Antonelli wins Belgian GP as Russell crashes out, Leclerc second

Kimi Antonelli wins Belgian Grand Prix as George Russell crashes out

Kimi Antonelli secured victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, reclaiming a comfortable championship lead after team-mate George Russell was eliminated in a first-lap collision. Charles Leclerc finished second and Max Verstappen took third in a race shaped by an early incident and a decisive virtual safety car (VSC) period.

Antonelli started from pole and managed the opening laps carefully, briefly relinquishing track position before regaining the lead on the Kemmel straight. On the opening lap George Russell and Lewis Hamilton made contact at Les Combes, forcing Russell into the gravel and retirement while Hamilton continued with a five-second penalty added later.

On lap 17, as Verstappen pitted, Antonelli extended his lead before stopping the following lap. A subsequent VSC allowed Leclerc to pit and rejoin ahead of Antonelli, giving the Ferrari a temporary advantage. Lando Norris led briefly on an alternate strategy but lost time under the VSC and after a slow pit stop, dropping him down the order.

Antonelli closed the gap to Leclerc and executed a pass on the Kemmel straight on lap 34 of 44. He maintained a margin under two seconds on the final laps and crossed the line just under two seconds clear to take his sixth win of the season.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The race outcome altered the championship standings: Antonelli regained a stronger lead, Russell dropped to third after retiring on lap one, and Hamilton moved ahead of Russell into second in the standings following his fourth-place finish. The VSC period notably influenced pit-stop timing and track positions for several drivers, including Leclerc and Norris.

Ferrari showed resilient race pace with Leclerc’s second place following his recent victory, while Verstappen consolidated third despite grip issues on his second tyre set. Norris advanced from 13th to finish seventh after strategy disruptions and a slow tyre change affected his charge.

Quick Look: What You Need to Know

• Kimi Antonelli won the Belgian Grand Prix and regained a clear championship lead.
• George Russell retired after a collision with Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap.
• Charles Leclerc finished second after benefiting from a VSC-enabled pit stop; Max Verstappen was third.