Antonelli hunts down Leclerc to win at Spa
The short version
Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix from pole, 1.952s ahead of Charles Leclerc, with Max Verstappen third. Ferrari used a Virtual Safety Car to get Leclerc into the lead, but Antonelli passed him ten laps from the end. Title rival George Russell was out on lap 1 after a collision with Lewis Hamilton.
- 1.952sMargin of victory
- 1:48.890Fastest lap · Norris
- P21 → P6Hadjar · biggest mover (+15)
- 3Retirements · incl. Stroll, Pérez
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Charles Leclerc
Max Verstappen
Antonelli had to pass a Ferrari to win this one. Charles Leclerc was leading at Spa until Kimi Antonelli caught and passed him ten laps from the end.
A frantic first lap
Max Verstappen took the lead from Antonelli into Eau Rouge, and Antonelli took it straight back at Les Combes. Behind them, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton collided. Russell spun into the gravel and was out, and the safety car came out. Hamilton got a 5-second penalty.
Ferrari’s strategy nearly works
Antonelli pitted from the lead. The Virtual Safety Car periods that followed let Ferrari double-stack their stops, which put Leclerc in front. Antonelli passed Lando Norris for second, closed the gap and made the winning pass ten laps from the flag. Verstappen finished third.
The comeback drives
Isack Hadjar started 21st after a power unit change and finished sixth. Norris came from 13th to seventh on a hard-tyre start. For Antonelli, it was his sixth career win.
With Russell scoring nothing, Antonelli’s lead grew to 45 points over Hamilton (204 to 159).
Key moments
- Lap 1Verstappen leads into Eau Rouge, and Antonelli takes the place back at Les Combes. Russell and Hamilton collide and Russell is out. Safety car.
- Pit stopsAntonelli pits from the lead. Virtual Safety Car periods let Ferrari double-stack their stops, and Leclerc takes the lead.
- ChargeAntonelli passes Norris, closes on Leclerc and takes the lead ten laps from the end.
- FlagAntonelli wins by 1.9s. Hadjar goes from 21st on the grid to sixth.
Race classification
2026 Belgian Grand Prix · official classification| Pos | Driver | Time / Gap | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 1:24:42.479 | 25 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | +1.952 | 18 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | +11.586 | 15 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | +17.245 | 12 |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | +18.988 | 10 |
| 6 | Isack Hadjar | +23.307 | 8 |
| 7 | Lando Norris | +24.014 | 6 |
| 8 | Gabriel Bortoleto | +49.140 | 4 |
| 9 | Arvid Lindblad | +50.406 | 2 |
| 10 | Franco Colapinto | +1:16.037 | 1 |
| 11 | Pierre Gasly | +1:16.991 | 0 |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | +1:17.523 | 0 |
| 13 | Nico Hülkenberg | +1:18.348 | 0 |
| 14 | Oliver Bearman | +1:34.465 | 0 |
| 15 | Alexander Albon | +1:44.684 | 0 |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz | +1:45.856 | 0 |
| 17 | Esteban Ocon | +1:50.925 | 0 |
| 18 | Valtteri Bottas | +1:00.979 | 0 |
| 19 | Fernando Alonso | +20.848 | 0 |
Did not finish
3 retirements| Driver | Reason |
|---|---|
| Lance Stroll | Retired |
| Sergio Pérez | Retired |
| George Russell | Collision |
Quick answers
Who won the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix?
Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) won the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on 19 July 2026, finishing 1.952 ahead of Charles Leclerc in a race time of 1:24:42.479.
Who finished on the podium at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix?
P1 Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), P2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), P3 Max Verstappen (Red Bull).
Who set the fastest lap at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix?
Lando Norris set the fastest lap of the race, a 1:48.890.
How many drivers retired from the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix?
3 drivers did not finish: Lance Stroll (retired), Sergio Pérez (retired), George Russell (collision).
What happened to George Russell at Spa 2026?
Russell collided with Lewis Hamilton at Les Combes on the opening lap, spun into the gravel and retired. Hamilton received a 5-second penalty and finished fourth.