Kimi Antonelli strengthened his grip on the Formula 1 World Championship with victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, fending off Charles Leclerc to secure his sixth win of the season. Leclerc crossed the line second for Ferrari, while Max Verstappen completed the podium in third for Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth on the road, although his result remained under post-race investigation for an alleged unsafe release at the time of writing.
“It’s great to be back on the top step after obviously a few difficult rounds,” Antonelli said after the race. “It was a hard-fought race. We lost first place with a VSC but then we managed to make our way back. It was a tough win because Charles was quick and we had to hold onto them.”
Antonelli made an excellent getaway from pole, briefly losing the lead to Verstappen on the Kemmel Straight before immediately reclaiming it. Behind them, Leclerc also found a way past the Red Bull to slot into second as the opening lap unfolded at a frantic pace.
The race’s defining early incident came moments later when George Russell and Hamilton made contact at the end of the Kemmel Straight. Attempting to pass around the outside into the chicane, Russell was tagged after Hamilton struggled with front-end grip while following another car, sending the Mercedes driver spinning into the gravel and out of the race.
“I just got totally swallowed up down the straight,” Russell said afterwards. “I lost three positions down the straight down into Turn Five and then the incident was a racing incident. Maybe I could have gone a bit wider, maybe he could have braked a bit more. The incident shouldn’t have happened if I had the speed down the straight. Very, very disappointed.”
Russell’s retirement prompted an early Safety Car, allowing several drivers near the back of the field to gamble on early pit stops before racing resumed at the end of lap four. Antonelli controlled the restart confidently, but Verstappen soon settled into pursuit while Ferrari and McLaren became embroiled in a fierce battle behind.
Leclerc and Oscar Piastri then made contact while battling for third, allowing Hamilton to move into the fight before the Ferrari driver was handed a five-second penalty for causing Russell’s retirement. Hamilton soon voiced his frustration over team radio as he found himself unable to pass his team-mate.
The complexion of the race changed during the pit-stop phase. Verstappen stopped first, with Mercedes immediately covering him by bringing Antonelli in on the following lap. Ferrari initially stayed out before a perfectly timed Virtual Safety Car handed the Scuderia a significant advantage, allowing both Leclerc and Hamilton to pit under reduced-speed conditions. Leclerc emerged ahead of Antonelli to inherit the effective race lead, while Hamilton served his five-second penalty but lost additional time during a stop that also saw a Ferrari mechanic struck as he pulled away.
Hamilton immediately checked on the mechanic over the radio before later discovering the planned front wing adjustment had not been completed.
“Did you put front wing in or not?” Hamilton asked.
“We didn’t manage,” came the reply.
“Yeah, I can’t turn the car,” Hamilton responded.
The stewards subsequently noted Hamilton’s pit stop for an alleged unsafe release, confirming the matter would be investigated after the race, leaving his finishing position uncertain at the chequered flag.
At the front, Antonelli patiently hunted down Leclerc after losing out through the VSC sequence. After several laps applying relentless pressure, the Mercedes driver used the Kemmel Straight to reclaim the lead on lap 34 before gradually edging clear in the closing stages. Leclerc briefly remained within striking distance but eventually fell outside the one-second window needed to maximise his overtaking opportunities.
Behind them, Verstappen secured another podium despite admitting his pace faded during the second stint, while Hamilton recovered strongly despite his damaged front wing, climbing back to fourth on the road and closing on Piastri before ultimately falling short of the podium.
Leclerc admitted Ferrari’s fortunate timing under the Virtual Safety Car briefly gave him hope of victory.
“I believed in the win until the end,” he said. “We had a little bit of luck with the VSC at the right time for us but the pace was relatively strong. There were five or six laps on the hard tyres when I was struggling with the front axle, then it came back a little bit. I feel better with the car. Still some work to do but surely a step forward.”
Verstappen was satisfied to leave Spa with a podium finish after a difficult afternoon.
“I tried everything I could in the race,” the Dutchman said. “The first stint wasn’t too bad. The second stint probably a little bit more difficult. At the same time, I think Kimi and I got a little bit unlucky with the VSC as well. I think for us to be on the podium is very good. I gave it everything I had, and I think actually P3 is good.”
Antonelli’s victory, coupled with Russell’s retirement, further strengthened the young Italian’s championship advantage, although he insisted there is still a long way to go.
“The momentum was always there. It was just about getting the result,” Antonelli said. “Today we were a bit lucky with what happened in terms of the championship. That’s why you have to take every opportunity because we saw it can really swing very easily. We have to just keep performing, bringing the results and see what happens at the end of the year.”
Antonelli’s victory, coupled with Russell’s retirement, sees the Mercedes driver extend his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton moves up to second in the standings. Antonelli now leads on 204 points, ahead of Hamilton on 159, Russell on 154, Leclerc on 126 and Norris on 103. Formula 1 now heads to the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, the final race before the sport’s annual summer shutdown.
Official results: https://www.formula1.com/en/results/2026/races/1290/belgium/race-result
