Formula 1 2026 Belgian Grand Prix Review
Antonelli Returns to Winning Ways
Kimi Antonelli returned to the top step of the podium with a hard-fought victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen in a closely contested race at Spa-Francorchamps. The Mercedes driver secured his sixth win of the season and first since Monaco, extending his championship lead in the process.
The race was defined by drama from the opening lap, as George Russell retired after contact with Lewis Hamilton , and a strategic battle that saw Antonelli recover from losing the lead during a Virtual Safety Car period. Leclerc pushed hard in the closing stages but finished 1.9 seconds adrift, while Verstappen claimed his third podium of the season.
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Grand Prix Race – Antonelli Holds Off Leclerc in Spa Thriller
Pre-Race Conditions
Cooler temperatures and dark clouds hung over Spa-Francorchamps for the 44-lap Belgian Grand Prix, with rain expected despite a low forecast chance. Kimi Antonelli started from pole position , having secured his sixth pole of the season in a closely fought qualifying session. Max Verstappen lined up alongside him, with Lando Norris third (though set to drop to P13 due to a grid penalty).
Five drivers took grid penalties for power unit component changes: Isack Hadjar (back row), Fernando Alonso (back row), Carlos Sainz (P19), Lance Stroll (P20), and Norris (P13).
Most drivers opted for the medium compound, with Norris, Perez, Stroll, Hadjar, and Alonso on hards, while Bottas and Sainz chose softs.
Start: Verstappen Leads Briefly, Russell Retires
When the lights went out, Verstappen got an excellent launch and snatched the lead heading into Eau Rouge. However, Antonelli used the superior pace of his Mercedes to reclaim the position down the Kemmel Straight.
Behind them, Russell lost speed and dropped behind both Ferraris . Attempting to regain position at Turn 6, he made contact with Hamilton and was sent spinning into the gravel, ending his race and bringing out the Safety Car.
Hamilton reported he was “right behind another car so had no front end” in the incident. He would later receive a five-second penalty for causing the collision.
Safety Car and Restart
The Safety Car allowed several drivers to pit, including Hadjar and Bearman. When racing resumed on Lap 5, Antonelli held the lead ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen.
A thrilling battle developed behind: Hamilton surged past Piastri at La Source before the Australian shot back through for P4 just moments later.
Mid-Race Battles and Penalties
Verstappen found a way past Leclerc into Les Combes and set his sights on Antonelli. Leclerc came under pressure from Piastri for third, the pair making contact that flicked carbon fibre onto the circuit.
Hamilton overtook Piastri for fourth and set the fastest lap, but his charge was hampered by the five-second penalty for the Russell collision.
Norris, starting 13th, used the durability of his hard tyres to climb to seventh by Lap 11. He continued his charge, overtaking Lindblad and closing on his teammate Piastri.
Virtual Safety Car Shuffles the Order
Verstappen pitted on Lap 18, dropping to sixth. A VSC was then deployed to clear debris – not long enough for anyone to benefit significantly, but Antonelli covered off Verstappen by pitting and emerged fifth, maintaining the net lead.
A second VSC allowed Ferrari to pit both cars. Hamilton served his penalty (accidentally hitting a mechanic on release, who was thankfully uninjured), while Leclerc emerged ahead of Antonelli to seize the lead.
Late Drama: Antonelli Retakes the Lead
Norris, the sole driver yet to pit, led briefly but was easily passed by Leclerc and then Antonelli. McLaren finally pitted Norris on Lap 31 – a slow stop that dropped him to eighth.
With 10 laps remaining, Antonelli massively reduced Leclerc’s lead and powered past to reclaim first place. Despite Leclerc’s best efforts – the gap was as close as half a second at times – Antonelli held on to win by 1.952 seconds.
Grand Prix Race Full Classification
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Retired | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 44 | 1:24:42.479 | 25 |
| 2 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 44 | +1.952s | 18 |
| 3 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 44 | +11.586s | 15 |
| 4 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 44 | +17.245s | 12 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 44 | +18.988s | 10 |
| 6 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 44 | +23.307s | 8 |
| 7 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 44 | +24.014s | 6 |
| 8 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 44 | +49.140s | 4 |
| 9 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 44 | +50.406s | 2 |
| 10 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 44 | +76.037s | 1 |
| 11 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 44 | +76.991s | 0 |
| 12 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 44 | +77.523s | 0 |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 44 | +78.348s | 0 |
| 14 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 44 | +94.465s | 0 |
| 15 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 44 | +104.684s | 0 |
| 16 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 44 | +105.856s | 0 |
| 17 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 44 | +110.925s | 0 |
| 18 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 43 | +1 lap | 0 |
| 19 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 42 | +2 laps | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 25 | DNF (Gearbox) | 0 |
| NC | 11 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 13 | DNF (Suspension) | 0 |
| NC | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 0 | DNF (Collision) | 0 |
Grand Prix Qualifying – Antonelli Charges to Pole in Exhilarating Session
Kimi Antonelli secured his sixth pole position of the season with a stunning final lap of 1:44.361 , beating Max Verstappen by three-tenths in a closely fought qualifying session at Spa-Francorchamps.
