2026 Formula 1 Season

The 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship has begun as a season marked by fundamental revisions to both technical and financial regulations and historic changes in team structures. The primary objectives of the new rules include enhancing competition, achieving sustainability goals, and attracting major automotive manufacturers to the sport. The championship will be held on an expanded and geographically optimized calendar featuring 24 races across five continents.

^{Formula 1 world champions (AA)}

With the 2026 season, Formula 1 cars have undergone comprehensive reductions and updates in their physical structure, aerodynamic properties, and safety standards. According to the new-generation car concept approved by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), vehicles are designed to be more compact. In this direction, the wheelbase, previously 3600 millimetres, has been reduced to 3400 millimetres, and the car width has been decreased from 2000 millimetres to 1900 millimetres. Additionally, a 150-millimetre reduction has been applied to the floor width. The overall length of the cars has been shortened by 20 centimetres and the width by 10 centimetres.

Safety standards have been further enhanced in parallel with these dimensional changes. New-generation cars now feature two-stage front impact structures and improved side intrusion protection systems. The load-bearing capacity of the roll hoop has been increased from 16G to 20G. To improve visibility and safety, the endplate lights on the rear wing have been made significantly brighter. FIA’s Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis described the new regulations as a “moderate revolution” and emphasized that the cars have been developed in full alignment with Formula 1’s core DNA.

One of the most notable innovations of the 2026 season is the radical redesign of power units. The power distribution between the internal combustion engine (ICE) and electrical energy has been balanced at a 50-50 ratio, significantly increasing reliance on electric power. Under the new engine regulations, the 1.6-litre V6 turbo configuration remains unchanged in terms of rev limits, but the Motor Energy Recovery System (MGU-H), deemed too complex and costly and thus a barrier to new manufacturers, has been entirely removed from the system. The fuel flow rate of the internal combustion engine has been reduced, with a total power output target of approximately 400 kW.

The previous power output range of 738 to 751 horsepower (hp) from the internal combustion engine has been reduced to 536 hp under the new rules. In contrast, the electric motor’s power has increased dramatically by approximately 300 percent, rising from 161 hp to 469 hp. Mercedes HPP Managing Director Hywel Thomas stated that no component has been carried over from previous engines and that every element—from hardware to software and fuel—has been re-evaluated from scratch. It has been emphasized that the efficiency of the electrical system will be the most critical factor in determining 2026 car lap times and that the duration for which power can be sustained will directly impact performance.

In line with the sport’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, all teams are now required to use 100 percent sustainable synthetic fuels derived from non-food sources or waste. Although some discussions arose during the rule-making process about reverting to atmospheric V10 or V8 engines, the decision to retain the hybrid format was made due to road car manufacturers abandoning these technologies and brands like Mercedes supporting only technologies compatible with road vehicles.

The cost control and attractive technical structure provided by the new regulations have attracted new major automotive manufacturers to the sport. The engine supplier pairings for the 2026 grid have been reshuffled. McLaren, Mercedes, Williams, and Alpine teams have opted to continue with Mercedes power units. Ferrari continues to supply its own engines, and Haas has also retained the Ferrari power unit. Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls (VCARB) have transitioned to the “Red Bull-Ford” power units developed through their strategic partnership with Ford. Honda, having withdrawn from the sport, remains as the sole power unit supplier for Aston Martin. Audi joins the grid with its own factory team and its own engine, while new entrant Cadillac has agreed to use Ferrari power units in its initial years.

The Formula 1 grid has expanded to 22 cars with the addition of an 11th team for the first time in many years. The application led by Andretti Global, a joint venture between General Motors and TWG Motorsports, was approved following commercial evaluations by the FIA and Formula 1 management, and the team has entered the championship as Cadillac Formula 1 Team. General Motors established a new company, GM Performance Power Units LLC, for this project, appointing Russ O’Blenes as CEO. The team will begin racing in 2026 using a customer engine (Ferrari) and will transition into a full factory team using its own GM power units from the 2029 season onward. Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated that the entry of iconic American brands like GM and Cadillac will significantly enhance the global growth of the championship. GM CEO Mark Reuss and TWG Global CEO Dan Towriss described this entry as the beginning of a new and bold era for American motorsport.

Another major transformation on the grid is the full acquisition of the Sauber team by Audi. The Swiss team will compete under the name Audi, with sponsorship from British financial technology firm Revolut. The team, featuring a new car design in black, red, and silver, is led by Jonathan Wheatley. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner aims for the team to compete for championships by 2030, while Audi F1 Project Leader Mattia Binotto acknowledged that immediate success at the top will not be possible in 2026. Reports indicate that Audi has halted development of its 2026 engine to focus on the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

Record-breaking sponsorship developments have also occurred. Haas has ended its agreement with Moneygram and announced Toyota Gazoo Racing as its primary sponsor. McLaren, for the first time since 2013, has sold its naming rights, signing a deal worth approximately $100 million annually with Mastercard; McLaren CEO Zak Brown emphasized this as the largest partnership in the club’s history.

