Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his sixth victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Belgian Grand Prix today, July 19, 2026. The Mercedes driver, who started from pole position, navigated a race marked by strategic Virtual Safety Car periods and an early incident involving his teammate George Russell.
Antonelli initially led from Charles Leclerc on Lap 1. The Ferrari driver later gained track position during a Virtual Safety Car period, but Antonelli executed a decisive overtake to reclaim the lead and ultimately take maximum points at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
The race began under the threat of rain, a condition many drivers had expressed trepidation about with the current generation of F1 cars. However, the rain proved to be insignificant, consisting only of light drops that did not necessitate a change to wet tyres.
A significant incident occurred on Lap 1 at Les Combes, where George Russell and Lewis Hamilton collided. Russell’s car spun out of the race, resulting in a DNF. Hamilton received a five-second time penalty for causing the collision.
During a subsequent pit stop under the second quick-fire Virtual Safety Car, Hamilton made contact with a front-jack mechanic upon exiting his pit box. The mechanic was reported to be unharmed, but the FIA announced a post-race investigation into the unsafe release.
The Virtual Safety Car periods played a crucial role in strategy. The first VSC was deployed on Lap 5 due to debris from the Mercedes collision. The second VSC on Lap 12 allowed both Ferrari drivers to take a ‘cheap’ pit stop, propelling Leclerc into the net lead temporarily.
Max Verstappen, who started third, was running second by Lap 10, a second and a half behind Antonelli. However, the Red Bull driver ultimately finished third, unable to challenge Antonelli or Leclerc after the VSC strategies unfolded.
The final classification saw Andrea Kimi Antonelli in first place, followed by Charles Leclerc in second, and Max Verstappen in third. Lando Norris secured fourth position, with Carlos Sainz completing the top five.
Lewis Hamilton finished in sixth place despite his penalty and pit lane incident. Oscar Piastri took seventh, Fernando Alonso eighth, Pierre Gasly ninth, and Alexander Albon rounded out the top ten points finishers.