Q1 – Norris Quickest as Williams and Haas Struggle
Verstappen set the early pace with 1:45.930 before Norris claimed the top spot. The session saw a double Q1 exit for Williams (Albon P17, Bearman P16) and both Cadillacs, while Alpine’s Colapinto climbed to safety.
Knocked out: Albon, Ocon, Bottas, Perez, Alonso, Stroll
Q2 – Antonelli Returns to the Top
Antonelli rediscovered his pace with 1:45.142 , ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen. Lindblad impressed with sixth, while Alpine’s Gasly and Colapinto couldn’t escape Q2. Hulkenberg’s session ended with a hydraulic leak.
Knocked out: Lawson, Gasly, Colapinto, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Bearman
Q3 – Antonelli Delivers When It Counts
Norris initially set the fastest time, but Antonelli stormed to pole with his final lap. Verstappen’s effort was undone by a close moment with Hadjar (who was offering a tow), while Russell, Leclerc, and Hamilton were separated by tiny margins.
Grand Prix Qualifying Top 10 Classification
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:46.304 | 1:45.142 | 1:44.361 |
| 2 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:45.930 | 1:45.589 | 1:44.678 |
| 3 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:45.865 | 1:45.454 | 1:44.801 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:46.185 | 1:45.689 | 1:44.869 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:46.278 | 1:45.397 | 1:44.893 |
| 6 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:46.124 | 1:45.543 | 1:44.895 |
| 7 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:46.433 | 1:45.671 | 1:45.016 |
| 8 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:46.191 | 1:45.629 | 1:45.143 |
| 9 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:46.609 | 1:46.082 | 1:45.628 |
| 10 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 1:46.062 | 1:45.823 | DNF |
Key Takeaways from the Belgian Grand Prix Weekend
1. Antonelli Back to Winning Ways – His first victory since Monaco extends his championship lead to 38 points over Russell. A composed drive under pressure, recovering from losing the lead during the VSC period.
2. Russell’s Disaster in Spa – The contact with Hamilton on the opening lap ended his race and his hopes of closing the championship gap. His retirement, combined with Antonelli’s victory, means he now faces an uphill battle.
3. Leclerc’s Strong Form Continues – Back-to-back podiums for the Monegasque, who pushed Antonelli all the way. His confidence is clearly growing after a difficult mid-season.
4. Hamilton’s Mixed Day – A five-second penalty for the Russell collision and an unsafe release investigation (later cleared) cost him a potential podium. He finished fourth, a result that could have been better.
5. Verstappen’s Consistent Podium – The Dutchman’s third podium of the season, though he’ll be frustrated not to challenge for the win after his strong start.
6. Charge from the Back – Hadjar (P6) and Norris (P7) both recovered impressively from grid penalties, demonstrating the pace of their cars.
7. Audi’s Best Weekend – Bortoleto’s eighth place marks Audi’s best result of the season, continuing their upward trajectory.
Championship Standings After Round 10
Drivers’ Championship
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | ITA | Mercedes | 196 |
| 2 | George Russell | GBR | Mercedes | 146 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Ferrari | 152 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Ferrari | 122 |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | AUS | McLaren | 92 |
| 6 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren | 97 |
| 7 | Max Verstappen | NED | Red Bull Racing | 88 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | FRA | Red Bull Racing | 60 |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Alpine | 42 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | NZL | Racing Bulls | 38 |
| 11 | Oliver Bearman | GBR | Haas F1 Team | 18 |
| 12 | Franco Colapinto | ARG | Alpine | 19 |
| 13 | Arvid Lindblad | GBR | Racing Bulls | 22 |
| 14 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Williams | 6 |
| 15 | Alexander Albon | THA | Williams | 5 |
| 16 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Haas F1 Team | 3 |
| 17 | Gabriel Bortoleto | BRA | Audi | 10 |
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Aston Martin | 1 |
| 19 | Nico Hulkenberg | GER | Audi | 0 |
| 20 | Valtteri Bottas | FIN | Cadillac | 0 |
| 21 | Sergio Perez | MEX | Cadillac | 0 |
| 22 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin | 0 |
Constructors’ Championship
| Pos | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 342 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 274 |
| 3 | McLaren | 189 |
| 4 | Red Bull Racing | 148 |
| 5 | Alpine | 61 |
| 6 | Racing Bulls | 60 |
| 7 | Haas F1 Team | 21 |
| 8 | Williams | 11 |
| 9 | Audi | 10 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 1 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
Looking Ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix
Formula 1 heads directly to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix (July 24-26) at the Hungaroring. Antonelli leads the championship by 38 points over Russell, who desperately needs a strong result to stay in the title fight. Ferrari, buoyed by Leclerc’s recent form, will look to challenge Mercedes on a circuit that historically rewards aerodynamic efficiency.
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Sources
- Formula1.com – Antonelli charges to pole in Belgian GP Qualifying
- Formula1.com – 2026 Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying Results
- Formula1.com – Antonelli beats Leclerc to Belgian GP win
- Formula1.com – 2026 Belgian Grand Prix Race Results
For official classification and FIA documentation, please refer to the Formula 1 website.