Cadillac’s driver lineup consists of two experienced drivers with extensive backgrounds. Sergio Perez, who left Red Bull at the end of 2024 and took a break from racing to evaluate his future, and Valtteri Bottas, who served as a reserve driver for Mercedes after departing Sauber, have both returned to Formula 1 at age 35 with Cadillac. Bottas described the project as more than just a racing team—it is a long-term vision—while Perez expressed pride in joining such a dynamic team representing the American continent.

Audi has assigned its driver seats to experienced German driver Nico Hülkenberg and young talent Gabriel Bortoleto. In Visa Cash App Racing Bulls (VCARB), Arvid Lindblad, the 20th member of the Red Bull Junior Team to reach Formula 1, joins Liam Lawson. Lindblad, who has aimed to compete in this sport since the age of five, has chosen the number 41, which had never been used in a race by a full-time driver under the permanent numbering system and had only been used in practice sessions by Isack Hadjar and Susie Wolff. Another significant number change comes from four-time world champion Max Verstappen. Verstappen has abandoned the number 33 he has used for years and adopted number 3, long associated with his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo, as his race number for the 2026 season. Lando Norris continues to race with number 4.

The budget cap, introduced in 2021 to balance competition and ensure team viability, has been restructured for the 2026 season. Previously set at $135 million, the cap has been raised to $215 million USD (approximately £159.6 million). FIA officials explained that the increase is primarily due to accumulated global inflation and the inclusion of previously excluded cost categories within the $215 million limit. Teams are now entirely free in their spending strategies, with full autonomy over how resources are allocated among personnel, and the system has been designed to be self-regulating.

To achieve consensus on the regulations, the FIA and Formula 1 management granted teams various concessions. Although the ideal framework included five to six exclusions, the number was expanded to 20–25 to secure team support. Thanks to the value added to the sport’s ecosystem by the budget cap, team commercial values have surged dramatically—for example, McLaren’s valuation has reached $4.1 billion. Past procedural breaches, such as those committed by Aston Martin in the 2024 season, have led teams to approach budget audits with far greater caution in the new era.

^{Formula 1 2026 calendar (AA)}

The 2026 race calendar has been specifically optimized to reduce logistical burdens from intercontinental travel and support sustainability goals. The season opens with the race in Melbourne, Australia. The most significant change in the European leg is the relocation of the Spanish Grand Prix from Barcelona to Madrid. A long-term agreement with Madrid authorities has led to the construction of a new street circuit, targeting a capacity of 110,000 spectators in its early years and 140,000 thereafter. This major event is expected to contribute €450 million (approximately $489.92 million) annually to Madrid’s economy and create 8,200 new jobs.

Although the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona has lost its status as the host of the Spanish Grand Prix, it remains on the calendar. Organizers have officially registered the second Spanish race of 2026 as the “Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.” Meanwhile, the Dutch Grand Prix is scheduled to be removed from the calendar after the 2026 season. Countries such as Portugal, Germany, Argentina, Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria, Thailand, South Korea, and Türkiye are reported to be actively lobbying for inclusion.

To enrich the race weekend format, Formula 1 management has fixed the number of sprint races at six, with specific rules attached. Locations hosting sprint races include Italy, Spain, Azerbaijan, Singapore, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. To enhance predictability, sprint races have a strict 90-minute completion window, with a maximum allowable extension of 30 minutes in case of stoppages. To increase on-track competition and overtaking opportunities, the DRS (Drag Reduction System) activation zone has been moved from the third sector to the second. Additionally, for safety reasons, if a race is restarted behind the safety car in heavy rain and the safety car remains on track for more than one lap, teams are required to use wet-weather tyres.

The 2026 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix was held on 8 March 2026 at the 5.2-kilometre Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia, over 58 laps. This race marked the first round of the new era featuring hybrid power units and updated battery energy usage regulations. Mercedes driver George Russell emerged victorious. The race was shaped by several drivers retiring due to accidents, the direct impact of the new power management rules on overtaking, and contrasting pit stop strategies employed by teams.

^{George Russell (AA)}

During the weekend’s qualifying sessions, Mercedes driver George Russell set the fastest lap, securing pole position with a 0.8-second advantage over his closest rival. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen failed to complete Q1 after losing control of his car and colliding with the barriers. He started the race from 20th on the grid. Approximately half an hour before the race start, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who was entering the grid from the pit lane, lost control of his car due to an abrupt power surge while crossing the kerbs at Turn 4 and crashed into the barriers. As a result, the Australian driver was unable to participate in the race on home soil. Meanwhile, Audi driver Nico Hülkenberg, who was expected to start from the pit lane, also failed to take the start.

