Kimi Antonelli secured his maiden Formula 1 victory at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The Mercedes driver delivered a strong performance to take the top step of the podium. Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari, with Max Verstappen completing the top three for Red Bull.
This victory marks Antonelli’s sixth win of the current 2026 season, significantly extending his lead in the Drivers’ Championship by 50 points over teammate George Russell. Leclerc’s second-place finish followed a challenging qualifying session.
Leclerc had qualified fifth on the road but started fourth due to a grid penalty for another driver. He expressed disappointment with his final Q3 lap, citing a yellow flag for Isack Hadjar in the pit entry that he deemed ‘too visible’ on track. This caused him to lift, potentially costing him a position and half a second.
Max Verstappen, who started from second on the grid, briefly took the lead from Antonelli on the opening lap at Eau Rouge. However, Antonelli quickly retook the position. Verstappen later lost second to Leclerc before regaining it to secure third place. He expressed satisfaction with his race performance.
The top ten finishers at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix were: 1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), 5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 6. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), 7. Lando Norris (McLaren), 8. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), 9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), 10. Franco Colapinto (Alpine).
The starting grid for the Belgian Grand Prix was significantly altered by multiple grid penalties. George Russell, Antonelli’s teammate, retired on the opening lap after a collision with Lewis Hamilton at Les Combes. Hamilton received a five-second penalty for causing the collision and is under investigation for an unsafe pit release.
Lando Norris received a 10-place penalty for taking his fourth battery of the season, dropping him from third to 13th on the grid. Isack Hadjar incurred a substantial 30-place penalty for exceeding his allocation of ICE, turbocharger, and exhaust system components, resulting in a start from 21st.
Lance Stroll faced a 10-place penalty for using a fourth MGU-K, starting 20th. Fernando Alonso received a 20-place penalty, placing him 22nd. Carlos Sainz also incurred a 10-place penalty for new power unit elements, starting 19th.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff stated that the Mercedes power unit is currently the strongest in the field. Mercedes supplies power units to McLaren, Alpine, and Williams, with McLaren receiving the latest specification engine at this Grand Prix.
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella expressed concerns regarding Oscar Piastri’s recent performance. Stella noted that Piastri’s driving style appears incompatible with the 2026 cars, which require a more aggressive approach. Piastri finished fifth in the race.
Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle voiced disappointment that Spa-Francorchamps’ iconic corners are ‘rendered largely irrelevant’ by the current 2026 Formula 1 cars and regulations. He made similar observations regarding Silverstone two weeks prior.
Brundle also commented on Max Verstappen’s future, stating his ‘gut feeling’ is that Verstappen will remain with Red Bull for the 2027 season. However, Brundle did not rule out the possibility of Verstappen taking a sabbatical.
