Kimi Antonelli Wins F1 Belgian Grand Prix 2026; Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen Complete Podium
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, 19, secured a dominant victory for Mercedes at the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix 2026 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 19, 2026. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished second, with Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen in third.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli delivered a masterful performance at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, July 19, 2026, to win the Formula 1 Moët & Chandon Belgian Grand Prix. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver, starting from pole position, expertly navigated the challenging 7.004 km circuit over 44 laps to secure his maiden victory at Spa, marking a significant milestone in his burgeoning F1 career. Charles Leclerc Claims F1 British GP 2026 Victory; George Russell and Lewis Hamilton Finish Second and Third.
Kimi Antonelli Claims Belgian GP
YES, KIMI! 💪
ANTONELLI WINS THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX! 🏆🎉#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/ccrSiAYfn2
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 19, 2026
Starting from the front of the grid after outpacing his rivals by more than three-tenths of a second in Saturday’s qualifying session, Antonelli managed the opening lap cleanly through the tight La Source hairpin and the high-speed Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex. The Italian driver quickly established a comfortable gap outside the DRS window, displaying the same superior pace that saw him top the practice timesheets earlier in the weekend.
Mercedes executed a flawless strategy, allowing Antonelli to manage his compound degradation over the 44-lap race. Despite shifting track conditions and threats of typical Spa rain showers, the rookie driver maintained absolute composure, stretching his lead at the top of the World Drivers' Championship standings.
Podium Finishes
The fight for the remaining podium steps provided the bulk of the afternoon's drama. Charles Leclerc, who started on the second row following grid penalties applied to other frontrunners, used a highly effective undercut during the first round of pit stops to leapfrog into second place. The Scuderia Ferrari driver displayed strong defensive driving late in the Grand Prix to preserve his position.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen endured a combative race. Having lined up alongside Antonelli on the front row after working with teammate Isack Hadjar to secure a slipstream tow in qualifying, the Dutchman fell back slightly during the middle stint due to tyre management constraints. A late-race surge on fresher medium-compound tyres allowed Verstappen to close in on Leclerc, but he ultimately ran out of laps to make a definitive move, settling for third. India Targets Formula 1 Return by 2028, Sports Ministry Sets Up Task Force: Report.
Grid Penalties Reshape the Midfield
The final classification was heavily influenced by pre-race engine penalties that shook up the starting order. McLaren’s Lando Norris, who had qualified third fastest, was forced to start from 13th following a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his power unit component allocation. Norris recovered well through the field to claim a minor points position but was unable to challenge the top three.
The midfield order saw resilient drives from Racing Bulls and Audi, who capitalized on clean strategies to stay within the points positions. However, Antonelli’s masterclass remains the defining story of the weekend, reasserting Mercedes' dominance as the 2026 season edges closer to its summer break.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 19, 2026 08:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
