Kimi Antonelli converted pole into victory at Spa-Francorchamps, extending his championship lead further. George Russell, who qualified fourth, did not see the chequered flag, the day’s first retirement.
Qualifying: Antonelli on Pole, Verstappen Alongside
Antonelli took pole position, with Verstappen second and Norris third. Russell qualified fourth, with Leclerc fifth and Hamilton sixth for Ferrari. Piastri was seventh, Lindblad eighth for Racing Bulls, and Bortoleto and Hadjar rounded out the top ten.
Race: Antonelli Wins, Russell’s Race Ends Early
Antonelli converted pole into victory, leading home Leclerc in second after Leclerc climbed three places from fifth on the grid. Verstappen backed up his qualifying lap with third, and Hamilton moved from sixth to fourth. Piastri picked up fifth from seventh on the grid.
Hadjar climbed from tenth to sixth, while Norris dropped from third on the grid to seventh, despite setting the fastest lap of the race. Bortoleto backed up his qualifying lap with eighth for Audi, and Lindblad and Colapinto rounded out the points in ninth and tenth.
Russell, fourth on the grid, was the day’s first retirement. A Safety Car was deployed at some point during the race. Ferrari claimed the fastest pitstop of the afternoon.
The Points Table Tells the Story
Antonelli’s win takes him to 204 points, extending his lead to 45 over the new second-placed driver. Hamilton’s fourth place moves him to 159 and, with Russell’s retirement leaving him static on 154, up to second overall. Leclerc’s second place is worth 18 points, taking him to 126 and fourth.
Norris’s seventh place is worth six points despite the fastest lap, moving him to 103 in fifth. Piastri’s fifth place takes him to 92 in sixth, and Verstappen’s podium moves him to 91, just one point behind in seventh. Hadjar’s sixth place is worth eight, taking him to 60 and eighth.
In the constructors’, Mercedes extend their lead to 358 points on Antonelli’s win alone, Russell’s retirement costing them nothing given the size of the gap already built. Ferrari move to 285 on Leclerc and Hamilton’s combined 30. McLaren’s double from Piastri and Norris takes them to 195, and Red Bull Racing’s 23 from Verstappen and Hadjar moves them to 151. Audi’s Bortoleto adds another four points, taking the team to 10.
Drivers’ Championship: Top 10
| Pos | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 204 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 159 |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | 154 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 126 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 103 |
| 6 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 92 |
| 7 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 91 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 60 |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 42 |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 39 |
Constructors’ Championship: Top 10
| Pos | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 358 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 285 |
| 3 | McLaren | 195 |
| 4 | Red Bull Racing | 151 |
| 5 | Alpine | 61 |
| 6 | Racing Bulls | 61 |
| 7 | Haas F1 Team | 21 |
| 8 | Williams | 11 |
| 9 | Audi | 10 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 1 |
The Wider Picture
Mercedes extend their constructors’ lead despite Russell’s retirement, Antonelli’s win doing the work on its own.
Ferrari leave Spa with a strong result across both cars, Leclerc’s podium and Hamilton’s fourth place moving Hamilton above Russell in the drivers’ standings.
Red Bull scored with both cars, Verstappen’s podium and Hadjar’s sixth a solid weekend for the team.
McLaren picked up a double, though Norris’s seventh was a quieter day than his fastest lap suggested.
Audi continue to build with Bortoleto’s second points finish in as many rounds.
Final Verdict
Spa was Antonelli doing what he has done most of the season: pole, the win, and a widening championship lead. The more interesting story is behind him, where Russell’s retirement from fourth on the grid hands second place in the drivers’ standings to Hamilton, and Ferrari’s strong day with both cars in the points gives them real momentum heading into the next round.
Circuit photo: “2022 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps – Circuit” by United Autosports, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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