F1 2026, grid places, results, odds, stats and start time
Oscar Piastri’s potential podium dreams lasted eight laps.
After a disappointing qualifying session – the weekend marred by a hydraulic leak – Piastri started the Belgian Grand Prix in sixth place and looked unlikely to repeat his victory at the same circuit in 2025.
But the opening round provided the perfect opportunity. Lewis Hamilton collided with George Russell, sending his former Mercedes teammate into the gravel and triggering the safety car, ending the race. Piastri suddenly found himself in 4th place and in contention for a potential podium spot.
By Round 8, Piastri was locked in a fierce battle with Charles Leclerc for the third time; The Ferrari driver cornered Piastri defensively and made contact with the front of the McLaren, sending debris flying.
The impact damaged Piastri’s wing and floor.
“He didn’t leave enough room, this could have been a huge accident,” Piastri complained over the radio.
The incident was investigated but the referees decided not to take any action and Leclerc was not given a penalty.
The Australian fell down the rankings, but with the help of new tyres, he persevered his way up the rankings and managed to make some excellent overtakes. However, the McLaren driver did not have the pace to catch Hamilton and finished the race in fifth place.
Hamilton crossed the line in fourth, but the seven-time world champion and Ferrari are under investigation for an unsafe release, so Piastri could move up to fourth.
It was Kimi Antonelli’s day once again; The youngster strengthened his grip on the championship by taking pole position to win the Belgian Grand Prix.
After an exciting battle with Verstappen at the beginning of the race and with Leclerc on the penultimate lap, Antonelli managed to win his sixth grand prix.
In the post-race interview, Antonelli admitted he was “a little bit lucky with what happened in terms of the championship” but said he was grateful for the win.
“That’s why you have to take every opportunity because the situation can change really easily,” he said. “So we have to keep performing, keep getting results and see what happens at the end of the year.”
Completing the podium were Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. McLaren driver Lando Norris had an impressive race, fighting to take the race lead from 13th after a delayed pit stop. However, the 2025 world champion showed an extremely lethargic performance during the 7.8-second pit stop, causing him to lose crucial time and lose places.
Fans at the famous Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps also got a nostalgic taste of the McLaren interteam race with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri behind the wheels. But apparently the team wasn’t keen on enforcing the famous papaya rules, which stated that the two could compete against each other.
A McLaren engineer interrupted Norris’ radio and told him, “We don’t want a yo-yo race with the Oscars, I’ll explain why later.”
Ultimately, Sunday’s biggest casualty was George Russell, whose race ended early after a collision with Hamilton.
The distraught Mercedes driver told the media he was “swallowed on the straight” but could not blame Hamilton.
“I lost three places on the straight and it was a race accident. Maybe I could have gone wider, maybe that [Hamilton] Could have used the brakes a little more. I have no words right now,” he said in a post-race interview.
Russell’s retirement means that the gap between his teammate and rival Antonelli has increased to 50 points. While Antonelli is 45 points ahead in the championship race, Hamilton is second and Russell is third.
The next race is the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 26.
