Kimi Antonelli wins Belgian Grand Prix to extend F1 championship lead

Kimi Antonelli secured victory at the Belgian Grand Prix for Mercedes, capitalizing on a chaotic opening lap that eliminated his closest title rival. The 19-year-old Italian driver's win marked his sixth triumph in ten races this season, substantially widening his championship advantage. George Russell, Antonelli's Mercedes teammate and previously his nearest competitor, spun into the gravel on lap one following a collision with Lewis Hamilton as both drivers attempted to gain positions off the start line. Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, finished fourth despite receiving a five-second penalty for the incident with Russell and remained under investigation for an unsafe pit stop release that could further damage his championship position. Charles Leclerc brought Ferrari's second car home in second place, trailing Antonelli by nearly two seconds after benefiting from a pit stop executed during a virtual safety car period. Max Verstappen completed the podium in third, marking Red Bull's 300th Formula One podium finish. Antonelli's qualifying performance extended Mercedes' perfect record of pole position captures throughout the season. The victory left Antonelli 50 points clear of Russell in the championship standings. Oscar Piastri finished fifth for McLaren, while Lando Norris, the reigning champion, recovered from a 13th-place grid position to claim seventh place.