Kimi Antonelli Menangi Grand Prix Belgia 2026 di Spa-Francorchamps

Pembalap Mercedes Kimi Antonelli sukses menjuarai balapan Formula 1 Grand Prix Belgia di Sirkuit Spa-Francorchamps pada Minggu, 19 Juli 2026, setelah menyalip pembalap Ferrari Charles Leclerc menjelang akhir balapan.

Kemenangan keenam Antonelli musim ini diraih setelah ia mengejar posisi terdepan pada sepuluh putaran tersisa, tepatnya di Lap 34 di Kemmel Straight. Hasil tersebut membuat Antonelli kini mengoleksi 204 poin di puncak klasemen sementara, unggul 45 poin dari Lewis Hamilton di posisi kedua, sementara George Russell tertahan di peringkat ketiga setelah gagal finis akibat insiden di lap pembuka.

Charles Leclerc harus puas finis di posisi kedua dengan selisih 1,952 detik di belakang Antonelli, disusul oleh pembalap Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen di tempat ketiga.

"It’s great to be back on the top stop after a few difficult rounds," ujar Kimi Antonelli, pembalap Mercedes. "It was a hard-fought race. We lost the first place with the Virtual Safety Car, we made our way back and it was a touch win as Charles was quick."

Antonelli juga menambahkan mengenai momentum perebutan gelar juara dunianya musim ini setelah balapan selesai.

"The (championship) momentum was always there. It was just about getting the results and today we were a bit lucky, in terms of what happened in the championship but you have to take every opportunity because we can see how much it can swing. We have to keep performing, getting the results, and we will see what happens at the end of the year," kata Kimi Antonelli, pembalap Mercedes.

Sementara itu, Charles Leclerc yang sempat memimpin jalannya balapan setelah memanfaatkan situasi Virtual Safety Car mengakui keunggulan kecepatan dari mobil Mercedes.

"I believed in the win until the end," kata Charles Leclerc, pembalap Ferrari. "We had a bit of luck with the VSC at the right place for us. The pace was relatively strong. I felt better with the car, there is still some work to do but it is a step forward."

Di sisi lain, Max Verstappen yang mengamankan podium ketiga mengaku telah mengerahkan seluruh kemampuan terbaiknya sepanjang balapan di Spa-Francorchamps.

"I tried everything I could in the race. Kimi and I, we got a little bit unlucky with the VSC so for us, a podium is good.

I gave it everything I had," kata Max Verstappen, pembalap Red Bull.

Balapan ini juga diwarnai insiden benturan antara sesama mantan rekan setim, di mana Lewis Hamilton menabrak bagian belakang kanan mobil George Russell hingga Russell tersingkir ke area kerikil pada lap pertama. Atas insiden tersebut, Hamilton dijatuhi penalti waktu lima detik dan finis di posisi keempat, namun ia masih menghadapi investigasi lanjutan akibat insiden pelepasan pit yang tidak aman (unsafe release) setelah sempat menabrak mekaniknya sendiri.

"The incident with Lewis was a racing incident," kata George Russell, pembalap Mercedes. "He didn’t do it on purpose. He was more to blame than I. But he didn’t do anything reckless."

Russell yang mengawali balapan dari posisi ketiga mengaku kecewa karena mengalami masalah mekanis sejak start sehingga posisinya langsung merosot sebelum tikungan kelima.

"I was just angry I was in that position in the first place. I got a great start and I was ready to fight the two guys ahead of me up to turn five and instead I get swamped by three drivers because of another problem." ujar George Russell, pembalap Mercedes.

Russell merasa sangat terpukul karena rentetan hasil buruk yang menimpanya dalam beberapa balapan terakhir musim ini.

"I am numb to the disappointment. When it happens so often you just get used to it." kata George Russell, pembalap Mercedes.

Posisi lima besar dilengkapi oleh pembalap McLaren Oscar Piastri, disusul Isack Hadjar di posisi keenam, dan Lando Norris di urutan ketujuh setelah sempat terkena penalti mesin.