Kimi Antonelli claimed his sixth victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, 19 July, passing Charles Leclerc at Les Combes on lap 34 to seal a hard-fought win at Spa-Francorchamps. The result doubled his championship lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell from 25 points to 50, after Russell was eliminated in a first-lap collision.

How the Race Unfolded

Antonelli started from pole position but briefly ceded the lead to Red Bull's Max Verstappen on the run to Eau Rouge, before reclaiming first place under braking for Les Combes. He led comfortably through the opening stint until Mercedes pitted him at the end of lap 18. Ferrari kept Leclerc out for two additional laps and capitalised when a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed for debris on track, allowing the Monegasque driver to make a cheaper stop and emerge in the lead.

McLaren's Lando Norris, who had yet to pit after starting on hard tyres, briefly inherited first place before Leclerc and Antonelli swept past in quick succession. Antonelli then set about erasing a three-second deficit, closing onto Leclerc's rear wing before executing the decisive overtake with 10 laps remaining. Leclerc remained within striking distance over the closing stages but could not mount a credible challenge.

Russell Retirement and Hamilton Penalty

The race's first major incident came within moments of the lights going out. Russell made contact with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap, sending the Mercedes into the gravel and ending his afternoon immediately. Both drivers described the clash as a racing incident; however, Hamilton was issued a five-second penalty for his involvement. Hamilton was also placed under post-race investigation for an alleged unsafe release after making contact with a mechanic during his pit stop — the mechanic was uninjured.

Hamilton ultimately finished fourth, provisionally moving into second in the drivers' championship on 159 points, five ahead of Russell, pending the outcome of the pit-lane investigation.

Antonelli in His Own Words

'It is great to be back on the top step after a few difficult rounds,' Antonelli said. '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. The momentum was always there. It was just about getting the result. We have to keep performing, bringing the results, and see what happens at the end of the year.'

Full Race Result and Championship Picture

Leclerc finished second and Verstappen completed the podium in third. McLaren's Oscar Piastri came home fifth, ahead of Red Bull's Isack Hadjar in sixth. Norris recovered from 13th on the grid — after serving a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding power unit component allocations — to finish seventh. Gabriel Bortoleto delivered a strong eighth for Audi, Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad took ninth, and Alpine's Franco Colapinto rounded out the top 10. The victory snapped Antonelli's run of two consecutive scoreless races and firmly reasserted his title credentials heading into the second half of the season.

What Comes Next

Formula 1 moves to the Hungarian Grand Prix on 26 July, where Antonelli will look to extend his 50-point advantage. With Russell needing to close the gap and Hamilton's championship position still subject to stewards' scrutiny, the next round at Budapest could prove decisive in shaping the title fight.