ANTONELLI WINS BELGIAN GP AFTER FIGHT WITH LECLERC AT SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
Kimi Antonelli won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps after a close battle with Charles Leclerc in the final part of the race. The Mercedes driver took his sixth victory of the 2026 season, while the Ferrari driver finished second after putting pressure on Antonelli until the chequered flag.
Max Verstappen completed the podium in third place after another strong race for Red Bull, while Lewis Hamilton finished fourth following a difficult afternoon that included contact with his former Mercedes teammate George Russell on the opening lap.
Antonelli started the race from pole position, ahead of Verstappen and Russell, with Leclerc and Hamilton lining up fourth and fifth. With cloudy conditions at Spa but only a small chance of rain, most teams chose the medium tyre for the start, expecting a one-stop strategy to be the preferred option.
The opening lap immediately created action. Verstappen got alongside Antonelli before Eau Rouge and briefly took the lead, but the Mercedes driver recovered the position before Les Combes. Leclerc also used the slipstream and Ferrari’s energy deployment advantage to pass Verstappen and move into second place.
Further back, Hamilton and Russell battled for position, with the two cars making contact at Turn 5. Russell was sent into the gravel and was forced to retire, bringing out the Safety Car. Hamilton was able to continue, but later received a five-second penalty for the incident.
After the restart, Hamilton’s Ferrari was not completely comfortable due to damage around the side of the car, while Oscar Piastri tried to attack the Ferrari. Leclerc and Piastri also made contact while fighting on the Kemmel Straight, but both continued.
The first round of pit stops changed the situation at the front. Verstappen stopped on lap 18 for hard tyres, followed by Antonelli one lap later. A Virtual Safety Car caused by debris then gave Ferrari an opportunity, allowing Leclerc and Hamilton to make a double pit stop and gain time.
Leclerc returned to the track ahead of Antonelli and briefly took control of the race. The Ferrari driver then passed Lando Norris, who was still running on his starting hard tyres, to become the leader of the Belgian Grand Prix.
As the race entered its final stages, Antonelli began closing the gap to Leclerc. With around ten laps remaining, the Mercedes driver finally regained the lead after a long fight. However, Leclerc stayed within one second and continued to pressure Antonelli until the finish.
The Italian managed the final laps perfectly and secured his sixth win of the season at one of Formula 1’s most famous circuits. Leclerc’s second place represented a strong result for Ferrari, showing improved race pace after a difficult period for the team.
Verstappen finished third, ahead of Hamilton and Piastri. Isack Hadjar completed an impressive recovery drive, finishing fifth after starting from the back of the grid due to power unit penalties. Lando Norris ended the race seventh, followed by Gabriel Bortoleto, Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto, who scored points for Alpine.
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