.
