The 2026 F1 drivers’ standings have changed significantly following the Belgian Grand Prix, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli returning to winning ways at Spa-Francorchamps and extending his championship advantage. The Mercedes driver now leads Lewis Hamilton by 45 points, while George Russell’s first-lap retirement has dropped him behind the Ferrari driver.
Lewis Hamilton has moved back into second place with 159 points, five ahead of George Russell. Charles Leclerc’s runner-up finish at Spa has also allowed him to reduce the gap to both drivers, although the Monegasque remains 78 points behind championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
2026 F1 drivers’ standings after the Belgian GP
- 1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes – 204 points
- 2. Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari – 159 points
- 3. George Russell – Mercedes – 154 points
- 4. Charles Leclerc – Ferrari – 126 points
- 5. Lando Norris – McLaren – 103 points
- 5. Oscar Piastri – McLaren – 92 points
- 7. Max Verstappen – Red Bull – 91 points
- 8. Isack Hadjar – Red Bull – 60 points
- 9. Pierre Gasly – Alpine – 42 points
- 10. Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls – 39 points
- 11. Arvid Lindblad – Racing Bulls – 22 points
- 12. Franco Colapinto – Alpine – 19 points
- 13. Oliver Bearman – Haas – 18 points
- 14. Gabriel Bortoleto – Audi – 10 points
- 15. Carlos Sainz – Williams – 6 points
- 16. Alexander Albon – Williams – 5 points
- 17. Esteban Ocon – Haas – 3 points
- 18. Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin – 1 point
- 19. Nico Hülkenberg – Audi – 0 points
- 20. Valtteri Bottas – Cadillac – 0 points
- 21. Sergio Perez – Cadillac – 0 points
- 22. Lance Stroll – Aston Martin – 0 points
Andrea Kimi Antonelli extends his championship lead
Andrea Kimi Antonelli returned to the top step of the podium at the Belgian Grand Prix, strengthening his position at the head of the championship. His victory takes him to 204 points and restores a 45-point advantage over Lewis Hamilton, who is now his closest challenger.
The outcome was particularly costly for George Russell. The Mercedes driver was eliminated during the opening lap at Spa and failed to score, allowing Lewis Hamilton to move back ahead of him in the standings. George Russell remains on 154 points, five behind the seven-time world champion.
The result underlined the importance of reliability and clean execution during a demanding weekend in which teams also had to manage revised energy-management requirements at Spa. The Belgian circuit’s long straights and complex power demands had already been identified as a major challenge under the 2026 regulations.
Charles Leclerc gains ground with second place at Spa
Charles Leclerc finished second in Belgium and has moved to 126 points. The Ferrari driver reduced his deficit to both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, but he is now 78 points behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the top of the standings.
The result represented a strong return for Ferrari after Charles Leclerc had approached the weekend with measured expectations regarding the SF-26’s competitiveness. Before the race, he had outlined Ferrari’s objectives for the Belgian Grand Prix and the difficulty of challenging on a circuit with such distinctive aerodynamic and power-unit demands.
Ferrari nevertheless left Spa with Lewis Hamilton second in the championship and Charles Leclerc fourth. The team’s performance came during a weekend featuring several technical developments across the grid, detailed in the Belgian Grand Prix pit-lane upgrade analysis.
Max Verstappen closes to within one point of Oscar Piastri
Max Verstappen returned to the podium in Belgium and has climbed to 91 points. The Red Bull driver is now only one point behind Oscar Piastri, who remains on 92, while Lando Norris leads the McLaren pair with 103 points.
Valuable points were also collected by Isack Hadjar, Lando Norris, Gabriel Bortoleto, Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto. Isack Hadjar remains eighth in the championship with 60 points, while Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson complete the top ten.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli therefore leaves Spa with a strengthened grip on the championship lead, but the battle behind him remains close. Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Charles Leclerc are separated by 33 points, leaving Ferrari firmly involved in the fight near the front of the 2026 standings.
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