Ferrari left the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix with a result that exceeded expectations, as Charles Leclerc fought for victory before finishing an excellent second and Lewis Hamilton recovered to fourth despite car damage and a five-second penalty. After qualifying had once again highlighted the SF-26’s power-unit deficit, the race at Spa-Francorchamps proved considerably more positive for the Italian team.
Charles Leclerc led after taking advantage of a well-timed Virtual Safety Car and defended bravely against Kimi Antonelli, but Ferrari’s straight-line limitations eventually left him unable to keep the Mercedes behind. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, overcame an opening-lap collision with George Russell, aerodynamic damage and a penalty before passing Oscar Piastri late in the race.
Qualifying had clarified Ferrari’s situation ahead of the tenth round of the Formula 1 season. The team was once again forced to accept its familiar power-unit disadvantage, particularly around a circuit dominated by long full-throttle sections. There were also concerns that the situation could become even more difficult over a full race distance because of energy deployment and tyre management.
Those worries had been reinforced by the FIA’s revised energy-management rules for Spa, which placed further emphasis on how efficiently each car could deploy and recover electrical energy around the lap. Nevertheless, Ferrari ultimately emerged from the Belgian Grand Prix with both cars inside the top four.
Ferrari starts on medium tyres in damp Spa conditions
Both Ferrari drivers began the race on medium tyres. The yellow-marked Pirelli compound needed to be managed carefully during the opening stint to avoid shortening its competitive life, while the weather added another layer of uncertainty.
Conditions had deteriorated compared with the sunshine seen the previous day. The circuit was damp and a very light drizzle was falling, although it was not yet heavy enough to make the track properly wet. That made the race more complicated, but it also presented Ferrari with an opportunity to exploit an unpredictable situation.
The SF-26 had to make an aggressive start and recover positions immediately. Both Ferrari drivers released the clutch cleanly, but neither was able to complete an overtake before the first corner. Moments later, however, the complexion of the race changed dramatically.
George Russell loses energy as Charles Leclerc climbs to second
George Russell suffered an apparent loss of energy on the Kemmel Straight, allowing both Ferraris to sweep past the Mercedes. Charles Leclerc also overtook Max Verstappen and moved into second place, while Lewis Hamilton made contact with George Russell’s car.
The collision proved terminal for George Russell, who was forced to retire. Lewis Hamilton continued, although the number 44 Ferrari had sustained damage around the aerodynamic elements beneath the mirror area.
Race control deployed the Safety Car to allow the marshals to remove George Russell’s Mercedes and clear the track. The incident between the two British drivers was immediately placed under investigation.
From the onboard footage, the collision initially appeared to have many of the characteristics of a first-lap racing incident, with the field tightly grouped and grip levels reduced. The stewards later reached a different conclusion and held Lewis Hamilton responsible, although they also recognised several mitigating circumstances.
Lewis Hamilton receives five-second Belgian GP penalty
At the restart, Kimi Antonelli did an effective job of controlling the field and began to establish a small advantage. Charles Leclerc attempted to remain within range of the Mercedes but was unable to maintain its slipstream and was subsequently overtaken by Max Verstappen.
The Red Bull appeared to have more electrical energy available across the lap, giving Max Verstappen an advantage on Spa’s high-speed sections. Lewis Hamilton remained fifth behind Oscar Piastri, although his early pace did not initially look especially strong.
The damage sustained during the opening-lap incident had undoubtedly affected the Ferrari’s performance. Lewis Hamilton received a continuous stream of instructions regarding the SF-26’s settings, with Ferrari suggesting different mappings to improve the car’s balance through the corners and under braking.
By lap nine, however, Lewis Hamilton remained relatively close to Oscar Piastri. The McLaren driver was applying pressure to Charles Leclerc, who successfully defended against the first attack.
Oscar Piastri’s McLaren then made contact with the Ferrari. After Ferrari ruled out an immediate tyre problem, Charles Leclerc’s car appeared to have escaped significant damage. Oscar Piastri was less fortunate, as his front wing seemed to have been affected.
Lewis Hamilton capitalised and overtook the Australian. Despite complaining about energy deployment, the seven-time world champion was beginning to produce competitive pace, suggesting that the damage was no longer compromising his performance as severely as it had during the opening laps.
Ferrari’s weekend had already shown how important deployment would be after Lewis Hamilton questioned the wider role of battery-assisted overtaking under the 2026 regulations. At Spa, where the Kemmel Straight magnifies any difference in available energy, the issue became central to the race.
Lewis Hamilton was then given a five-second penalty for the collision with George Russell, a sanction that had the potential to transform his final result. Ferrari did not immediately inform him over the radio, possibly to avoid disrupting his concentration during a crucial phase of the race.
Lewis Hamilton asks Ferrari to swap positions
Lewis Hamilton remained close behind Charles Leclerc and attempted to pass his team-mate twice during the first sector. The British driver then reported over the radio that he believed he had stronger pace.
Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, felt the pressure from the second Ferrari was unnecessary at that stage. From a wider perspective, both SF-26 cars were still remarkably close to the leaders by lap 15.
Charles Leclerc was third, 3.5 seconds behind Kimi Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton was fourth and only one second further back. Ferrari’s tyre management was proving excellent, and the cooler, damp conditions appeared to be helping the car maintain its race pace.
The team subsequently requested its first tyre-phase update, allowing the pit wall to collect detailed information regarding the condition and behaviour of the Pirelli tyres. Lewis Hamilton remained extremely active over the radio and repeatedly asked for guidance on how to optimise his performance.
Ferrari then received positive news when the contact between Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri was judged not to require a penalty. The stewards later concluded that Charles Leclerc had not deliberately forced the McLaren driver beyond the edge of the circuit.
