Max Verstappen joins Kimi Antonelli on front row at 2026 Belgian GP

Max Verstappen will line up alongside Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli on the front row for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.

What happened in Belgium?

Qualifying for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix delivered a stunning upset on Saturday. Kimi Antonelli, 19, secured his sixth pole of the season with a blistering lap around Spa-Francorchamps. Verstappen, the three-time world champion, followed him to the front row in his Red Bull.

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton filled the second row in Ferraris. Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Oliver Bearman and Fernando Alonso all dropped to the back half of the grid after poor runs.

Why this matters for Max Verstappen

Verstappen’s second-place start keeps him in the hunt for a fourth straight title. The Dutchman has won three of the last four Belgian GPs and arrives in Belgium with a 20-point cushion over Antonelli.

Red Bull’s pace in the wet-dry session split the field. While Antonelli’s Mercedes topped the times, Verstappen’s Red Bull looked strong in the mixed conditions. Isack Hadjar, the Red Bull junior, lined up sixth.

What comes next?

Sunday’s race starts at 15:00 local time on 27 July. Verstappen will need clean air to attack Antonelli’s lead. Russell and Hamilton will try to split the Mercedes-Red Bull duopoly from third.

Norris, Sainz and Alonso all start 11th or worse after late scrapes in the gravel. Their recovery races could shake up the podium fight in a track where overtaking is notoriously tough.