Kimi Antonelli wins Belgian Grand Prix to extend F1 championship lead

Mercedes operator won his sixth GP of 2026 arsenic title rival and teammate George Russell crashes retired connected archetypal lap.

Kimi Antonelli won the Belgian Grand Prix for Mercedes connected Sunday to agelong his Formula One pb to 45 points implicit Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton connected a bleak time for teammate George Russell, his closest rubric rival heading into the race.

Russell had been the 19-year-old Italian’s closest rival earlier the commencement astatine Spa-Francorchamps, but the Briton spun disconnected into the gravel connected the opening thigh aft a collision with Hamilton portion trying to marque up places mislaid astatine lights out.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 4Spain vs Argentina: Five cardinal factors that could determine World Cup final
• list 2 of 4World Cup 2026 final: Closing ceremonial and half-time amusement – what to know
• list 3 of 4The communicative down shot stars Messi and Yamal’s viral photo
• list 4 of 4Why is Argentina’s shot squad truthful white?

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was 2nd successful the 44-lap race, 1.952 seconds down aft leading, acknowledgment to a pit halt portion a virtual information car was deployed, with Max Verstappen 3rd to springiness Red Bull their 300th Formula One podium.

Hamilton finished fourth, contempt serving a five-second punishment for the collision with Russell, but remained nether probe for an unsafe merchandise from a pit halt that could driblet him to 5th and further agelong Antonelli’s lead.

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli leads Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen astatine the opening of the Belgian Grand Prix [Sarah Meyssonnier/POOL via AFP]

It was Antonelli’s sixth triumph successful 10 rounds this season, leaving him 50 points wide of Russell. Antonelli was archetypal successful qualifying, continuing Mercedes’ cleanable expanse of rod positions this season.

“It’s large to beryllium backmost connected the apical measurement aft a fewer hard rounds,” said Antonelli, who had drawn a blank successful 2 of the past 3 rounds.

“It was a hard-fought race. We mislaid archetypal spot with the VSC but past we managed to marque our mode back.

“The momentum was ever there. It was conscionable astir getting the results,” helium added. “Today we were a spot fortunate with what happened successful presumption of the title but you person to instrumentality each accidental due to the fact that we saw however overmuch it tin swing.”

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished fifth, with Isack Hadjar sixth for Red Bull from past connected the grid. Reigning champion Lando Norris was seventh for McLaren aft starting 13th owed to a 10-place grid drop.

Gabriel Bortoleto brought much points for Audi successful eighth place, with Arvid Lindblad ninth for Racing Bulls and Argentine Franco Colapinto completing the scoring successful 10th spot for Renault-owned Alpine.