Antonelli wins Belgian Grand Prix, extends championship lead

Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, piloting for Mercedes, secured his sixth victory of the 2026 season at the Belgian Grand Prix held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Antonelli, the current championship leader, extended his points advantage over his closest rivals.

Antonelli now holds a 45-point lead with 204 points. Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari moved into second place with 159 points after finishing fourth, while George Russell, also of Mercedes, dropped to third with 157 points following an incident in the race. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and Max Verstappen of Red Bull completed the podium.

The race was marked by several incidents before and during the early laps. Carlos Sainz of Williams received a grid penalty, dropping him from 14th to 19th position due to component changes. On the first lap, a collision between Russell and Hamilton sent Russell into the gravel, triggering a safety car period. Hamilton, though involved, continued the race.

Once the safety car returned to the pits, Antonelli maintained his lead. Verstappen moved into second, followed by Leclerc. Hamilton, after his earlier incident, managed to climb through the field, eventually passing Oscar Piastri. However, a subsequent collision between Piastri and Leclerc resulted in damage to Piastri's car and a five-second penalty for Hamilton for his earlier contact with Russell.

These events, including Russell's retirement and Hamilton's penalty, seemingly cleared the path for Antonelli's dominant performance, allowing him to build a significant gap at the front of the field.