Kimi Antonelli secured victory at the Belgian Grand Prix by overtaking Charles Leclerc, strengthening his Formula 1 championship lead. Antonelli, bouncing back from two winless races, claimed his sixth win of the 2026 season. He regained first place from Leclerc on lap 34 and maintained his position to clinch the win.
The triumph increased Antonelli’s championship lead over George Russell to 50 points after Russell’s early retirement due to a collision with Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli expressed satisfaction with his performance, highlighting the challenging race and the need to maintain momentum for future success. Leclerc finished second, with Max Verstappen in third place on the podium.
Antonelli, starting from pole position, briefly lost the lead to Verstappen but swiftly regained it during the race. Meanwhile, Russell’s race ended prematurely following a collision with Hamilton, resulting in a penalty for Hamilton. Antonelli led the race initially before a pit stop, allowing Leclerc to briefly take the lead before Antonelli’s decisive overtake.
Hamilton finished fourth in the race, temporarily moving into second place in the championship standings. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured fifth place, followed by Isack Hadjar and Lando Norris. The upcoming race is the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26.
