Kimi Antonelli delivered a cool, assured drive to win the Belgian Grand Prix for Mercedes, tightening his grip on the Formula One world championship. His title rival and teammate, George Russell, was left distraught after being knocked out on the opening lap following a clash with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli's Commanding Performance
Antonelli was in control from the front, fending off Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who finished second, even after Leclerc gained the lead through pit stops. The 19-year-old Italian now holds a 50-point lead over Russell in the championship standings.
The win marks Antonelli's sixth of the season, following victories in China, Japan, Miami, Canada, and Monaco. His remarkable start in only his second year in the sport has reasserted his supremacy in the title race.
Russell's Disappointment
Russell, who started third, was swallowed up by the Ferraris on the Kemmel straight and had to go around the outside of Hamilton at Les Combes. Hamilton appeared to lose front-end grip due to proximity to the car ahead, his left front wheel sliding into Russell's right rear. Hamilton was deemed at fault and received a five-second penalty for causing a collision.
Russell was emotional after the race, calling it a racing incident but bluntly blaming the lack of power on straights—an issue he has highlighted all weekend. "I just got totally swallowed up down the straight," he said. "I lost three positions down the straight into turn five and the incident was a racing incident. Maybe I could have gone a bit wider, maybe he could have braked a bit more. The incident shouldn't have happened if I had the speed down the straight. Very, very disappointed. No words at the moment."
Antonelli's Composure Under Pressure
After the opening-lap drama, Antonelli looked in control until the pit stops added jeopardy. He pitted on lap 19, but the Ferraris stayed out. When a virtual safety car was called to clear debris, both Ferraris pitted, and Leclerc emerged ahead of Antonelli with a 2.6-second advantage. Antonelli kept calm, putting in a sequence of quick laps, and within 10 laps had caught and passed Leclerc with relative ease, showcasing the Mercedes' pace.
Hamilton's Incident and Penalty
Hamilton served his penalty during his stop but struck a glancing blow against a mechanic who was leaning over the right front to adjust the wing. The mechanic was unhurt, but Hamilton is to be investigated for an unsafe release after the race. Hamilton finished fourth, subject to a potential penalty.
Other Results
Lando Norris came back from 13th on the grid to seventh for McLaren, while his teammate Oscar Piastri finished fifth. Max Verstappen, who finished third, had briefly led after passing Antonelli on the run down to Eau Rouge but was ultimately unable to challenge for the win.
