Kimi Antonelli claimed his sixth victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, holding off Charles Leclerc's Ferrari by 1.9 seconds at Spa-Francorchamps to extend his championship lead.
The Mercedes driver started from pole position but was immediately passed by Max Verstappen through Eau Rouge on the opening lap. Antonelli responded swiftly, reclaiming the lead within a handful of corners and never looking back.
"It was an incredible race," Antonelli said. "The start was tricky — Max had a great run through Eau Rouge — but the car was fantastic today and I could manage the pace when it mattered most."
Verstappen ultimately settled for third, taking his third podium of the season behind Leclerc, who pushed Antonelli hard in the closing stages despite being unable to mount a serious overtaking attempt.
The race was overshadowed by a dramatic opening-lap collision involving Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Hamilton made contact with his compatriot at the exit of Les Combes, sending Russell spinning into the gravel trap and ending his race on the spot. Hamilton was handed a five-second time penalty for the incident and finished fourth on the road, ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri.
Isack Hadjar produced the drive of the day, charging from the back of the grid to sixth place in the RB, while Lando Norris recovered from a P13 starting position — the result of a grid penalty for a new power unit — to seventh. Gabriel Bortoleto scored points for Audi in eighth, with Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto completing the top ten.
At the other end of the field, Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez both retired with mechanical failures, joining the damaged Mercedes of Russell on the sidelines.
The win extends Antonelli's lead in the drivers' championship as Formula 1 heads to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix next weekend.
Sources
- https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/antonelli-beats-leclerc-to-belgian-grand-prix-win-to-extend-title-lead-as-russell-retires.MAqSJSgXvRP6dLbwiRbWI
