Another Sunday to remember Italy's Formula 1. Kimi Antonelli returns to victory and signs the sixth seasonal success in the temple of Spa-Francorchamps, managing to get the better of on a very great Charles LeclercFerrari, meanwhile, confirmed its position as the most competitive car of the field. Max Verstappen also finished on the podium, while Lewis Hamilton's other Ferrari finished in fourth place. It was a tough day for George Russell, forced to retire on the first lap after a collision with Hamilton.
Antonelli catches Leclerc and scores his sixth victory
Antonelli's victory came at the end of a intense duel with Leclerc, able to exploit the neutralization phase and the pit strategy to temporarily take the lead. Once he lost the lead, the championship leader remained unfazed. Thanks to the Mercedes' pace and speed on the long straights of Spa, Antonelli gradually closed the gap, caught up with the Ferrari and completed the decisive overtaking move. From that moment on, the Italian managed the advantage to the checkered flag, further strengthening their position in the standings.
"It was great to be back on the podium after a series of difficult stages. It was a close race; I lost the lead due to the safety car, and it was a tough battle with Leclerc because he was going strong," Antonelli said after the race. The Mercedes driver then reiterated that he never lost confidence. "I always had momentum, but I wasn't able to bring home the results for various reasons. I have to seize every opportunity; we need to continue to improve our performance, and we'll see what happens at the end of the year."
Leclerc almost hits the jackpot, Ferrari confirms its growth
Leclerc had long entertained the possibility of winning, battling with Antonelli until the closing stages. Second place confirmed Ferrari's leap in quality, appearing particularly competitive in the middle sector of the Belgian track and able to match the Mercedes' pace for much of the race. "I believed in the win until the end; we had a bit of luck with the virtual safety car," the Monegasque explained after the podium. "I felt good in the car; we've certainly made a good step forward."
The Spa result also provides the Maranello-based team with important insights into the second half of the season. Leclerc finished ahead of Verstappen, while Hamilton took the other SF-26 to fourth place, allowing Ferrari to secure a significant lead in the constructors' standings as well.
Hamilton holds on with the damaged Ferrari
Hamilton's race was conditioned from the first corners from the contact with Russell. In the incident, the British driver's Ferrari suffered damage to the front wing and floor, losing a significant portion of the aerodynamic load needed to tackle a fast and demanding circuit like Spa. Despite a car compromised in terms of balance and flow management, the seven-time world champion managed to continue and climb up to fourth place. A performance that reinforces the feeling of a solid and competitive Ferrari even in difficult conditions.
Antonelli extends his lead in the World Championship, now the race is in Hungary
With the success in Belgium, Antonelli climbs to 204 points and consolidates his lead in the drivers' standingsBehind him Hamilton reaches 159, ahead of Russell with 154 and Leclerc with 126.
Russell's retirement allows the young Italian to widen his lead, while Leclerc's second place keeps Ferrari fully involved in the championship battle. The championship will return on Sunday 26 July, with the Hungarian Grand Prix scheduled for 15pm on the Hungaroring circuit.
