Spa-Francorchamps: Antonelli expects ‘not straightforward’ challenge from Verstappen

By Bilal Ahmed

By Bilal Ahmed — 19 July 2026 — 3 min read

Kimi Antonelli, the current leader in the Mercedes world championship, has secured pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. This marks his sixth pole position in 10 races during 2026. Despite this achievement, Antonelli anticipates a challenging race start, particularly with Max Verstappen alongside him on the front row.

Antonelli’s qualifying performance on Saturday saw him outpace Red Bull’s Verstappen by three-tenths of a second. His advantage over his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, was a full half a second, with Russell moving to third after Lando Norris’s engine penalty. Antonelli, who was also the fastest in the final two practice sessions, is considered a favourite to win the 44-lap Grand Prix and potentially extend his 25-point title lead. However, he acknowledges the difficulties of navigating the race start at a circuit where the pole position holder has not won in the last four years.

Navigating the Race Start

The layout of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit presents a unique challenge for pole-sitters. While the distance from the front row to the first corner, La Source, is short, the subsequent 1.25-mile uphill run to Turn Five, Les Combes, often leaves the leading driver vulnerable. This long, flat-out section allows trailing cars to use the slipstream down the Kemmel Straight, creating opportunities for overtakes into the Les Combes chicane. In fact, the race lead has changed hands early in the last three years at this point of the circuit.

Oscar Piastri secured a victory last season after passing his McLaren teammate Norris on the first racing lap. In 2024, Charles Leclerc, who started on pole, was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton on lap three. Similarly, in 2023, Sergio Perez passed poleman Leclerc on the first lap. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff noted the difficulty of holding pole position through Eau Rouge for the first time, suggesting that Antonelli will face pressure from behind.

Verstappen’s Perspective and Antonelli’s Pace

Verstappen, who starts on the front row for the third time this season, admitted that his second-place qualifying position was aided by a tow from his teammate Isack Hadjar. Without this assistance, Verstappen believes he would have qualified lower. He does not expect to challenge Antonelli for the victory, stating that Antonelli would likely pass him on the straights even if he were to take the lead early on. Verstappen anticipates his race will involve defending his position from rivals like Russell and the Ferraris of Leclerc and Hamilton, who are directly behind him.

Despite the potential challenges at the start, Antonelli’s speed throughout the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps has been notable. He expressed optimism about his pace, particularly after strong performances in practice sessions. Antonelli acknowledged the significant tyre degradation at the track, especially on the left-hand side, but remains confident in his ability to maintain a good pace and extend his lead. The 19-year-old Italian has gone three races without a victory since a run of five consecutive wins between March and early June, a period affected by Mercedes’ reliability issues that reduced his championship lead.

The Belgian Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, with the race starting at 2pm.

Source: skysports.com