SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Kimi Antonelli always believed he had the momentum in the Formula 1 title race even when results didn\u2019t go his way. He made it count with a dominant win Sunday as his teammate and title rival George Russell failed to finish.<\/p>\n
Antonelli saw off a challenge from Charles Leclerc to get back to winning ways at the Belgian Grand Prix after reliability issues had allowed Russell to whittle down his lead in recent weeks. Russell was left fuming in a gravel trap at his Mercedes car\u2019s shortcomings.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/NDY2YDJRRXYX745HBJECS3DANY.jpg\")
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy, left, steers his car during the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo\/Omar Havana) Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy, left, steers his car during the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo\/Omar Havana) <\/p>\n
Antonelli started on pole but lost the lead to Leclerc when a virtual safety car slowdown allowed the Ferrari driver to save time during his pit stop.<\/p>\n
Antonelli sped back past Leclerc with 10 laps remaining and cruised from there to his sixth win of the season — and his F1 career — and first since last month\u2019s Monaco Grand Prix. It gives him a 45-point overall lead after recent reliability problems and keeps the 19-year-old firmly on target to become F1\u2019s youngest-ever champion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe momentum has always been there despite what happened in the previous races, and that\u2019s why you just need to take one weekend at a time, because you never know what can happen,\u201d Antonelli said. \u201cWith these new cars, new regs, there\u2019s so much going on and so much unpredictable.\u201d<\/p>\n
With six wins, Antonelli is now joint-second all time among Italian F1 drivers, behind only Alberto Ascari, a 13-time Grand Prix winner and two-time champion in the early 1950s. In a marker-pen message on a champagne bottle, Antonelli dedicated the win to his father, former sportscar racer Marco Antonelli, whose birthday was on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Leclerc strong again<\/p>\n
Leclerc was second after avoiding a penalty for a collision which damaged Oscar Piastri\u2019s McLaren, and Max Verstappen was third after briefly taking, then losing, the lead from Antonelli on a hectic opening lap.<\/p>\n
The Italian stretched his standings lead after Russell was left stuck in the gravel on the first lap after he was pushed into a spin by Ferrari\u2019s Lewis Hamilton.<\/p>\n
Antonelli went into the race with a 25-point lead over Russell after recent reliability issues for the Italian had cut his advantage. That has now nearly doubled. Antonelli will leave Belgium with a 45-point gap over Hamilton, who moved up to second, and is 50 ahead of Russell.<\/p>\n
In a sign of tension at Mercedes after a heavy blow to his title chances, Russell seemed to blame his car, rather than Hamilton, for the incident. Russell said the incident wouldn\u2019t have happened if his car hadn\u2019t lost speed on the straight into the corner, dropping him behind Hamilton<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4WOZOK4U2FGE7DOPGCRF6S3AZU.jpg\")
Lewis Hamilton Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the second practice session ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo\/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) <\/p>\n
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff suggested it was a software problem affecting multiple cars with Mercedes engines.<\/p>\n
Hamilton facing investigation<\/p>\n
Hamilton was fourth for Ferrari after an eventful race including a five-second penalty for colliding with Russell, verbal spats with Ferrari over strategy and car setups over the radio, and knocking over a Ferrari mechanic as he left the pits.<\/p>\n
Hamilton immediately asked after the team member\u2019s health and was told he was OK, but was still facing an investigation after the race for an \u201cunsafe release\u201d from a pit stop.<\/p>\n
Oscar Piastri was fifth for McLaren and Isack Hadjar was a strong sixth for Red Bull despite starting at the back of the field because of a penalty.<\/p>\n
Lando Norris started 13th for McLaren thanks to a grid penalty but sliced through the field and even briefly led the race when others pitted. A pit stop delay dropped him back but he still finished seventh.<\/p>\n
Gabriel Bortoleto placed eighth for Audi, Arvid Lindblad ninth for Racing Bulls and Alpine\u2019s Franco Colapinto took the final point in 10th.<\/p>\n
The Associated Press<\/p>\n
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