2026 Belgian Grand Prix Review: Antonelli Dominates at Spa

Kimi Antonelli answered Silverstone in the most emphatic way available, taking pole with a 1:44.361 and converting it into a controlled win at Spa-Francorchamps. Silverstone now looks like the anomaly rather than the turning point.

Charles Leclerc finished second and Max Verstappen third, in front of a crowd of 400,000 across the weekend.

Mercedes Against Itself on Lap One

The race's defining moment came at Les Combes on the opening lap, when Lewis Hamilton collided with George Russell and eliminated him on the spot.

Hamilton took a five-second penalty and recovered to fourth. Russell's retirement was the more expensive outcome, leaving him without points for a third time in the season and letting Hamilton past him in the standings.

Grid Penalties Reshuffle the Order

Spa arrived with an unusual volume of pre-race grid penalties. Lando Norris dropped ten places, Isack Hadjar thirty, Lance Stroll ten and Fernando Alonso twenty.

Norris recovered to seventh from that deficit, while Hadjar's sixth place from the back of the grid was arguably the drive of the afternoon. Oscar Piastri took fifth after side-to-side contact with Leclerc at turn five that the stewards judged worthy of no action.

Attrition

Three cars failed to finish. Russell went out in the lap-one collision, Sergio Perez retired with suspension trouble on lap 14 and Stroll stopped with a gearbox failure on lap 25.

The safety car appeared on lap two to recover Russell's car, and two virtual safety car periods followed around laps 17 and 20.

Championship Standings After Round 10

Antonelli extended his lead to 204 points, 45 clear of Hamilton on 159 and 50 ahead of Russell on 154. Mercedes led the constructors' championship on 358 points.

Looking Ahead: Hungary

The Hungaroring followed, the last race before the summer break. Mercedes had taken ten consecutive poles by that point, a run that was about to end in a way few expected.

Carry the Grid With You

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