Antonelli Wins Belgian GP, Extends Title Lead as Russell Crashes

Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) won the Belgian Grand Prix, his sixth victory of the season, extending his championship lead to 45 points over Lewis Hamilton. The race was marked by a first-lap clash between Hamilton and George Russell that eliminated Russell and handed Antonelli a clear path to victory.

Incident at Les Combes

On lap 1, Hamilton and Russell made contact at Les Combes, sending Russell into the gravel and out of the race. The stewards penalized Hamilton with a 5-second time penalty for causing the collision Source: ABC.es. Additionally, Ferrari was fined €30,000 (€10,000 suspended) for an unsafe pit release when Hamilton hit a mechanic during his penalty service Source: Excélsior MX.

Championship implications

Antonelli now leads with 204 points, followed by Hamilton (159) and Russell (154). The Italian acknowledged his luck: "Today we had some luck with what happened (with Russell) in terms of the championship. That's why you have to take every opportunity" Source: Excélsior MX.

Other key results

• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) finished second, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) third.
• Franco Colapinto (Alpine) scored a point with 10th place, saying: "I'm very happy with what I achieved in Spa" Source: La Voz.
• Spanish drivers Carlos Sainz (16th) and Fernando Alonso (19th) finished out of the points Source: Milenio MX.

The win cements Antonelli's status as championship favorite after three difficult races. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff praised Antonelli's dominant weekend Source: Excélsior MX.