^{1. Australian GP Infographic (Generated by AI)}

The majority of drivers on the starting grid opted for medium compound tyres. Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz started on soft tyres, while Franco Colapinto and Valtteri Bottas began the race on hard compounds. After the lights went out, pole sitter George Russell made a slow start. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who had a strong start from fourth position, overtook Russell into Turn 1 to take the lead. Lewis Hamilton, the other Ferrari driver, climbed to third place before the end of the first lap.

In the opening laps, frequent lead changes occurred due to the new 2026 regulations allowing short bursts of “extra power” and “overtake mode.” On lap two, Russell used additional electrical energy to pass Leclerc between Turns 10 and 11 and assumed the lead. However, on lap three, Leclerc reclaimed the position using the same strategy approaching Turn 9. Russell launched another attack on lap eight, retaking first place and beginning to extend his lead. Alpine driver Franco Colapinto, who committed a procedure violation at the start, was investigated and handed a stop-go penalty.

On lap 12, the first Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period was triggered after Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar retired due to smoke emanating from the rear of his car. During this period, Mercedes opted to pit both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli simultaneously to minimise time loss. Ferrari, by contrast, stuck to a one-stop strategy, keeping Leclerc and Hamilton on track, thereby securing the first two positions.

Around lap 17 or 18, a second VSC was deployed after Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas suffered a mechanical failure on the grass at the pit entry. Ferrari drivers again chose not to pit during this period and waited for green flag conditions. They were brought into the pits on lap 20 under normal racing conditions. Leclerc pitted on lap 25 and rejoined in 14th place, 14 seconds behind leader Russell. Despite having fresher tyres, he was unable to close the gap to the Mercedes drivers. Hamilton pitted three laps after his teammate. A third brief VSC period was later triggered when a component detached from Sergio Perez’s car.

Eighteen-year-old Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad, who holds the record as the youngest British driver to compete in Formula 1, overtook Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap and briefly climbed to third. In the second half of the race, Lindblad was overtaken by Haas driver Oliver Bearman but held off late challenges from Gabriel Bortoleto to finish eighth in his debut race and score points. Bearman finished seventh, Bortoleto, racing for Audi, came ninth, and Alpine driver Pierre Gasly completed the race in tenth.

Max Verstappen, who started from the back of the grid due to his qualifying crash, climbed to sixth place using a medium tyre strategy and a series of overtakes. Aston Martin struggled with pace: Fernando Alonso retired after entering and exiting the pits for data collection, while his teammate Lance Stroll finished 17th, 15 laps down. Sergio Perez, driving for Cadillac, ended the race in 16th place.

^{1. Australian GP Results (Generated by AI)}

After completing 58 laps, Mercedes driver George Russell won the race in a time of 1 hour 23 minutes 6.801 seconds, earning 25 points. His teammate, Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli, finished second, 2.974 seconds behind. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc completed the podium in third, 15.519 seconds behind Russell, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, 16.144 seconds behind. McLaren driver Lando Norris came fifth.

In the Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes led with 43 points, followed by Ferrari with 27, McLaren with 10, Red Bull Racing with 8, and Haas with 6. It has been announced that the second race of the season will be the Chinese Grand Prix, held in sprint format at the Shanghai International Circuit.

2026 Formula 1 World Championship's second race weekend, the Chinese Grand Prix, was held at the 5.4-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit in China between 13 and 15 March 2026. The race, consisting of 56 laps, was won by Italian driver Kimi Antonelli of the Mercedes team.

^{Andrea Kimi Antonelli (AA)}

Four drivers failed to start the race before the formation lap. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were unable to participate due to independent electrical unit failures in their cars. Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto was withdrawn to the garage minutes before the start due to a technical issue, while Williams driver Alex Albon was withdrawn by team decision due to severe handling problems.

Starting from pole position, Kimi Antonelli lost the lead at the start to Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, while the other Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc moved up to third. On lap two, Antonelli overtook Hamilton and regained the lead. In the early laps, George Russell passed both Leclerc and Hamilton to take second place, placing the first two positions under Mercedes control.

^{2nd Chinese GP infographic (generated by artificial intelligence)}

On lap 10, a battery failure caused Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll to stop on track, triggering a safety car period. During this phase, both Mercedes and Ferrari teams executed double pit stops. Alpine driver Franco Colapinto and Haas driver Esteban Ocon, who did not pit, temporarily rose to the upper positions.

After the safety car restart, Antonelli retained the lead, while Russell struggled with tyre warming issues and blockages, dropping behind Hamilton and Leclerc.

