Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli triumphed at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, extending his Formula One championship lead to 45 points over Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. The victory at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit was Antonelli's sixth of the 2026 season.

The race marked a significant turn in the championship battle, as Antonelli's closest rival heading into the event, teammate George Russell, was involved in a first-lap collision that forced him out of the race. Russell spun into the gravel after contact with Hamilton while attempting to gain positions at the start.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished second, 1.952 seconds behind Antonelli, after briefly leading due to a pit stop during a virtual safety car period. Red Bull's Max Verstappen secured third place, marking Red Bull's 300th F1 podium finish. Hamilton recovered to fourth, though he faced a potential further penalty for an unsafe pit release.

Antonelli's win, his sixth in 10 rounds, puts him 50 points ahead of Russell in the standings. The 19-year-old Italian also secured pole position, continuing Mercedes' streak of qualifying first this season. Antonelli expressed satisfaction with the win after a challenging few races, noting the importance of seizing opportunities.

"It’s great to be back on the top step after a few difficult rounds," Antonelli stated. "It was a hard-fought race. We lost first place with the VSC but then we managed to make our way back."

He further commented on the championship implications, saying, "The momentum was always there. It was just about getting the results. Today we were a bit lucky with what happened in terms of the championship but you have to take every opportunity because we saw how much it can swing."

Other notable finishers included McLaren's Oscar Piastri in fifth, with Red Bull's Isack Hadjar sixth after starting from the back of the grid. Reigning champion Lando Norris of McLaren finished seventh, and Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto took eighth, followed by Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad in ninth and Alpine's Franco Colapinto in tenth.

The incident involving Russell and Hamilton remains under investigation, potentially impacting Hamilton's finishing position and further extending Antonelli's championship advantage. Antonelli's consistent performance throughout the season, marked by six wins, positions him as a strong contender for the 2026 title.