Max Verstappen will be heading into the 2026 F1 Belgian GP from the front row after Qualifying saw the Dutchman, aided by his teammate Isack Hadjar, secure P2.
After struggling last time out in Silverstone, Red Bull looked more competitive throughout the Belgian GP practice sessions. With Isack Hadjar facing a grid drop for exceeding the regulatory limit on engine parts, Red Bull opted to play the team game in Qualifying, as Hadjar lent a tow to Verstappen in Q3. Unfortunately, the tow was not enough to claim pole position with Max Verstappen slotting in three tenths behind pole-sitter and Championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Verstappen on extracting the maximum in Belgian GP Qualifying
In the press conference following Qualifying for the Belgian GP, Verstappen lamented the lack of speed on the straights. Overall, the four-time Champion said that the car was “quite decent” across the weekend.
“I mean, I think overall the whole weekend, the balance of the car has been quite decent. I think we’re just a bit slow in the straight. But the car has been in the window, just trying to fine-tune a little bit.”
Fine-tuning the setup helped Verstappen to extract more from the car and enabled him to improve lap by lap until there was nothing left to extract from the package.
“It was the same in qualifying. It’s just at one point you’re a bit stuck in terms of how much more lap time you can extract out of it, to be honest, because every lap that I did was a little bit faster. But yeah, at one point, I mean, flat is flat.
“So there’s no more time to gain in corners. So that’s something maybe we have to review. Maybe we’re too easy flat. I don’t know. But the car was good. “
Verstappen on receiving a tow from Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar
Receiving a tow from Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar has helped the Dutchman secure a front row in Qualifying for the 2026 F1 Belgian GP, with Verstappen noting that without the aid from his teammate, he could have easily placed further down the grid.
“Then, of course, Isack in Q3 helped me a lot with the tow in the final sector.
“That’s why, of course, I’m sitting, I think, here. Otherwise, it could have easily been P6 because the gaps behind was so close. So yeah, thank you to him for that.
“So, I think as a team, we did everything we could.”
For those watching Qualifying, the Red Bull drivers appeared quite close, leading to speculation on whether Verstappen had to back off as a result. The 28-year-old admitted that even he thought it was “too close”, but ultimately it “worked out” and that he “trusted” Hadjar.
“I was flat out. I would have just pushed him.
“But he did amazing. I initially thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s too close.’ But then, actually, it worked out well to the last corner.
“It was close, but I trusted him.”
Verstappen expects to battle cars behing in 2026 F1 Belgian GP
With the Mercedes all around being the superior car and Antonelli securing pole by over three tenths, Verstappen doesn’t believe he can pose a challenge during tomorrow’s Belgian GP. Instead of a fight for the lead, the Red Bull driver is expecting a battle with the cars behind him.
“The difficulty in the start, I guess, as well. Plus, honestly, I just want to do my own race. I mean, the gap even in qualifying with a massive tow is still over three tenths.
“So I don’t really expect to race them tomorrow. I think it’s more for me looking in the mirrors and fighting them or trying to even fight them. But mainly just trying to do my own race and see where we end up.”