In the middle stages, a prolonged battle unfolded between Ferrari drivers Hamilton and Leclerc. On lap 24, Leclerc moved into second place, but in subsequent laps, George Russell passed both Ferrari drivers to reclaim second position. On lap 34, Hamilton permanently overtook his teammate Leclerc to take third. A brief yellow flag period was displayed after contact between Alpine drivers Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto in the latter part of the circuit.

On lap 33, Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso voluntarily retired from the race due to intense vibrations from the Honda power unit causing loss of sensation in his hands and feet. Starting eighth, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who had experienced grip issues during the race, was instructed by team radio to pit with approximately 10 laps remaining and failed to finish.

^{2nd Chinese GP (AA)}

Kimi Antonelli won the race in a time of 1 hour 33 minutes 15.607 seconds, securing his first Formula 1 Grand Prix victory. At 19 years old, Antonelli became the second youngest driver in F1 history to win a race and the first Italian to win a Grand Prix in 20 years. George Russell finished second, giving Mercedes a double podium in Shanghai, while Lewis Hamilton took third, earning Ferrari its first podium of his career.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth, while Haas driver Oliver Bearman came fifth.

Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto finished sixth and tenth respectively, securing double points for their team. Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls finished seventh, Isack Hadjar of Red Bull finished eighth, and Carlos Sainz of Williams finished ninth after a long stint on hard tyres, earning points.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen criticized the 2026 technical regulations, stating that the new cars' driving dynamics resembled playing "Mario Kart" and failed to deliver a realistic racing experience. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff countered that Verstappen's complaints likely stemmed largely from the aerodynamic and handling challenges specific to the Red Bull car, noting that other teams did not face the same issues and that the Chinese Grand Prix offered an exciting and competitive race for viewers.

After the Chinese Grand Prix, George Russell led the Drivers' Championship with 51 points, followed by Kimi Antonelli with 47 points. Charles Leclerc was third with 34 points and Lewis Hamilton fourth with 33 points. In the Constructors' Championship, Mercedes led with 98 points, Ferrari was second with 67 points, McLaren third with 18 points, and Haas fourth with 17 points. It was also announced in the season calendar updates that the originally scheduled races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled due to regional security concerns. The third race of the season will be the Japanese Grand Prix.

^{Kimi Antonelli (AA)}

The third race weekend of the 2026 Formula 1 Season, the Japanese Grand Prix, was held on 29 March 2026 at the Suzuka Circuit. The race, covering 53 laps on the 5.8-kilometre track, concluded with the victory of Mercedes’ young driver Kimi Antonelli. At 19 years old, Antonelli secured his second consecutive win following the Chinese Grand Prix and became the youngest championship leader in Formula 1 history.

The qualifying sessions to determine the starting grid took place on 28 March 2026. In the first session (Q1), the initial reference lap was set by Haas driver Esteban Ocon at 1:31.466 after the pit lane lights turned green. In the later minutes of the session, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc topped the session with a time of 1:29.915. The drivers eliminated in this session were Alex Albon, Oliver Bearman, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

In the second session (Q2), although Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc posted leading laps, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli ended the session at the top with a time of 1:29.048. A notable development was the elimination of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen; alongside him, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hülkenberg, Liam Lawson, Franco Colapinto and Carlos Sainz also failed to advance to Q3.

In the third session (Q3), Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position with a time of 1:28.778. His teammate George Russell secured second place, 0.298 seconds behind, while McLaren driver Oscar Piastri finished third. Charles Leclerc was fourth, Lando Norris fifth, and Lewis Hamilton, who received a warning for exiting the pit lane slowly during the session, qualified sixth.

The Japanese Grand Prix began 10 minutes later than scheduled due to barrier repairs at Turn 12 caused by an incident in a support series. All grid positions except that of Valtteri Bottas, who started 20th and opted for hard tyres, began the race on medium compound (yellow-logo) tyres.

At the start, the Mercedes drivers, who shared the front row, experienced acceleration issues. Oscar Piastri, starting third, made an outside attack and entered Turn 1 in the lead. Charles Leclerc moved into second place, while Kimi Antonelli, who dropped behind, overtook Lewis Hamilton before the end of the first lap to climb to fifth.

By lap eight, George Russell passed Oscar Piastri to take the lead, but Piastri quickly regained the position using his Attack Mode. During the first round of pit stops beginning on lap 17, Leclerc and Piastri entered the pits, allowing the Mercedes drivers to temporarily occupy the top two positions.

