Max Verstappen took second in qualifying for the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps thanks to the tow strategy Red Bull ran with Isack Hadjar. Hadjar, who starts from the back after a power-unit component change, sacrificed his Q3 flying lap to give Verstappen a tow on the final run, helping him to second, three tenths off Kimi Antonelli's (Mercedes) pole.
Without the tow, Verstappen estimated he would have qualified sixth. Hadjar called the call "the right thing to do". Verstappen starts on the front row, Antonelli on pole.
Sources
- [Formula1.com — Verstappen and Hadjar reflect on Red Bull tow strategy](https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/the-right-thing-to-do-verstappen-and-hadjar-reflect-on-red-bulls-tow-strategy-in-belgium-qualifying.4CDf9v6Hu9T8KsRzhJyFgV)
- [AP News — Antonelli beats Red Bull team effort for Belgian GP pole](https://apnews.com/article/f1-belgian-qualifying-53ba944bd19a3bf74fed94862f2879e0)
