Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix, comfortably beating Max Verstappen of Red Bull into second place at Spa-Francorchamps in an intimidating margin of more than three-tenths, the largest advantage for pole of the season.Lando Norris was in third place but McLaren’s defending world champion has a 10-place grid penalty after he used his fourth battery unit of the season, one more than allowed under the regulations. He will start from 12th on the grid.Antonelli’s teammate and title rival George Russell – who trails him by 25 points in the world championship – could manage only fourth, a full half a second back, leaving the British driver serious work to do on Sunday if he is to stay with the Italian in the title fight.Lewis Hamilton had crashed out in final practice, too quick into Les Fagnes, where he hit the barriers taking significant damage, but Ferrari were able to make repairs in time for qualifying and he finished in sixth, behind his teammate Charles Leclerc in fifth.Mercedes demonstrated once more that they are all but untouchable over the single lap this season, despite the swathe of upgrades every team has now employed, and remain unbeaten this season in qualifying despite Ferrari and Red Bull’s early pace.Quick GuideF1 Belgian GP qualifying timesShow1 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:44.3612 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:44.6783 Lando Norris McLaren 1:44.8014 George Russell Mercedes 1:44.8695 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:44.8936 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:44.897 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:45.0168 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls 1:45.1439 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi 1:45.62810 Isack Hadjar Red Bull no timeEliminated in Q211 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 1:46.120 12 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:46.331 13 Franco Colapinto Alpine 1:46.392 14 Nico Hülkenberg Audi 1:46.671 15 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:46.777 16 Oliver Bearman Haas 1:46.779Eliminated in Q1 17 Alexander Albon Williams 1:47.120 18 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:47.8-1 19 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac 1:47.823 20 Sergio Pérez Cadillac 1:47.971 21 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:50.002 22 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:50.177Antonelli, who has suffered poor luck of late, with a battery failure in Spain and a broken wheel-shield at Silverstone, had wanted to reassert himself and did so with assurance. It is his sixth pole from 10 meetings this season and the Italian has taken five wins.Isack Hadjar finished in 10th place for Red Bull but in taking a series of new engine components he has incurred a 30-place penalty and will start from the back of the grid.Kimi Antonelli stormed to pole with the largest advantage of the season. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty ImagesOpening the final runs in Q3 Hadjar, given his grid penalty, went out in front of Verstappen to give the Dutchman a tow in the final sector and it paid off as the four-time world champion set the pace with 1min 44.984sec lap.However, in his wake Antonelli and Russell were already quicker in the first sector. Russell could not maintain the pace but Antonelli did go faster, only for Norris to grab the top spot with a fine lap of 1:44.801 to go four-hundredths up on the Mercedes.Norris had the edge then even as knew he could not claim pole as they entered the final laps. Hadjar once more went out in front of Verstappen, followed by the two Mercedes, with Norris at the back of the pack. Verstappen picked up a tow from his Red Bull teammate and made time in the second sector before he took the slipstream from Hadjar through Blanchimont, enough to go quickest, only to be immediately eclipsed by Antonelli on an absolute charge and notably without a tow.Norris followed them home but went slightly wide and could not improve and aborted his last lap, ensuring Antonelli had pole with a time of 1:44.361, more than three 10ths up on Verstappen.