Kimi Antonelli led the Power Rankings after the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, following a weekend where he secured pole position and took the race win for Mercedes. His performance extended his championship lead to 45 points, marking a strong statement in the series. The Power Rankings panel assessed driver performances based on their impact over the weekend, independent of their machinery.
Charles Leclerc delivered a solid second-place finish for Ferrari, benefiting from a well-timed Virtual Safety Car pit stop. Max Verstappen, starting from second on the grid for Red Bull Racing, challenged Antonelli early in the race but ultimately finished third after a pit stop that was affected by the Virtual Safety Car period. These top three drivers stood out in the judges’ evaluation for their consistent and impactful performances throughout the weekend.
Several other drivers impressed the panel with notable efforts. Gabriel Bortoleto of Racing Bulls scored points with an eighth-place finish, having reached Q3 and defended well against his teammates. Arvid Lindblad made his Spa debut, running as high as sixth before finishing ninth due to pit stop timing challenges. Isack Hadjar contributed to Red Bull Racing’s weekend by assisting Verstappen in qualifying and recovered from a power unit penalty to finish sixth.
McLaren’s Lando Norris started from the back due to an engine penalty but managed a long first stint on hard tyres to finish seventh. His teammate Oscar Piastri showed strong early pace but ended the race in fifth after contact with Leclerc caused damage. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly fought hard but narrowly missed out on points, finishing eleventh, while Franco Colapinto led the team’s charge with a tenth-place finish. Liam Lawson faced car issues and finished outside the top ten, whereas Nico Hulkenberg demonstrated encouraging pace for Audi, finishing thirteenth and close to the points.
Lewis Hamilton had a challenging weekend for Mercedes, including a crash in practice and a five-second penalty during the race. Despite these setbacks, he recovered to finish fourth, showing resilience amid difficulties. Haas driver Ollie Bearman displayed flashes of speed but ultimately missed out on scoring points.
The Power Rankings provide an expert panel’s subjective assessment of driver performances over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, focusing on individual impact rather than official race results. This evaluation highlights key contributors across several teams, reflecting the competitive nature of the championship at this stage.
