Kimi Antonelli strengthened his grip on the Formula 1 drivers’ championship on Sunday, September 13, by winning the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s Madring, securing back-to-back victories and extending his championship lead to 81 points.
The Mercedes driver now has 292 points, with team-mate George Russell finishing fifth and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton retiring because of a brake failure. The result further widened Antonelli’s advantage over both of his closest rivals.
Antonelli finished four seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, while McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the podium in third. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crossed the line fourth, followed by Russell in fifth.
Liam Lawson finished sixth, ahead of Alpine’s Franco Colapinto in seventh. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took eighth, with Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad ninth and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg completing the top 10.
A virtual Safety Car that decided everything
Norris, who started on pole, made a strong getaway and initially controlled the race, building a significant advantage over Antonelli as McLaren appeared on course for victory.
The key strategic moment came on lap 14, when Lance Stroll crashed out and triggered a Virtual Safety Car. Antonelli and Verstappen both pitted under the neutralisation, while McLaren opted to keep Norris on track.
That decision proved costly when Norris eventually made his stop. A seven-second pit stop further damaged his chances of challenging for victory and allowed Antonelli to take control of the race.
Norris recovered to finish third, limiting the damage to his championship campaign. The result moved him to 186 points, just five behind Hamilton.
Mercedes strengthens its grip
Antonelli’s victory further strengthened Mercedes’ dominance in both championships.
The Italian now leads Russell by 81 points and sits 101 points ahead of Hamilton. Mercedes has also opened up a 145-point advantage over Ferrari in the constructors’ championship, putting the team in a commanding position with the season entering its later stages.
Ferrari suffer decisive championship setback
Ferrari endured a difficult afternoon in Madrid when Hamilton was forced to retire after suffering a brake failure, which ended his race in a disappointing way.
The result dealt a potentially decisive blow to Ferrari’s championship ambitions. Leclerc’s fourth place provided some consolation, but Hamilton’s retirement left Ferrari unable to match Mercedes’ points haul and further reduced its chances of mounting a title challenge in either championship.
Formula 1 will now take a break before returning to action for Round 15 of the 2026 season at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, scheduled for September 24–26.
