Kimi Antonelli wins the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, doubles his Formula 1 championship lead
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli held off Charles Leclerc to win the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 19, taking his sixth race win of the 2026 Formula 1 season and doubling his lead in the drivers' championship
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Summary
Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on July 19, holding off Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in the closing laps to take his sixth race victory of the season, per The Race. Antonelli started from pole position, having set the fastest qualifying time at Spa on July 18 per the qualifying node. Max Verstappen finished third, Lewis Hamilton fourth, Oscar Piastri fifth, Isack Hadjar sixth, and Lando Norris seventh, per VAVEL's race results. The win doubled Antonelli's drivers' championship lead, per The Race.
Why it matters
Antonelli's sixth win in a single season at 20 years old marks him as the dominant force in the 2026 Formula 1 season heading into the second half of the calendar. A doubled championship lead makes it structurally harder for Leclerc or Verstappen to close the gap before the season's final rounds.
What to watch
- Updated championship standings and the gap between Antonelli and second place
- Whether Leclerc closes the gap at the next race
- Norris's recovery after his grid penalty dropped him to 13th at the start; whether McLaren close the constructors' gap to Mercedes