Kimi Antonelli secured a narrow victory at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, edging out Charles Leclerc by 1.9 seconds to claim his sixth win of the season. The race was marked by several incidents, including an early retirement for George Russell following contact with Lewis Hamilton, who was handed a five-second penalty and is under investigation for an unsafe release.
Antonelli’s win at Spa-Francorchamps came after a challenging battle with Leclerc, who finished second. Max Verstappen completed the podium in third place, marking his third top-three finish of the year. The race also saw multiple retirements, including those of Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez, and Russell, which had implications for the championship standings.
The Belgian Grand Prix featured a mix of strategic pit stops, Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car periods, and intense battles for points positions. Lando Norris notably recovered from a 13th-place start to finish seventh, employing a hard tyre strategy. Antonelli described his victory as hard-fought, particularly against the pressure from Leclerc following the Safety Car restart.
During the weekend, Hamilton and Pierre Gasly both crashed in practice sessions, while five drivers received grid penalties due to power unit changes. The collision between Russell and Hamilton early in the race led to Russell’s retirement and a penalty for Hamilton, adding a significant moment to the event. Hamilton’s penalty and the ongoing investigation into the unsafe release remain key talking points from the race.
Mercedes’ Antonelli extended his lead in the championship with this win, while his teammate Russell’s early exit affected the team’s overall race outcome. Ferrari’s Leclerc pushed hard but ultimately settled for second place, narrowly missing out on back-to-back victories. Verstappen’s consistent podium finish kept him in the mix as the season progresses.
The next round on the calendar is the Hungarian Grand Prix, scheduled from July 24 to 26, 2026. The Belgian race highlighted the fine margins and unpredictable nature of the championship, with key moments shaping the ongoing competition among the leading drivers and teams.