Antonelli strengthens title grip with Spanish GP victory

Kimi Antonelli strengthened his championship grip with his eighth win of 2026 at the Spanish GP, taking the lead on Lap 48 and holding off Max Verstappen by 1.5 seconds. Lando Norris completed the podium after a late recovery.

Why it matters:

With Lewis Hamilton 101 points back after an early brake issue, the title fight is now effectively between Antonelli and teammate George Russell — and the gap is 81 points with eight rounds remaining.

The details:

• Antonelli spent most of the race behind before passing for the lead on Lap 48 of 57.
• Polesitter Norris missed a Virtual Safety Car window on Lap 15 and then suffered a slow green-flag stop, finishing third after a strong late charge.
• Charles Leclerc led much of the race on a hard-tire strategy, but Ferrari's Safety Car gamble never paid off; he finished fourth ahead of Russell.
• Liam Lawson took sixth, his best Red Bull result, while Franco Colapinto held off a damaged Oscar Piastri for seventh.
• Piastri was hampered by first-lap contact with Russell.
• Arvid Lindblad was ninth for Racing Bulls, Nico Hulkenberg 10th for Audi.

What's next:

Antonelli's 81-point cushion with eight races left gives him control, but Verstappen and Norris will keep pushing. Ferrari's strategy calls and reliability remain a key watchpoint.