Kimi Antonelli Wins 2026 Belgian Grand Prix After Late Pass on Charles Leclerc, Extends F1 Championship Lead

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, July 19, 2026: Kimi Antonelli tightened his grip on the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship after producing a superb late-race charge to win the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, overtaking Charles Leclerc in the closing stages to secure his sixth victory of the season.

The Mercedes driver crossed the finish line after 44 laps in 1:24:42.479, finishing 1.952 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the podium in third, while Lewis Hamilton recovered despite serving a five-second penalty to finish fourth. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five.

Antonelli Reclaims Lead After Early Verstappen Challenge

Starting from pole position, Antonelli enjoyed a clean launch but immediately came under attack from Verstappen. The reigning Red Bull driver powered past on the run through Eau Rouge after Turn 1, only to use too much battery energy, allowing Antonelli to reclaim the lead before Les Combes.

Behind the leading pair, Leclerc overtook George Russell for third before inheriting second as Verstappen was forced wide after Antonelli’s counterattack.

Russell’s afternoon came to a premature end moments later following contact with Hamilton at Les Combes, sending the Mercedes into the gravel trap and triggering an early Safety Car.

Strategy Shakes Up Belgian Grand Prix

The Safety Car period prompted several early pit stops before racing resumed on Lap 5, with Antonelli controlling proceedings ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen.

The race swung dramatically during the pit-stop phase. Verstappen stopped first on Lap 18, with Mercedes responding immediately by bringing Antonelli in on the following lap.

However, a well-timed Virtual Safety Car proved decisive for Ferrari. Leclerc and Hamilton were able to pit with reduced time loss, allowing Leclerc to emerge ahead of Antonelli and inherit the effective race lead.

McLaren’s Lando Norris briefly led after extending his opening stint on the hard tyres, but both Leclerc and Antonelli quickly dispatched the Briton, leaving Ferrari with a three-second advantage.

Antonelli Makes Winning Move

Antonelli steadily reeled in Leclerc during the final stint, consistently closing the gap through Spa’s middle sector before moving into DRS range.

With just 10 laps remaining, the young Italian launched his decisive attack into Les Combes, completing a clean overtake to reclaim the lead.

Leclerc remained within striking distance for the remainder of the race and at times reduced the gap to under a second, but Antonelli expertly managed tyre wear and battery deployment to seal an impressive victory.

Verstappen finished 11.586 seconds behind in third, while Hamilton recovered from his penalty to overtake Piastri and secure fourth place.

One of the standout performances came from Isack Hadjar, who climbed from 21st on the grid to finish sixth after an aggressive strategy and strong race pace. Lando Norris finished seventh ahead of Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad.

Franco Colapinto claimed the final championship point in 10th after emerging victorious in a close midfield battle involving Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson.

Speaking after the race, Antonelli said:

“It’s great to be back on the top step after a few difficult rounds. We lost first place with the Virtual Safety Car, but we managed to fight our way back. Charles was quick, so it was a tough win.”

The victory further strengthens Antonelli’s championship challenge as Formula 1 heads into the next phase of the 2026 season.

2026 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix – Full Race Results