Andrea Kimi Antonelli has now secured his sixth victory. The Mercedes driver defeated Charles Leclerc in the final stages of the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps, delivering a heavy blow to George Russell in the drivers’ championship. While his teammate has to lick his wounds after an early retirement, Kimi Antonelli extends his lead in the championship with his first win at Spa: ‘It’s great to be back on the top step of the podium’.
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The young Italian immediately got into a battle with Max Verstappen at the start of the race. The Dutchman overtook him early in the race, but soon Kimi Antonelli regained the lead thanks to the much-discussed ‘yo-yo racing’ with the 2026 cars. Because Ferrari was able to benefit from the virtual safety car during their pit stop, Kimi Antonelli in turn lost his position again to Charles Leclerc. In the final stages, however, the Italian got closer and closer to the Monegasque until he – this time definitively – passed the Ferrari driver.
“It’s great to be back on the top step of the podium after a few difficult races,” said a visibly relieved Kimi Antonelli after the race. “It was really a fight today. We lost the lead of course with the virtual safety car, but then we were still able to fight back.”
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‘Seize every opportunity’
With his win at Spa, Kimi Antonelli also delivers a heavy blow to teammate and title rival George Russell. The Brit retired from the race in the first lap. “The momentum was always there, but the result was lacking,” the Italian reflects on his bad luck during the past Grands Prix. “Today we had some luck regarding the championship, but that’s why you have to seize every opportunity when it arises. The situation can always change again. We have to keep performing.”
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