The Belgian Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying session at Spa-Francorchamps brought unexpected disappointment for Mercedes, as both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli failed to progress to the final phase. Russell later revealed that damage sustained after running over gravel—dispersed when teammate Antonelli spun off—may have compromised his car's performance and ultimately caused his early exit.

Mercedes' Double Blow in Sprint Qualifying

Mercedes entered the weekend with high expectations, but their hopes were dented early. Kimi Antonelli's dramatic spin at Stavelot in SQ1 sent gravel flying across the circuit. While Antonelli recovered, he exited the session in last place. Russell, who followed closely behind, reported that his car felt “terrible” for the remainder of the session after driving over the scattered stones.

• Russell: Eliminated in SQ2, finishing 13th fastest
• Antonelli: Out in SQ1 after a spin, ending up last

Russell commented, “In Q1, I ran over all of that gravel when Kimi went off. For the rest of that lap, it felt terrible, and the next lap, it felt terrible. Then my lap in SQ2 felt terrible. We saw some damage on the car. We need to see if that's the reason, because obviously, it's a big shock to be out in SQ2, and the gap was so big. I’m sure there’s a reason for it.”

Antonelli Remains Optimistic Despite Setback

Despite his early exit, Antonelli expressed confidence in Mercedes’ underlying pace, stating, “The car felt good over the lap, so I'm definitely confident for tomorrow, and we'll just try to reset and look forward to tomorrow.” He described his off as unexpected: “I was around P4, and it just was weird because I lost it completely on exit and I just need to check. Maybe it was a gust of wind, but it was quite weird, the way I lost the car.”

Weather Could Shake Up Belgian Grand Prix

The forecast points to potential wet conditions for Sunday’s race, opening the door for unexpected results. Antonelli noted, “It's going to be important tomorrow to do a good quali, and then Sunday might be wet, so a lot of opportunities, but we'll focus on tomorrow [for now].”

What’s Next for Mercedes?

Russell and Antonelli’s struggles in Sprint Qualifying do not necessarily reflect Mercedes’ race pace. Both drivers remain positive about their prospects for the main event, especially with unpredictable weather in the mix. The team will investigate the extent of the damage to Russell’s car in hopes of a stronger showing in the Grand Prix.