Charles Leclerc spent the Belgian Grand Prix making Kimi Antonelli work for every metre of victory. Ferrari’s strategy briefly moved the Monegasque into the lead, and the SF26 had enough pace to keep the Mercedes under pressure until the closing laps.
Antonelli eventually reclaimed P1 and won by 1.952 seconds. Leclerc still secured a statement P2 after starting fourth, while Lewis Hamilton recovered from opening-lap contact, a five-second penalty and minor car damage to finish P4.
Ferrari did not leave Spa with the trophy, but its performance carried real weight. The car attacked through Eau Rouge, held its own across the middle sector and stayed competitive on the power-heavy Kemmel Straight. A circuit expected to favour Mercedes instead produced one of Ferrari’s most complete weekends of the season.
This was more than damage limitation. Ferrari made the fastest car earn the result.
Spa Was Meant to Put Ferrari on the Back Foot
Spa asks a car to master conflicting demands. Drivers need confidence through Eau Rouge and Pouhon, stability through rapid direction changes and low drag on the long flat-out sections.
Those characteristics had Ferrari concerned before the weekend. The SF26 had previously lost time to Mercedes on the straights, particularly when outright efficiency mattered more than slow corner traction.
Qualifying appeared to support those fears. Leclerc admitted Ferrari could struggle to attack and defend on the straights, while Hamilton identified the opening and final sectors as the car’s weakest areas.
Leclerc changed the tone almost immediately. Strong energy deployment carried him past George Russell and Max Verstappen after Raidillon on the opening lap, putting the Ferrari into the leading group.
Verstappen later recovered P2, but Leclerc remained close. He did not slip into a lonely defensive race. Instead, he stayed connected to Antonelli and placed Ferrari within striking distance when the Grand Prix shifted.
“We were not expecting this kind of result at Silverstone and Spa due to the layout of the track,” Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said.
Vasseur’s surprise reflected more than the finishing positions. Ferrari had found enough speed at two circuits that should have exposed the SF26’s biggest weakness.
Lap 20 Transforms Ferrari’s Podium Bid
Ferrari’s opportunity arrived when debris triggered a Virtual Safety Car on Lap 20.
Leclerc immediately entered the pits and changed from medium tyres to the hard compound. With the field circulating at reduced speed, Ferrari cut the normal time lost during a stop and returned its driver ahead of Antonelli.
The move turned a podium challenge into a fight for victory.
Leclerc then cleared Lando Norris near the end of the Kemmel Straight. Once the McLaren was out of the way, the Ferrari had clean air and control of the race.
His first laps on the hard tyre were difficult. Leclerc struggled to make the front axle respond, particularly through the faster corners, but the balance improved as the stint developed.
Behind him, Antonelli refused to rush. The Mercedes driver managed his tyres, reduced the gap gradually and waited until he could attack without destroying his rubber.
Ferrari had arrived preparing to limit its losses. By the middle of the race, its pit wall was defending the lead of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Antonelli Uses Mercedes Speed to Reclaim P1
Antonelli held no major tyre advantage. Both leaders were using the hard compound, leaving the battle to car performance, positioning and execution.
Traffic gave the Mercedes its opening. Valtteri Bottas delayed Leclerc through Turn 15, allowing Antonelli to close rapidly before the climb through Eau Rouge and Raidillon.
The Mercedes entered the Ferrari’s slipstream and carried greater speed onto the Kemmel Straight. Antonelli completed the move into Turn Five with 10 laps remaining.
Leclerc did not surrender the position easily. He stayed close after the pass, repeatedly reducing the gap to around 0.5 seconds and keeping Antonelli under pressure.
Only in the final laps did the Mercedes create enough space to control the finish.
Antonelli crossed the line 1.952 seconds ahead. The margin confirmed Mercedes still possessed the stronger package at Spa, but it also showed how little Ferrari had given away.
Hamilton Fights Back After Russell Contact
Hamilton’s race became complicated on the opening lap when Russell suffered a power deployment problem and lost momentum along the Kemmel Straight. The Ferrari moved ahead, but Russell fought back around the outside into Les Combes as Hamilton held the inside line.
Under braking, Hamilton’s car snapped into oversteer and touched the Mercedes. Russell spun into the gravel and retired, while Hamilton escaped with minor damage. The stewards blamed the Ferrari driver and issued a five-second penalty, although Russell later called the collision a racing incident and placed no blame on his former teammate.
Ferrari never identified the damaged component, but Hamilton maintained enough pace to stay competitive. He served the penalty during the Lap 20 stop, worked his way back through the field and passed Oscar Piastri to secure P4.
A serious pit lane mistake nearly overshadowed that recovery. Confusion over a late front wing adjustment left a mechanic in front of Hamilton’s right front tyre as the car received the signal to leave. Hamilton stopped quickly after clipping the crew member, who escaped injury.
The FIA fined Ferrari €30,000, with €10,000 suspended for 12 months. More importantly, the mechanic walked away, and Hamilton retained his result.
Ferrari Leaves Spa With New Confidence
Ferrari has now won in Barcelona and Silverstone before pushing Mercedes deep into the Belgian Grand Prix.
Each track has demanded something different. Barcelona tested tyre management and aerodynamic balance. Silverstone required commitment through sustained fast corners. Spa added long straights, elevation changes and heavy braking zones.
The SF26 has answered each challenge with genuine pace.
Mercedes remains the benchmark. Antonelli’s pass showed that the W17 still holds an advantage when both cars reach the same stretch of track on similar tyres.
Ferrari also left Belgium with problems to correct. Hamilton’s collision cost the team points, while the pit lane incident exposed an avoidable breakdown in communication.
Even so, the larger message was unmistakable. Leclerc led on merit after Ferrari seized its strategic opening. Hamilton dragged a damaged car back to P4, and Mercedes needed its full performance advantage to prevent the red cars from taking control.
Spa was supposed to uncover every weakness in the SF26. Instead, it revealed how far Ferrari has come.
READ MORE: Russell Blames Battery, Not Hamilton, After Costly Lap 1 Collision At Belgian GP
FAQs
Why was Leclerc’s P2 at Spa important for Ferrari?
Spa was expected to expose the SF26’s straight-line weakness. Leclerc’s P2 showed Ferrari could still challenge Mercedes at a demanding circuit.
How did Leclerc take the lead at the Belgian Grand Prix?
Ferrari stopped Leclerc during the Lap 20 Virtual Safety Car. The reduced pit loss brought him back onto the track ahead of Antonelli.
How did Antonelli pass Leclerc for the victory?
Antonelli closed through traffic, entered Leclerc’s slipstream and used the Mercedes’ speed on the Kemmel Straight to pass with 10 laps remaining.
What happened between Hamilton and Russell at Spa?
Hamilton and Russell collided while racing into Les Combes. Russell retired, while Hamilton continued with damage and received a five-second penalty.
Why did the FIA fine Ferrari after the race?
Hamilton’s right front tyre clipped a mechanic during an unsafe pit release. The mechanic escaped injury, and the FIA fined Ferrari €30,000.
