A 19‑year‑old Mercedes rookie claimed the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, sealing his sixth triumph of the season at Spa‑Francorchamps when he out‑drifted Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to take the checkered flag.
After the victory, the driver signed the Moët & Chandon bottle with a handwritten note reading “Happy Birthday, Dad,” a gesture that sparked applause and light‑hearted commentary on Reddit and Twitter.
One fan posted, “Forever a fan of Kimi. What a wholesome moment,” while another added, “Awww what a great gift for his dad. Dedicating the win to him.” A third commented: “Another wholesome moment from Kimi, I’ll be happy for him if [when] he becomes WDC.”
Championship Impact
Heading into Spa, Antonelli led his teammate George Russell by 25 points. The race’s outcome pushed that advantage to 45 points over Lewis Hamilton, who moved to second after Russell retired following a collision with Hamilton.
Russell now sits in third, five points behind Hamilton. Antonelli attributed the success to both skill and fortunate circumstances, saying the team had “to take every opportunity because we saw it can really swing very easily.”
Weekend Outlook
The next race will be the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, scheduled for 24‑26 July and marking the sole event before the summer break. The sprint promises another focal point for the midfield battle among the front‑running Mercedes and Red‑Bull packages.
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