During the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, 19-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli continued to impress by clinching his sixth victory of the season. The race was both dramatic and intense, and Antonelli's performance widened his lead in the championship to 50 points over his teammate George Russell. Russell's prospects for the title took a hit after a collision with Lewis Hamilton in the opening lap.
Antonelli began the race from pole position, but the path to victory was not as straightforward as expected. On the first lap, Max Verstappen briefly overtook him at Eau Rouge before Antonelli regained control by outpacing the Red Bull driver on the long Kemmel Straight. Over the next 10 laps, the battle for the lead remained fierce, with Verstappen and Charles Leclerc also challenging for supremacy.
Early disaster for Russell
George Russell's race came to an abrupt end early on. In the opening laps, he collided with Hamilton at the fifth corner, causing him to spin into the gravel. After an investigation, the stewards concluded that Russell was at fault for failing to properly assess Hamilton's trajectory. This incident not only ended Russell's race but also significantly impacted Hamilton's title bid.
Hamilton was given a five-second penalty for the incident, which he served during his sole pit stop. Despite this setback, Hamilton managed to climb through the field, overtaking Oscar Piastri of McLaren in the final stages with only four laps to go. The race outcome for Hamilton was also affected by a post-race probe into Ferrari's pit stop procedures.
Ferrari and Verstappen benefit from the chaos
Charles Leclerc took full advantage of the early incident, passing both Verstappen and Antonelli. Leclerc maintained second place until the end, delivering a strong performance that improved his standing in the championship. Verstappen, starting from second on the grid, ultimately finished third after struggling with tire wear on the hard compound in the later stages of the race.
Leclerc's second-place finish moved him ahead of Verstappen in the standings. This result marked the 300th podium for Red Bull in Formula 1 history, though Verstappen was nine seconds behind Leclerc at the finish line. Verstappen now sits third in the championship.
Antonelli's ability tested in close competition
Antonelli was expected to dominate the race due to his pole position, but the reality was far more competitive. Both Verstappen and Leclerc came very close to overtaking him at different points, and Ferrari's strategic advantage during the Virtual Safety Car added pressure. Antonelli, however, managed to maintain his lead and finished 14 seconds ahead of Leclerc. This win strengthened his position as the title favorite.
The sixth win of the season for Antonelli helped solidify his lead in the championship. With just one race remaining before Formula 1's summer break, his position at the top of the standings is stronger than ever. Meanwhile, George Russell now trails Antonelli by 50 points and is 35 points behind Hamilton.
In other notable results, Isack Hadjar delivered a standout performance, driving from the back of the grid to finish sixth for Red Bull. Lando Norris narrowly beat Hadjar to fifth position despite starting 13th. Norris managed with just one pit stop, while Hadjar made two, using the VSC period to complete the mandatory tire requirements.
Other drivers in the top 10 included Gabriel Bortoleto, who finished eighth for Audi, Arvid Lindblad from Racing Bulls, and Franco Colapinto of Alpine. Bortoleto showcased strong pace, while Lindblad and Colapinto added to the competitive field in a challenging race at Spa-Francorchamps.
The race also brought scrutiny for Ferrari after a pit stop incident. Hamilton was incorrectly signaled to leave the pit box, resulting in a mechanic being hit by the front-right tire and briefly falling to his knees. Though the mechanic was unharmed, Ferrari was fined €30,000, with a third of the penalty suspended for 12 months.
Mercedes' unreliability continued to affect their title hopes, as both Hamilton and Russell faced setbacks in the previous three races. However, Hamilton's fourth-place finish on Sunday allowed him to regain second position in the standings, trailing Antonelli by 45 points. The final race before the summer break, in Hungary, will be crucial for both teams as they aim to close the gap.