^{Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix driver Andre Kimi Antonelli (AA)}

On lap 21, Haas driver Oliver Bearman lost control of his car at the Spoon Curve, Turn 13, at a speed of 306 km/h and crashed into the barriers, bringing out the Safety Car. The crash, which subjected Bearman to 50G forces, was attributed to the new energy management regulations of the 2026 season, specifically to a speed differential of approximately 50 km/h between Alpine driver Franco Colapinto and Bearman, combined with Bearman misjudging the gap while using his “boost” to overtake. The Safety Car period allowed Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton, who had not yet pitted, to make their stops, enabling Antonelli to assume the race lead.

After the Safety Car returned to the pits, Lewis Hamilton passed George Russell to claim third place. However, Hamilton suffered a significant loss of power that was undetected during the race’s second phase, preventing him from maintaining his pace. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll received a team order to retire due to a technical issue.

With 10 laps remaining, Charles Leclerc passed the struggling Hamilton to move into third. In subsequent laps, Russell and Lando Norris also overtook Hamilton. During the battle between Norris and Hamilton, Hamilton’s cutting of the chicane was noted by the stewards but no penalty was applied.

After 53 laps, Kimi Antonelli crossed the finish line first with a total time of 1 hour 28 minutes and 3.403 seconds. Oscar Piastri finished second, 13.722 seconds behind, securing his first podium of the season. Charles Leclerc came third, 15.270 seconds behind Antonelli. The top 10 were completed by George Russell, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson and Esteban Ocon.

This race in Japan highlighted the varying levels of adaptation among teams to the new regulations. McLaren’s surprise podium result was explained by the high grip offered by the resurfaced track, which compensated for the team’s chassis disadvantages, as well as their efficient use of the Mercedes power unit’s advantages. Ferrari maintained its strength in cornering speeds but struggled on straights and in energy recovery.

^{Kimi Antonelli in first, Oscar Piastri in second, Charles Leclerc in third (AA)}

At Mercedes, Antonelli’s victory contrasted with Lewis Hamilton’s criticism of his car’s performance, as he reported failing to extract the expected energy from the battery and power unit. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar stated that his RB22 suffered from chassis deficiencies and early battery depletion, forcing him to finish the race in 12th place.

Following the Japanese Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli moved to the top of the drivers’ standings with 72 points.

His teammate George Russell is second with 63 points, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc third with 49 points, Lewis Hamilton fourth with 41 points, and Lando Norris fifth with 25 points.

In the constructors’ championship, Mercedes continues to lead with 135 points. Ferrari is second with 90 points, and McLaren third with 46 points. Haas has 18 points, while Alpine and Red Bull are tied with 16 points each.

The 2026 Miami Grand Prix is a motorsport race held on the 5.4-kilometre International Miami Circuit in the state of Florida, United States, as the fourth round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship season. The race, consisting of 57 laps, was held on 3 May 2026 and was won by 19-year-old Italian driver Kimi Antonelli of the Mercedes team.

^{4. Miami GP (1–3 May) (AA)}

Due to forecasts of severe thunderstorms and lightning threats in the region, the race start time was moved from 16:00 local time to 13:00 local time (20:00 Türkiye time). This decision, jointly made by the FIA and organisers, aimed to ensure the safety of drivers, spectators and personnel under regulations requiring race suspension in case of lightning. Additionally, a “rain risk” protocol was activated when the probability of rain exceeded 40 percent, granting teams permission to increase ride height and adjust front wing angles.

Many teams introduced car updates for this race. Red Bull participated with aerodynamic fine-tuning and steering modifications. McLaren and Ferrari implemented comprehensive vehicle changes, while Williams used for the first time a package featuring weight-saving measures and aerodynamic improvements. Alpine targeted a breakthrough in the midfield with a revised nose, updated brake ducts and a completely new rear wing. Aston Martin introduced new components designed to resolve vibration issues in the car.

Starting from pole position, Kimi Antonelli and second-placed Max Verstappen both experienced brake lock-ups and went off-track at the first corner. As a result, third-placed Charles Leclerc took the race lead, while Antonelli moved to second and Verstappen dropped to ninth. At the same time, Oscar Piastri rose to fourth, and a minor contact occurred between Franco Colapinto and Lewis Hamilton.

^{4. Miami GP (1–3 May) (AA)}

On lap five, Kimi Antonelli overtook Charles Leclerc to assume the race lead. Shortly after, Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar crashed into the barriers at turns 14 and 15 and retired from the race. Almost simultaneously, Alpine driver Pierre Gasly spun and crashed after contact with Liam Lawson. In response, the Safety Car was deployed. During the Safety Car period, Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas made pit stops, while Nico Hülkenberg retired due to a mechanical failure.

The Safety Car period ended around lap 12. Upon the restart, Antonelli outpaced Leclerc in the battle for the lead. Light rain showers were observed on track during subsequent laps. On lap 26, the Mercedes team brought Kimi Antonelli in for an early pit stop using the undercut strategy. Lando Norris pitted one lap later, but Antonelli’s faster out-lap allowed him to retain the lead over the British driver.

