Kimi Antonelli secured victory at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix held at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. The Mercedes driver finished ahead of Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who claimed second position. McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the podium in third place.
Antonelli’s win marks his eighth victory of the current Formula 1 season, significantly extending his championship lead. The inaugural Grand Prix at the Madring circuit saw a series of incidents and subsequent decisions from the FIA stewards throughout the weekend.
Ferrari received a reprimand after Charles Leclerc was investigated for failing to adhere to delta time requirements during qualifying. The stewards determined that Ferrari was exclusively at fault for providing Leclerc with an incorrect delta time profile due to a miscalculation.
Leclerc had complied with the delta displayed on his dashboard, but this incorrect information led to an inadvertent breach of regulations. The stewards concluded that the driver made no error, and the team’s mistake did not impact competitive order.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto also received warnings for driving unnecessarily slowly during qualifying. Both drivers cited difficulties with energy management, though the stewards noted they could have done more to comply.
Oliver Bearman started the Grand Prix from the pit lane following extensive changes to his Haas car under parc fermé conditions. This included new power unit components and a chassis change after a heavy crash in final practice.
The changes to Bearman’s car, specifically the use of a fourth energy store unit, control electronics unit, and motor generator unit-kinetic, exceeded the permitted allowance for the 2026 season. These modifications were made without the technical delegate’s approval.
Additionally, Williams driver Alex Albon received a warning for rejoining the track unsafely during the first free practice session. Carlos Sainz incurred a three-place grid penalty for impeding Valtteri Bottas in qualifying.
Lance Stroll faced a substantial 40-place grid penalty for using engine components beyond his allotted allowance, placing him at the rear of the starting grid. Max Verstappen, who finished second, had earlier been asked to return a position during the race after running off track.
Verstappen also conveyed his concerns regarding the Madring circuit layout and its lengthy pit lane to the FIA. He suggested that numerous braking zones limited overtaking opportunities.
Away from the track action, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been actively working to retain Fernando Alonso in Formula 1 beyond the current season. Alonso is currently evaluating his future due to competitive uncertainties and the nature of current regulations.
Ben Sulayem has met with Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll to discuss potential rule concessions aimed at accelerating Honda’s engine development. This initiative seeks to boost Aston Martin’s performance and provide Alonso with an incentive to continue racing in 2027.
Isack Hadjar missed the Spanish Grand Prix, marking his third consecutive absence from a race weekend. The Red Bull driver is recovering from a wrist injury sustained during training in the summer break. Liam Lawson continued to deputise for Hadjar at Red Bull for the Madrid event.
