Kimi Antonelli has achieved an impressive victory at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix of Formula 1, overcoming Charles Leclerc in a race marked by an incident involving George Russell on the first lap. Russell, Antonelli’s teammate at Mercedes, was taken out of the race after a collision with Lewis Hamilton.
Although Max Verstappen briefly led the race after starting from the front row, Antonelli quickly regained the position on the Kemmel Straight, maintaining control of the race during the early moments. The situation worsened for Russell, who, running out of battery, was overtaken by several rivals before colliding with Hamilton.
After a switch to hard tires, Antonelli continued to lead strongly, but Leclerc took advantage of a virtual safety car to make a strategic pit stop and emerged at the front. This move allowed him to build a small lead, but Antonelli soon returned to dominate the race.
Antonelli managed to overtake Leclerc, who could not keep the necessary pace to recover. In the end, Antonelli crossed the line 1.9 seconds ahead of the Monegasque, thus extending his lead in the championship. Verstappen completed the podium, albeit some distance behind the top two.
Hamilton finished fourth, after receiving a five-second penalty for the contact with Russell, while Oscar Piastri secured fifth place. With his quick return from the pits and his ability to handle the demands of the race, Isack Hadjar climbed to sixth position, benefiting from the safety strategies.
The race reflected the intense competition of the season, with Antonelli standing out as one of the most promising drivers, already accumulating six victories in the championship. The next event of the season promises to be equally exciting, with drivers preparing to face the challenges of the next race.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
