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Antonelli on Pole as Verstappen Faces 30-Place Drop

7/18/2026

39 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Antonelli Takes Pole

Kimi Antonelli took pole 1:44.361 lap, ahead of Max Verstappen, who qualified second after a tow from teammate Isack Hadjar and will start from the back with a 30-place penalty.
Lando Norris was third fastest but will start 13th after a 10-place grid penalty, with George Russell qualifying third on lap half a second slower than Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc qualified fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth after Hamilton’s FP3 crash repair.

Summary

Gasly Crash

Red-flag interruptions halted practice, first for gravel and then after Pierre Gasly crashed at Stavelot, tearing his Alpine’s rear wing.
Ferrari was fined €10,000 for returning used tyres electronically but not physically before the second practice.
Lewis Hamilton hit the barrier at the Fagnes chicane, damaging the right-rear of his SF-26.
Isack Hadjar’s Red Bull lost power on the pit-lane exit, prompting marshals to return the car to the garage.

History

Historical Context

In 2014 the FIA introduced a ten-place grid-penalty for any power-unit component beyond the five-engine, five-component quota, reshaping team strategies. The rule first dropped Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to tenth at Spa, and its legacy now sees Max Verstappen face a 30-place penalty and Lando Norris a ten-place drop. Teams such as Ferrari and Alpine manage parts closely to avoid further grid losses.

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Antonelli Takes Pole

Kimi Antonelli took pole 1:44.361 lap, ahead of Max Verstappen, who qualified second after a tow from teammate Isack Hadjar and will start from the back with a 30-place penalty.
Lando Norris was third fastest but will start 13th after a 10-place grid penalty, with George Russell qualifying third on lap half a second slower than Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc qualified fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth after Hamilton’s FP3 crash repair.

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