Kimi Antonelli returned to winning ways with a composed drive to victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, resisting sustained pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to claim his sixth win of the season and strengthen his grip on the Formula 1 championship. 

The Mercedes driver briefly lost the lead to Max Verstappen after the start, but quickly reasserted control and remained calm through a Safety Car restart before edging clear to finish 1.9 seconds ahead of Leclerc. Verstappen completed the podium in third after being unable to challenge the leading pair. 

The race turned dramatically on the opening lap when George Russell was spun into the gravel following contact with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, ending the Mercedes driver’s race and dealing a significant blow to his title hopes. Hamilton received a five-second penalty for causing the collision and finished fourth, while also facing a post-race investigation for an unsafe pit release. 

Oscar Piastri finished fifth for McLaren, ahead of an impressive Isack Hadjar, who charged from the back of the grid to sixth. Lando Norris recovered from 13th to seventh, with Gabriel Bortoleto, Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto completing the top 10.

Antonelli’s victory extends his championship advantage after Russell’s retirement, giving the Italian a commanding lead heading into the next round. 

2026 Belgian Grand Prix: Results

* Lewis Hamilton received a five-second time penalty for causing a collision with George Russell and was also under post-race investigation for an unsafe release.