Kimi Antonelli Aims for 6th Win at Belgian Grand Prix

Published: Jul 19, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

Imagine race cars like super-fast toy cars, but real and driven by people. Here’s what happened in the world of Formula 1 (F1) racing before the Belgian Grand Prix!

What Is Happening?

Kimi Antonelli, a young race car driver from Italy, is trying to win his sixth career race at the Belgian Grand Prix. You can follow live updates on ESPN.

In the practice time trial (called "qualifying"), Antonelli got the best starting spot (called "pole position"). He finished 0.317 seconds faster than Max Verstappen, who drives for a team called Red Bull.

Help From Friends on the Track

Max Verstappen said he got help from his teammate Isack Hadjar:

• In the final part of qualifying (called Q3), Hadjar gave Verstappen a "tow."
• A tow is like when a friend rides in front of you on a bike and blocks the wind so you go faster.
• Verstappen said: "Isack in Q3 helped me a lot with the tow in the final sector. That’s why I’m sitting here in second place. Otherwise, it could have easily been P6."

Important Point: Without the tow from his teammate, Verstappen might have started in 6th place instead of 2nd because the other drivers were super close in speed!

Where Everyone Will Start

Here is the starting order after the time trials (before penalties):

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – Pole position
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 0.317s behind
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 0.440s behind
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)

Penalties Shuffle the Lineup

Sometimes teams break rules andget a punishment (called a "penalty").

• Lando Norris got a 10-place grid penalty because his team put in a new battery (his 4th this year). That means he moves 10 spots back.
• Because of this, George Russell moves up to 3rd place.
• Charles Leclerc (who won the last race in Britain) will start 4th, and Lewis Hamilton starts behind him.

Why Was Russell Slower?

George Russell said he wasn’t slower because of how he drives. It was because his car used its power differently than Antonelli’s.

• He said: "We thought it was in the driving style… but we’ve finally concluded it’s not."
• The difference was in power deployment — think of it like one toy car using its batteries better than the other.

Related ESPN Stories

• Kimi Antonelli storms to pole position at Belgian Grand Prix
• George Russell says gap to Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli down to power deployment, not driving style

Summary

Kimi Antonelli grabbed the best starting spot for the Belgian GP and is going for win #6. Verstappen was super close behind thanks to a teammate "tow." Norris got a penalty and dropped back, pushing Russell to 3rd. Russell says his speed gap to Antonelli is about car power, not driving style. Leclerc and Hamilton follow for Ferrari.

FAQ

Q: What does "pole position" mean?
A: It means you were the fastest in qualifying and get to start the race in the very front.

Q: What is a "tow" in racing?
A: When one car drives ahead of another to block the wind, helping the car behind go faster.

Q: Why did Lando Norris move back 10 spots?
A: His team put in a new car battery (his 4th of the year), which is against the rules, so he got a penalty.

Q: Is George Russell slower because he drives differently?
A: No! He and his team figured out it’s because the cars use their power in different ways.