In the closing stages, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc competed for third place on the podium. Piastri overtook Leclerc on the penultimate lap. On the final lap, Leclerc spun and made contact with the barriers, but continued racing despite damage to the car’s steering system. He gained time by cutting corners during this period. Driving the damaged car, Leclerc was overtaken by George Russell and Max Verstappen just before the checkered flag.

^{4. Miami GP (1–3 May) (AA)}

In accordance with the 2026 season’s rule requiring detailed post-race reviews instead of immediate decisions in disputed situations, penalties were announced after the race. Based on analysis of camera angles and driver statements, the following decisions were made:

• Charles Leclerc: Received a 20-second time penalty for cutting the chicane after his spin, gaining a lasting advantage by violating track limits.
• Max Verstappen: Received a 5-second time penalty after video review confirmed he had crossed the white line during his pit exit under the Safety Car.
• Valtteri Bottas: Received a 5-second time penalty for exceeding the pit lane speed limit.

^{4. Miami GP (1–3 May) (AA)}

Kimi Antonelli finished the race in first place with a time of 1 hour 33 minutes 19.273 seconds, securing his third consecutive victory of the season. After applying the penalties, the updated top 10 results were as follows:

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
7. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
9. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
10. Alexander Albon (Williams)

Following the Miami Grand Prix, the Formula 1 World Championship standings were updated. Kimi Antonelli extended his lead in the drivers’ standings with 100 points.

1. Kimi Antonelli (100 points)
2. George Russell (80 points)
3. Charles Leclerc (63 points)
4. Lando Norris (51 points)
5. Lewis Hamilton (49 points)

1. Mercedes (180 points)
2. Ferrari (112 points)
3. McLaren (94 points)
4. Red Bull (30 points)
5. Alpine (21 points)

The fifth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, the Canadian Grand Prix, was held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada, from 22 to 24 May 2026. The event was scheduled as one of the season’s sprint format races, with the main race concluding in victory for Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Throughout the weekend, weather conditions were noted to feature low temperatures and mixed conditions prior to the race, including wind and the possibility of rain.

The event took place on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a 2.71-mile circuit featuring long straights and heavy braking zones. The local time schedule was as follows:

• Friday 22 May: Free Practice 1 (FP1) 12:30–13:30, Sprint Qualifying 16:30–17:14.
• Saturday 23 May: Sprint Race 12:00 (23 laps or 60 minutes), Main Qualifying 16:00–17:00.
• Sunday 24 May: Main Race 16:00 (Maximum 70 laps or 2 hours).

In the first competitive session of the weekend, Sprint Qualifying, Mercedes driver George Russell secured pole position. During the Sprint Race on Saturday, contact occurred between Russell and his teammate Kimi Antonelli at the first corner, forcing Antonelli off the track. Russell finished first in the Sprint Race, followed by McLaren driver Lando Norris in second and Kimi Antonelli in third.

During Main Qualifying for the race, George Russell claimed pole position by 0.068 seconds ahead of his teammate Kimi Antonelli. Lando Norris qualified third, Oscar Piastri fourth, Lewis Hamilton fifth and Max Verstappen sixth.

Due to variable weather conditions ahead of the Sunday main race, teams adopted different tyre choices. Drivers from McLaren, Audi and Cadillac, along with Williams’ Carlos Sainz, opted to start on intermediate tyres. Racing Bulls drivers Arvid Lindblad and Franco Colapinto selected medium compound tyres, while the rest of the grid started on soft compound tyres. Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll, who had modifications to his power unit under parc fermé regulations, started from the pit lane.

At the start of the race, a clutch issue affected Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad’s car, preventing him from starting from the grid. Due to this technical failure, additional formation laps were completed and the race distance was reduced from 70 to 68 laps. As the race began, McLaren driver Lando Norris, starting from third, overtook the Mercedes drivers to assume the lead.

After it became clear that the decision to start on intermediate tyres was incorrect, McLaren switched to an early pit stop strategy. Oscar Piastri pitted at the end of lap one and Lando Norris at the end of lap two, both switching to medium tyres and dropping to the back of the grid. Leadership then passed between Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. On lap three, Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:14.210.

On lap 13, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri locked his tyres during an attempted overtake on Haas driver Oliver Bearman, colliding with Williams driver Alexander Albon. Albon retired due to damage sustained in the collision, and Piastri was handed a 10-second time penalty by the stewards for causing the incident.

In the lead battle, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli exchanged positions multiple times. On lap 23, Antonelli took the lead with an outside move, but Russell reclaimed it on lap 24. On lap 25, Antonelli was instructed by team radio to give the position back to Russell after running wide and gaining an advantage.

