Antonelli returns to winning ways at Spa for his sixth victory of 2026

Antonelli dominated the Spa circuit, clinching his sixth win of the 2026 season and widening his lead in the championship standings. The young Italian driver now holds a 45-point advantage over his closest competitor, Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth in the race. Hamilton's teammate, George Russell, retired from the event, allowing Hamilton to ascend to second place in the overall standings with 159 points, just ahead of Russell's 157.

The podium was rounded out by Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in second and Max Verstappen of Red Bull in third. The race saw several drivers penalized before the start. Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Isack Hadjar, and Lance Stroll all received grid penalties for exceeding their allowed component changes. Sainz, in particular, dropped from 14th to 19th on the grid due to a battery pack replacement.

Despite early challenges, including a safety car period caused by a collision between Russell and Hamilton on the first lap, Antonelli maintained control of the race. Verstappen briefly challenged for the lead but Antonelli held firm. Later in the race, further incidents occurred, including a collision between Piastri and Leclerc, and Hamilton receiving a five-second penalty for his earlier contact with Russell. These events seemed to clear Antonelli's path to victory, but his fortunes were about to change as Verstappen attempted an undercut.