Winners and losers from F1 qualifying at Belgian GP

Key Points:

• Kimi Antonelli secured pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix despite some early struggles, demonstrating superior cornering speed and benefiting from a strategic tow by Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar, making him the favorite for Sunday's race.
• George Russell struggled with straight-line speed deficits and cornering grip throughout qualifying, finishing fourth and expressing frustration over an unresolved power unit or setup issue that the Mercedes team is actively investigating.
• Red Bull effectively used Isack Hadjar to tow Max Verstappen in Q3, improving Verstappen's qualifying position to second, showcasing strong team strategy despite the car not yet being a clear race-winning contender.
• Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon both had disappointing qualifying sessions, with Hulkenberg hindered by technical issues and Ocon suffering from inconsistent car parts and rear downforce loss, resulting in 14th and 18th place starts respectively.
• Ferrari and Aston Martin underperformed relative to expectations, with Ferrari qualifying fifth and sixth but half a second off the pace, and Aston Martin languishing at the back of the grid over two seconds behind rivals, highlighting ongoing performance challenges for both teams.