Kimi Antonelli added another milestone to his breakthrough Formula 1 season by winning the Belgian Grand Prix after a fiercely contested race at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Mercedes driver overcame an eventful opening lap, multiple Virtual Safety Car interruptions and a relentless challenge from Charles Leclerc before reclaiming the lead in the closing stages to secure victory. Leclerc finished second for Ferrari, while Max Verstappen recovered from a difficult afternoon to complete the podium in third.
Chaotic Opening Lap Brings Early Safety Car
The 44-lap race began under warm conditions, with air temperatures at 24°C and the track reaching 41°C.
Antonelli made a clean launch from pole position, but the lead changed hands almost immediately. Verstappen swept into first at Turn 2 before Antonelli fought back through the following sequence of corners to reclaim the position. Leclerc capitalised on the battle ahead, slipping past Verstappen to move into second.
The opening lap quickly descended into chaos further behind.
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton made contact during the midfield battle, sending the Mercedes driver spinning into the gravel. Russell’s race ended on the spot, while Hamilton escaped with only minor damage and continued.
Elsewhere, Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon also collided, forcing Ocon through the gravel but allowing the Haas driver to continue.
The incidents prompted an early Safety Car, with several midfield runners—including Bearman, Isack Hadjar, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas and Ocon—taking advantage of the neutralisation to make early pit stops.
Verstappen Fights Back as Hamilton Receives Penalty
Racing resumed on lap five, immediately reigniting the fight near the front.
Hamilton briefly passed Oscar Piastri before the McLaren driver reclaimed the position moments later.
One lap later, Verstappen used Spa’s long Kemmel Straight to overtake Leclerc and recover second place, immediately setting his sights on Antonelli.
Behind them, Hamilton was handed a five-second time penalty for causing the opening-lap collision with Russell, significantly complicating Ferrari’s strategy.
Leclerc remained within striking distance of Verstappen, while Hamilton closed rapidly on his Ferrari team-mate, repeatedly informing the team over the radio that he believed he had stronger pace.
Despite the pressure, Leclerc defended and maintained third place.
Virtual Safety Cars Reshape the Race
Strategy became increasingly important as the race approached the halfway.
Verstappen made the first move among the leaders on lap 18, diving into the pits just before a Virtual Safety Car was deployed to allow marshals to clear gravel from the circuit.
Antonelli immediately responded, surviving a tense moment at pit entry after brushing close to the barriers before rejoining ahead of Verstappen.
A second Virtual Safety Car soon followed after debris appeared on the circuit.
This time Ferrari reacted perfectly.
Both Leclerc and Hamilton stopped under neutralised conditions, allowing Leclerc to emerge ahead of Antonelli once the pit cycle was completed.
Hamilton’s stop, however, proved costly after the Ferrari driver clipped one of his mechanics while leaving the pit box, delaying his release and dropping him into traffic. The incident was later placed under investigation.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris inherited the lead after extending his first stint but soon came under intense pressure from the chasing Ferrari and Mercedes drivers.
Antonelli Chases Down Leclerc
Leclerc reclaimed the race lead after overtaking Norris, but Antonelli refused to let the Ferrari escape.
After finally clearing Norris himself on lap 26, the Mercedes driver immediately began reducing the gap.
Within just a handful of laps, the deficit shrank from over three seconds to less than one.
Verstappen, meanwhile, struggled with tyre performance and grip, repeatedly reporting balance issues over team radio as he slipped away from the leading pair.
The decisive moment arrived on lap 34.
Using the slipstream along Spa’s long straight, Antonelli launched a perfectly judged move on Leclerc to retake the lead. The Ferrari driver responded immediately and stayed within half a second for several laps, but Antonelli gradually found another level of pace through the middle sector.
Lap by lap, the gap steadily increased.
Antonelli Seals Another Landmark Victory
Leclerc remained within touching distance entering the final stages, but Antonelli never put a wheel wrong.
As Verstappen settled comfortably into third, Hamilton mounted one final charge by overtaking Oscar Piastri for fourth with four laps remaining.
Antonelli’s race engineer issued one final reminder about respecting track limits, but the 19-year-old managed the closing laps perfectly.
By lap 43, he had extended his advantage over Leclerc to more than two seconds, removing any realistic opportunity for a final attack.
One lap later, Antonelli crossed the finish line to claim victory at Spa-Francorchamps, adding another prestigious win to what is rapidly becoming one of Formula 1’s standout rookie campaigns.
2026 Belgian Grand Prix Race Result:
1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli
2. Charles Leclerc
3. Max Verstappen
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. Oscar Piastri
6. Isack Hadjar
7. Lando Norris
8. Gabriel Bortoleto
9. Arvid Lindblad
10. Franco Colapinto
11. Pierre Gasly
12. Liam Lawson
13. Nico Hulkenberg
14. Oliver Bearman
15. Alex Albon
16. Carlos Sainz
17. Esteban Ocon
18. Valtteri Bottas
19. Fernando Alonso
DNF – Lance Stroll
DNF – Sergio Perez
DNF – George Russell
Catch 2026 Belgian GP highlights here.
