Kimi Antonelli scored his sixth win of the season during the Belgian GP. Initially, the young polesitter lost the lead to Charles Leclerc, but in the race he controlled the Monegasque and extended his lead in the World Championship standings. He was helped by the retirement of teammate George Russell, who had to stop his race after a collision with Lewis Hamilton. In the international media, the unleashed Antonelli is increasingly popular.
His compatriots from La Gazzetta dello Sport speak of a new masterpiece by Antonelli. He was also compared to the last Italian winner of the Belgian Grand Prix: two-time world champion Alberto Ascari. The Milanese made a name for himself in the fifties in the top class. “In a race full of unexpected twists, Kimi Antonelli managed to face all challenges and constantly maintained control,” cheers the pink sports newspaper. “Antonelli as Ascari,” sounds the honorable comparison.
One crashes out, the other triumphs
Max Verstappen completed the podium behind Leclerc. The Dutchman also receives praise, especially because the less competitive Red Bull actually does not belong on the podium. “Red Bull is no longer the benchmark,” they admit at La Gazzetta. “But in Max’s hands, the RB22 remains a formidable opponent. On Sunday, he achieved his second podium in the last three races. That cannot be ignored; it is Verstappen’s class that earns him a podium place.” Of course, Ferrari hero Leclerc also receives praise. “The red car, which from the very beginning lagged behind the cars with Mercedes engines, actually excels on the circuit known for its long straights.”
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George Russell was less fortunate than the gentlemen on the podium. After a collision in the first lap, the Englishman immediately hit a wall and had to watch Antonelli pull further ahead in the championship. “One crashes out, the other triumphs,” summarized BILD the race. “Where two dogs fight for a bone, the third runs away with it.” Lewis Hamilton, now the closest challenger to Antonelli, received a time penalty for the incident and could not make a stand against the other leaders with a damaged front wing.
“Teammate George Russell had to watch with empty eyes as the young Mercedes star celebrated his sixth win,” said the German editor on duty. “Precisely because of Lewis Hamilton, the other big rival of Antonelli in the title fight. Because of the incident, the Italian significantly increased his lead.” On his own strength, emphasized BBC. “An almost perfect weekend for the leader in the Mercedes championship,” judged the British. “He was the fastest in two of the three free practices and took pole position with more than three tenths of a second advantage. After an unfortunately timed virtual safety car, he managed to overtake Charles Leclerc and win the race.”
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Unlucky George Russell
Het Laatste Nieuws was also impressed by what Antonelli had achieved on home soil. “He didn’t get it handed to him by Leclerc, but Antonelli came out on top,” concluded the Belgian medium. “He restored his comfortable lead in the championship, which had shrunk in the last three races. Max Verstappen, in turn, had a good start from the front row and even jumped into the lead in the first lap. But barely a lap later, both Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc flew past him, making it quickly clear that third place was the highest achievable for the Dutchman.”
‘Unlucky George Russell,’ the medium dubbed the Englishman from Mercedes. “After less than a lap, his race was already over. Russell thus lost valuable points for the standings. Shortly after the start, he came into contact with Hamilton’s Ferrari, who was found guilty and received a five-second penalty. Russell bought nothing from Hamilton’s penalty and could do nothing but mourn another painful retirement. Because while he had slowly but surely been catching up to teammate Antonelli in recent weeks, the Italian now leads by 25 points again in the World Championship standings, while also passing Hamilton in the title fight.”
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