Kimi Antonelli seized the Belgian Grand Prix win by holding off Charles Le Clerc on a slick Spa track, extending his championship advantage in a dramatic clash of tyre strategies.
Antonelli’s early strategy at Spa
The 21‑year‑old Ferrari piloted from the front row, trading positions with Max Verstappen at the start but sticking to a hard‑tyre setup. After the first lap, when George Russell retired on Les Combes, Antonelli pushed hard on the Kemmel Straight, keeping pressure on the Ferrari who were leading the field.
Russell’s misfortune on lap one
Mercedes driver George Russell was forced down the gravel on the opening lap after a contact with Lewis Hamilton that followed a loss of battery power on the Kemmel Straight, terminating the “Mercedes monster” and handing the field to the front‑row duel.
Leclerc reacts to tyre changes
Following a virtual safety car on lap 20 to clear debris at Blanchimont, Le Clerc switched to the hard tyre, using the cooler window to overtake Antonelli. The Swiss driver built a modest gap to Lando Norris while the Brazilian remained a few laps behind due to a slower pit stop.
Verstappen and Hamilton’s midfield battle
Max Verstappen, who had only briefly led the race off the front of the grid, found himself in a crowded midfield midfield and was later lapped by Antonelli’s pace. Lewis Hamilton retired to fourth place after serving a five‑second penalty for the earlier collision and a later potential unsafe release penalty, leaving the top four open for the two Italian giants.
Late‑race battles and points finishers
The 30‑year‑old Frenchman, Isack Hadjar, slipped into sixth after combining an early safety‑car tyre change with a mid‑race VSC stop. Lando Norris, once behind Antonelli, dropped into seventh after a slow left‑rear wheel change. Gabriel Bortoleto ran into eighth, while Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto fought for the final point positions, with Colapinto’s two‑for‑one move on Gasly and Lawson providing a late surprise.
Antonelli’s 1.9‑second margin over Le Clerc stands as the decisive result, marking his first Formula One victory and pushing him a step closer to the looming world‑championship showdown.
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