The decision aligned with Charles Leclerc’s earlier calls for clearer racing procedures, including his proposed approach to avoiding controversial Safety Car finishes and improving how certain incidents are managed.
Ferrari reacts as the pit-stop window opens
Max Verstappen entered the pits on lap 18, promoting the two Ferraris to second and third. Lewis Hamilton asked for information about the strategy, and race engineer Riccardo Adami referred to “Plan B” over the radio.
Almost immediately, another twist arrived when race control activated the Virtual Safety Car. It lasted only half a lap, which meant Ferrari could not complete both pit stops in time to gain an advantage over Max Verstappen.
It was during this phase that Ferrari finally informed Lewis Hamilton of his five-second penalty. The British driver did not react angrily and instead appeared to accept the news philosophically while remaining focused on the race.
Charles Leclerc takes the lead during Virtual Safety Car
A second Virtual Safety Car period arrived on lap 21. Although it was again brief, it gave Ferrari enough time to bring both drivers into the pits.
Charles Leclerc gained a crucial advantage over Kimi Antonelli, who had stopped shortly before the double yellow flags were shown. The Ferrari returned to the circuit in second place on the road, although Lando Norris still had to make his pit stop.
Lewis Hamilton rejoined sixth after serving his five-second penalty. A moment of hesitation during the pit stop cost him approximately another two seconds and allowed Oscar Piastri to move ahead.
When racing resumed, Charles Leclerc quickly overtook Lando Norris and began trying to build an advantage. Kimi Antonelli initially appeared unable to clear the McLaren as efficiently, leaving the Ferrari driver in the lead with 19 laps remaining.
The strategic opportunity was particularly valuable because Ferrari had expected Spa to expose the SF-26’s limitations. Charles Leclerc had already outlined Ferrari’s cautious expectations for the Belgian Grand Prix, while the team’s technical choices were examined closely throughout the weekend.
Kimi Antonelli begins hunting down Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton remained sixth and did not initially appear as competitive on the hard tyres as he had been on the mediums. On lap 26, Kimi Antonelli finally overtook Lando Norris and began pursuing Charles Leclerc.
The two leaders were separated by just over three seconds. Charles Leclerc pushed hard to defend his advantage, although the Ferrari was beginning to show a slight lack of rotation.
Race engineer Bryan Bozzi suggested several adjustments intended to help the number 16 turn more effectively. Charles Leclerc accepted the advice, but Kimi Antonelli continued to close and removed several tenths from the gap on almost every lap.
Both drivers also had to protect their tyres and avoid a sudden performance cliff near the end of the race. Lewis Hamilton improved his pace behind them, but his seven-second deficit to Oscar Piastri initially appeared too large to overcome.
The underlying technical battle reflected many of the issues highlighted in the Belgian GP pit-lane technical analysis, with efficiency, downforce level and energy use all playing a decisive role around Spa-Francorchamps.
Charles Leclerc loses the lead but continues to fight
Charles Leclerc was driving at the limit, but Kimi Antonelli was faster. The Mercedes driver moved within one second and was therefore close enough to use the 2026 overtaking assistance.
Charles Leclerc also complained about his performance through La Source, a corner he was struggling to interpret correctly. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, began matching his team-mate’s lap times and gained a position when Lando Norris finally stopped, moving into fifth.
The Monegasque began to slide under traction, which was far from ideal with Kimi Antonelli directly behind him. With ten laps remaining, Charles Leclerc surrendered the lead to the Italian driver.
The Kemmel Straight and Ferrari’s power deficit ultimately made the position extremely difficult to defend. The SF-26 remained competitive in several areas of the lap, but it could not consistently match the energy deployment and straight-line performance of the Mercedes package.
Although Charles Leclerc’s hopes of victory had faded, Lewis Hamilton was rapidly closing on Oscar Piastri. The gap fell to just 3.2 seconds, and the Ferrari driver continued to believe that fourth place was achievable.
Lewis Hamilton overtakes Oscar Piastri for fourth
Charles Leclerc refused to give up and remained close to Kimi Antonelli during the following laps. He repeatedly used the overtaking mode but could not move near enough to launch a realistic attack.
Lewis Hamilton succeeded where his team-mate could not. After completing an impressive recovery, he reached Oscar Piastri and overtook the McLaren driver to claim fourth place.
Nothing significant changed during the final five laps. Charles Leclerc crossed the line second behind Kimi Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton secured fourth despite the collision, damage, penalty and time lost during his pit stop.
Ferrari’s race ultimately proved far more positive than expected, helped significantly by the timing of the Virtual Safety Car. Charles Leclerc secured a superb podium and briefly fought for victory, while Lewis Hamilton’s recovery demonstrated strong pace once the SF-26’s balance had been stabilised.
Ferrari leaves Spa with valuable championship points
Without the five-second penalty, the source argues that both Ferrari drivers could have reached the podium. That remains a hypothetical conclusion, particularly because removing a penalty would also have altered Lewis Hamilton’s strategic and on-track circumstances, but his final pace showed that he had the speed to compete near the front.
Ferrari nevertheless confirmed that it remains firmly involved in the championship battle. The team collected an important haul of points and showed that it can challenge the leading cars even on a circuit expected to expose its main technical weakness.
The broader question now concerns how much Ferrari can improve its power unit. With greater output and more effective electrical deployment, the SF-26 could potentially fight for victories more regularly rather than relying on circuit characteristics or strategic opportunities.
Attention will therefore turn towards the expected ADUO development and whether it can provide the improvement Ferrari needs. For now, Spa offered encouragement: Charles Leclerc delivered an outstanding second place, Lewis Hamilton recovered to fourth and Ferrari demonstrated that it has no intention of abandoning the 2026 title fight.
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