Race Notes - Antonelli wins in Spa

By Mark Karp

Kimi Antonelli, in his Mercedes GP, took the win at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps.

After good timing during a Virtual Safety car period for his pitstop, Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari took seconds place, 1.952 seconds behind. Max Verstappen in his Red Bull-Ford took third place, 11.585 seconds behind the winner.

Antonelli has now won his sixth win of the season, and sixth of his career.

In the Drivers Championship Antonelli (204) now leads Lewis Hamilton (159) by 45 points, and by 50 over his team mate George Russell (154) who drops to third, after he was out in a gravel trap on the first lap.

In the Constructors’ Championship Mercedes continues to lead with 358 points, ahead of Ferrari with 285, McLaren-Mercedes with 195, Red Bull-Ford with 151, and Alpine-Mercedes and Racing Bulls-Ford tied for fifth with 61 points each.

With six wins Antonelli is tied for career wins with Italian Riccardo Patrese.

It is Leclerc’s 54th podium finish, and Red Bull’s 300th.

It is the first win for an Italian at Spa since Alberto Ascai in 1953.

Lewis Hamilton (17.245s) in his Ferrari after taking a 5-second penalty at his pitstop, finished fourth, followed by Oscar Piastri (18.998s) in the McLaren-Mercedes was fifth, Isack Hadjar (23.307s) in the second Red Bull, after starting 21st, finished in sixth, his team mate Lando Norris (24.014s) was seventh, Gabriel Bortoleto (49.140s) in the Audi was eighth, Arvid Lindblad (50.406s) in the Racing Bulls-Ford was ninth, and Franco Colapinto (1m16.037s) in the Alpine-Mercedes finished with the final point in tenth place.

Before the race, the skies were overcast.

Antonelli is on pole with Verstappen alongside on the front row, Russell and Leclerc on row 2, Hamilton and Piastri on row 3, Lindblad and Bortoleto on row 4, and Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly rounding out the top ten. Norris with a 10-place penalty for a battery change starts 13th, while Hadjar with a Power Unit change starts 21st.

The top twelve on medium tyres, Norris and Hadjar starting on hards.

Drivers are expecting for a one stop strategy, starting on soft or medium tyres and switching to hards. Rain is not expected. The sun starts to break through.

At the appointed time the grid clears and the drivers take to the formation lap, make their way around the 7 km circuit, and lineup on the grid. The lights go out and the race begin with the short run to the hairpin. Antonelli gets off the line first. Verstappen takes the lead into Eau Rouge, but as they make there way up the hill into Les Combes Antonelli take the lead over Verstappen. Russell cuts across Hamilton, and the two touch and Russell ends up in the gravel trap.

The safety car is deployed, Antonelli leads Leclerc, Verstappen, Piastri, Hamilton, Lawson, Lindblad, Colapinto, Bortoleto, Norris in tenth, Gasly, Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Carlos Sainz, and Fernando Alonso in 15th, Lawrence Stroll, Oliver Bearman, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, and Hadjar in 21st.

Lap 5, the safety car in in and Antonelli leads. At the first corner Hamilton passes Piastri for fourth, but he comes back and repasses into Eau Rouge.

On lap 6 Antonelli is 1.4 seconds ahead of Leclerc.

At Les Combes Verstappen passes Leclerc for second.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m50.587s.

On lap 7 Piastri is close behind Leclerc, and the two touch at Les Combes but continue.

On lap 9 up the hill Hamilton passes Piastri for fourth.

Hamiton sets fast lap at 1m50.199s.

Norris passes Lawson for seventh.

On lap 10 Hamilton is given a 5-second penalty for contact with Russell on the first lap.

On lap 11 Antonelli leads Verstappen by 2.0 seconds, followed by Leclerc, Hamilton, Piastri, Lindblad, Norris, Lawson, Colapinto, and Gasly in tenth.

On lap 12 Gasly passes Colapinto for ninth.

Leclerc and Hamilton are close in third and foruh.

On lap 13 Hamilton looks for a way past Leclerc into Les Combes. Hamilton reports to the team that he is faster than his team mate.

At lap 15 Antonelli leads Verstappen by 2.3 seconds followed by Leclerc (3.5s), Hamilton (4.7s), Piastri (7.7s), Norris (11.6s), Lindblad (17.4s) in seventh.

Gasly is the first to pit.

On lap 17 Lindblad pits.

On lap 18 Verstappen pits from second, changes to hard tyres and rejoins in sixth place.

The virtual safety car is deployed, and is out right away.

Antonelli pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins fifth.

On lap 19 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m50.031s.

Norris follows Piasti closely and the two are battling.

The virtual safety is deployed again.

Leclerc, Hamilton, Piastri, Hadjar, Bortoleto, and Hulkenberg all pit.

Norris leads Leclerc, Antonelli, Verstappen. Piastri, Hamilton, Hadjar, Bortoleto, Lindblad and Lawson in tenth,

On lap 21 the virtual safety is over.

Norris is yet to pit and leads, ahead of Leclerc (0.5s), Antonelli (2.7s), and Verstappen (6.6s).

On lap 23 Leclerc passes Norris for the lead.

Antonelli is closing, 2.2 seconds behind Leclerc.

Hamilton will be investigated for an unsafe release from his pitstop, when one of his team members tumbles at the front of the car.

On lap 25 Antonelli is struggling to get past Norris for second place.

On lap 26 Antonelli passes Norris into Les Combes for second.

Leclerc leads by 2.7 seconds.

On lap 27 Verstappen tells the team that his hard tyres and not working well.

On lap 29 Verstappen passes Norris for third.

At lap 30 Leclerc lead Antonelli by 2.3 seconds, followed by Verstappen (7.0s), Norris (8.0s) still to change tyres, Piastri (8.8s), Hamilton (14.5s), Hadjar (21.2s), Bortoleto (30.7s), Lindblad (34.7s), and Colapinto (51.6s) in tenth.

On lap 31 Norris pits for medium tyres and rejoins eighth.

On lap 32 Antonelli closes to under a second behind Leclerc in the lead.

On lap 32 Norris passes Bortoleto for seventh.

On lap 33 Leclerc leads with Antonelli under a second behind.

On lap 34 Antonelli passes Leclerc up the hill and takes the lead.

Antonelli sets fast lap at 1m49.305 seconds.

At lap 35 Antonelli leads Leclerc by 0.7 seconds, followed by Verstappen (8.3s), Piastri (10.6s), Hamilton (12.4s), Hadjar (21.6s), Norris (28.7s), Bortoleto (37.6s), Lindblad (40.4s), and Colapinto (1m01.2s) in tenth.

Lando Norris sets fast lap at 1m49.103s.

On lap 37 Hamilton closes on Piastri in fourth place.

On lap 38 Leclerc is just outside of 1s behind Antonelli.

On lap 39 Norris sets fast lap at 1m.49.100s.

On lap 40 Hamilton passes on the outside of Piastri into Les Combes to take fourth.

Verstappen is ahead of Hamilton by 3.6 seconds.

On lap 41 Norris sets fast lap 1m49.084s, then again the next lap at 1m48.927s.

On lap 42 Antonelli increases his lead to 2.1 second over Leclerc, with Verstappen 9 seconds further back.

Norris sets another fast lap at 1m48.904s.

Taking the checkered flag, Antonelli wins ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen.

On the final lap Norris takes the fastest lap of the race at 1m48.890s.