The Albany Gazette - Antonelli wants to lead Verstappen from start in Belgium

Without a win in three outings since Monaco in early June, the 19-year-old Italian has seen a 68-point lead in the drivers' title race ahead of team-mate George Russell trimmed to 25.

The Italian wanted pole to set him up for a chance to secure another victory in a race he said will be hard on tyres. He outpaced Red Bull's Max Verstappen by three-tenths of a second.

"I need a good start and then to try and have good pace –- and degradation is going to be very big here so we have to try our best to maximise our performance," he said.

"I have Max next to me at the start and it's important I am in front on the first lap.

"I think it is going to be fun tomorrow!"

Red Bull's four-time champion Verstappen admitted his success was down to being given a 'tow' by team-mate Isack Hadjar who has a grid penalty and starts from the back of the grid on Sunday.

"I wouldn't be here without him," the Dutchman said. "I'd be like P6 or something.

"I'll be looking in my mirrors for the people around me tomorrow!

"This is a really good result today. The car has been decent all weekend, if not on the level of Kimi, but I'm happy with the front row.

"It's always tough around here with the tyres in the long run, but I will just do my best and see if we can hang in there -- or not!"

- 'Put on a show' -

World champion Lando Norris of McLaren, who faces a 10-place grid penalty, was third in qualifying.

"It's nice to be standing here, but it's not nice knowing I have to go 10 places back tomorrow," he said.

"It is unfortunate that it is not where we will be starting tomorrow because it would be nice to have a little fight with these guys but we made the most of it.

"It was a very good qualifying and a very good lap for me. Honestly, I've been pretty happy all weekend.

"It's a little bit of a home race for me so that's a little boost here."

Like Dutchman Verstappen, who was born in Belgium, Norris has a Belgian mother.

"The car is performing well," he added. "I think we will see there are plenty of opportunities and hopefully we can put on a bit of a show for everyone."

George Russell was fourth in the second Mercedes ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who crashed earlier in the day. Oscar Piastri was seventh in the second McLaren.

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad was eighth ahead of Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and Hadjar.

(C.Young--TAG)