A total of six drivers retired during the Canadian Grand Prix. Following Arvid Lindblad, who failed to start, and Alexander Albon, who retired on lap 13, race leader George Russell suffered a sudden power unit failure on lap 30. Russell pulled his car to the side of the track and retired, triggering a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period. During the VSC, many drivers including new leader Kimi Antonelli entered the pits to change tyres.

Later in the race, McLaren driver Lando Norris retired on lap 40 after reporting a gearbox failure and returning to the garage. Cadillac driver Sergio Perez retired on lap 43 due to a suspension failure. Additionally, Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso was unable to finish the race due to a technical issue with his seat.

Various penalties were imposed by the stewards during the race:

• Oscar Piastri: Received a 10-second time penalty for the collision with Alexander Albon.
• Isack Hadjar: Received a 10-second time penalty for multiple direction changes during a battle with Charles Leclerc, followed by a stop-and-go penalty for violating yellow flag rules.
• Valtteri Bottas: Received a 5-second time penalty for exceeding the pit lane speed limit.

After assuming the lead, Kimi Antonelli controlled the race and extended his lead over the chasing pack. The battle for second place occurred between Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton. On lap 62, Hamilton overtook Verstappen with an outside move at Turn 1 to claim second position.

The Canadian Grand Prix, contested over 68 laps, was completed by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli in a time of 1:28:15.758. This victory marked his fourth consecutive race win. Lewis Hamilton finished second, 10.768 seconds behind, and Max Verstappen third, 11.276 seconds behind, securing his first podium of the season. The final top ten and finishing times were as follows:

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:28:15.758 (25 Points)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +10.768 s (18 Points)
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +11.276 s (15 Points)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +44.151 s (12 Points)
5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +1 Lap (10 Points)
6. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – +1 Lap (8 Points)
7. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +1 Lap (6 Points)
8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1 Lap (4 Points)
9. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +1 Lap (2 Points)
10. Oliver Bearman (Haas) – +1 Lap (1 Point)

Oscar Piastri, Nico Hulkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto and Esteban Ocon finished two laps behind the leader, while Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas completed the race four laps behind to earn classification points.

Following the Canadian Grand Prix, the championship standings were updated. In the Drivers’ Championship, Kimi Antonelli extended his lead to 131 points, increasing his advantage over his retired teammate George Russell (88 points) to 43 points. Charles Leclerc stood third with 75 points, Lewis Hamilton fourth with 72 points and Lando Norris fifth with 58 points.

In the Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes maintained its lead with a total of 219 points. Ferrari stood second with 147 points, McLaren third with 106 points, Red Bull fourth with 57 points, Alpine fifth with 35 points and Racing Bulls sixth with 21 points.

The Canadian Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship calendar, was held in Montreal, Canada. The event took place immediately after the fourth race of the season, the Miami Grand Prix, and immediately before the sixth race, the Monaco Grand Prix. The Canadian Grand Prix featured a special sprint race format, distinct from the standard race weekend procedures outlined in the calendar.

For the 2026 race calendar, the Canadian Grand Prix was designated as one of the special weekend events featuring a sprint race. This race formed the fourth leg of the consecutive winning streak by championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who was set to reach five consecutive victories at the Monaco Grand Prix.

In qualifying to determine the starting grid for the main race, Mercedes driver George Russell recorded the fastest lap time, securing pole position for the race.

During the main race, Mercedes driver George Russell, who started from pole, encountered a technical problem while leading. A power unit failure rendered his car unable to continue, forcing the British driver to retire from the race while in the lead.

Following Russell’s retirement, fellow Mercedes driver Italian driver Kimi Antonelli assumed the race lead. Antonelli maintained the lead for the remainder of the race to become the winner of the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix.

With his teammate’s retirement, Antonelli secured the maximum 25 points awarded for a race win. This 25-point increase directly extended his lead in the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship Drivers’ standings.

Another driver who experienced technical difficulties throughout the Canadian Grand Prix weekend was Ferrari’s Monégasque driver Charles Leclerc. According to data collected, Leclerc encountered issues with his car’s braking system during the race in Montreal and struggled with this problem throughout the event.

^{Lewis Hamilton (AA)}

The 2026 Barcelona-Catalonia Grand Prix was a motorsport event held on 14 June 2026 in Barcelona Spain as the seventh round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. The race, consisting of 66 laps on the 4.6-kilometre Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, was won by Lewis Hamilton of the British driver for Scuderia Ferrari. This victory marked Hamilton’s first win with Ferrari and his 106th career Grand Prix triumph.

During qualifying on the race weekend, Mercedes driver George Russell secured pole position by 0.064 seconds ahead of his teammate Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton. The grid saw Hamilton in second and championship leader Antonelli in third. McLaren driver Lando Norris qualified fourth despite strong pace in FP2, while Red Bull driver Max Verstappen started fifth.

