F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli Returns to Victory, Leclerc Held at Bay. Russell Crashes Out, Hamilton Penalized

Andrea Kimi Antonelli returns to victory. After three races without a win, the Formula 1 championship leader claimed victory at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, solidifying his lead in the overall standings and making the most of his teammate and closest rival George Russell’s retirement. The driver from Bologna, who started from pole position, lost the lead due to a virtual safety car that benefited Charles Leclerc, but then regained the lead by passing the Ferrari driver with ten laps to go.

Joining the Mercedes driver on the podium were the driver from Monaco, who put on a spectacular performance, and Max Verstappen, who finished third in his Red Bull. The other Ferrari driver, Lewis Hamilton—who had to serve a five-second penalty following contact with Russell at the start—finished in fourth place ahead of Oscar Piastri. Also in the top ten were Isack Hadjar, Lando Norris, Gabriel Bortoleto, Arvid Lindblad, and Franco Colapinto.

A Sunday to forget for Russell, who ended up in the gravel on the first lap after contact with Lewis Hamilton. In the overall standings, Antonelli now has 209 points and leads ahead of Lewis Hamilton (159), George Russell (154), and Charles Leclerc (126).

Race results (top 10)
1 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes Leader
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +1.952
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +11.586
4 Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, +17.245
5 Oscar Piastri, McLaren, +18.988
6 Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing, +23.307
7 Lando Norris, McLaren, +24.014
8 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi +49.140
9 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls +50.406
10 Franco Colapinto Alpine +75.813