Antonelli wins Belgian GP, extends F1 lead as Russell crashes

Kimi Antonelli won the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, extending his Formula One championship lead to 45 points after title rival and Mercedes teammate George Russell crashed out on the first lap. Source: Al Jazeera The 19-year-old Italian's sixth win of the season came at Spa-Francorchamps, where he started from pole position. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished second, followed by Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Source: Al Jazeera

The Race

Antonelli led after qualifying, but lost the lead during a virtual safety car period. He regained it to win by 1.952 seconds. Source: Al Jazeera Russell's race ended on lap one after a collision with Lewis Hamilton, who received a five-second penalty but finished fourth. Source: Al Jazeera Lando Norris started 13th due to a grid penalty and finished seventh. Source: Al Jazeera

Russell's struggles

Russell, who entered the weekend as Antonelli's closest rival, had complained of a "serious issue" slowing his car, ruling out driving style as a factor. Source: CNA “There is a serious issue at play here... every lap I do and I see I am anywhere between two and six tenths down on the straights, it is pretty infuriating,” he said. Source: CNA The Briton's struggles contrast with Antonelli's consistent pace.

Antonelli's mindset

Antonelli, who had drawn blanks in two of the past three rounds, credited advice from tennis legend Roger Federer for helping him stay focused. Source: AP News “About pressure, he just told me to really focus one race at a time, just focus on what you can control,” Antonelli said. Source: AP News The win puts him 50 points clear of Russell in the standings. Source: Al Jazeera