Antonelli determined to take every opportunity after Spa win

Kimi Antonelli believes he must continue to make the most of every opportunity in the championship battle after claiming his sixth victory of the 2026 season at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Italian secured his first win since the Monaco Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, ending a difficult run that had seen him fail to score in two of the previous three races due to car-related problems.

Antonelli started from pole position but briefly lost the lead at the opening corner when Max Verstappen managed to move ahead on the exit of La Source. The Mercedes driver responded immediately, retaking first place before Les Combes and settling into a controlled opening stint.

The race became more complicated after a Virtual Safety Car period allowed Charles Leclerc to make a pit stop at an advantageous moment. The Ferrari driver emerged ahead of Antonelli, forcing the Mercedes driver to fight his way back to the front.

Antonelli eventually regained the lead with 10 laps remaining and held off Leclerc to secure another important victory.

"It's great to be back on the top step after obviously a few difficult rounds. Was a hard-fought race. We lost first place with a VSC (Virtual Safety Car) but then we managed to make our way back. Was a tough win because Charles was quick and we had to hold onto that," Antonelli said, as quoted by F1.com

The victory was particularly valuable in the championship standings after Russell's race ended on the opening lap following a collision with Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver was subsequently handed a five-second penalty for causing the incident.

Hamilton recovered to finish fourth, although his race remains subject to an investigation into an alleged unsafe pit release. Russell, meanwhile, left Spa without adding to his championship tally.

As a result, Antonelli now holds a 45-point advantage over Hamilton, with Russell a further five points behind his Mercedes team-mate.

Despite his recent struggles, Antonelli feels the momentum has never truly disappeared and believes the Belgian Grand Prix demonstrated how quickly the championship picture can change.

"I think the momentum was always there," added Antonelli on his previous bad run of form.

"Was just about getting the result and today we were a bit lucky in terms of what happened with the championship but that's why you've got to take every opportunity. We saw that it can swing really easily, the situation, so we have just got to keep performing, keep bringing the result and we'll see what happens at the end of the year," concluded the Mercedes driver.

With the championship battle continuing to develop, Antonelli's latest victory gives him a significant advantage heading into the next phase of the season. However, with Hamilton and Russell still firmly in contention, the Mercedes driver knows he cannot afford to let his focus slip.