Ferrari’s other driver Charles Leclerc crashed at the exit of Turn 4 during Q3 and after repairs to his car within the regulations he started tenth. Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso qualified 22nd and was required to start from the pit lane due to changes to his car’s ESME and MGU-K units as per regulations.

On race day track temperatures exceeded 50 degrees Celsius and Pirelli allocated softer tyre compounds compared to the previous season, leading teams to anticipate tyre degradation and strategy to be decisive factors. Most drivers started on medium compound tyres but Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen Nico Hulkenberg Franco Colapinto Carlos Sainz Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez opted for the softer compound for better grip. Aston Martin drivers started on hard compound tyres to maximise track time in the opening stint.

At the start with the red lights extinguished pole sitter George Russell held his position ahead of Lewis Hamilton while Kimi Antonelli Lando Norris and Max Verstappen maintained their positions in the opening lap. In the lower order Charles Leclerc gained three places on the first lap but Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar dropped from sixth to fourteenth due to a slow getaway. Similarly Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto lost momentum at the start and fell to 17th. On lap six Lance Stroll of Aston Martin became the first retirement of the race due to a gearbox failure.

As extreme heat rapidly degraded tyre performance Mercedes drivers began to struggle and Lewis Hamilton who started on soft tyres made his first pit stop on lap 12 switching to hard compounds. This triggered a wave of pit stops from Russell and other front-runners. Racing Bulls suffered a 6.3-second pit stop delay for Liam Lawson which dropped him below the points. On lap 16 Charles Leclerc pitted and the order at the front reverted to its pre-stop configuration.

^{7. Catalan GP (12–14 June) (AA)}

In the midfield Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas retired due to a technical issue. After Oliver Bearman of Haas pitted Isack Hadjar resumed his climb. At Alpine team orders were issued to place Pierre Gasly ahead of Franco Colapinto in 12th. At the front Kimi Antonelli lapped approximately 0.5 seconds faster per lap than George Russell and Lewis Hamilton and requested permission to overtake his teammate but the team instructed him to hold position.

Ferrari countered Mercedes’ two-stop strategy by sending Hamilton on an aggressive three-stop plan. Hamilton returned to the pit lane on lap 28 (some sources cite lap 23) for a second time and emerged with new medium tyres gaining a significant pace advantage over George Russell. When McLaren’s Lando Norris pitted Mercedes drivers Russell and Antonelli came under strategic pressure and made their second pit stops on laps 37 and 38 respectively.

On lap 41 Fernando Alonso pulled his car to the side of the track due to a battery issue triggering the Virtual Safety Car. Ferrari capitalised on this by bringing Hamilton in for his final pit stop. Benefiting from the reduced speed under VSC conditions Hamilton rejoined the track ahead of Russell with 24 laps remaining and assumed the lead.

In the closing stages Hamilton steadily extended his lead on his new hard tyres while Antonelli and Russell battled for second. With five laps to go on lap 61 Antonelli overtook teammate Russell into Turn 1 to claim second place. However just one lap later on lap 62 Antonelli retired due to an electrical shutdown forcing him off the track onto the grass.

^{7. Catalan GP (12–14 June) (AA)}

Almost simultaneously Charles Leclerc who had been climbing through the field and was expected to finish in the top five retired after a hydraulic power steering and gearbox failure caused him to run wide into the gravel at Turn 2. Later in the race Audi driver Nico Hulkenberg retired after an unusual incident: a stone thrown from Liam Lawson’s car struck the ERS emergency shutdown button on his vehicle causing a power unit failure. Haas driver Oliver Bearman also failed to finish.

Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line first with a race time of 1 hour 32 minutes and 28.105 seconds. With this win Hamilton became the first driver aged 41 to win a Formula 1 race since Jack Brabham in 1970. George Russell of Mercedes finished second 19.561 seconds behind Hamilton while Lando Norris of McLaren took third 23.719 seconds behind the winner. This marked the first Formula 1 podium since 1968 composed entirely of British drivers.

The final top ten classification after the race was as follows:

1. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
2. George Russell (Mercedes)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
6. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
8. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
10. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

Franco Colapinto of Alpine finished eighth on track but received a ten-second time penalty for violating yellow flag rules which dropped him to tenth. As a result Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad moved up to eighth and ninth respectively. Drivers outside the points were Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) Carlos Sainz (Williams) Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Sergio Perez (Cadillac). Williams driver Alexander Albon was classified as not classified (NC) after retiring eight laps behind the leader due to technical issues.

^{7. Catalan GP (12–14 June) (AA)}

Seven drivers failed to reach the finish line: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) Oliver Bearman (Haas) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) and Lance Stroll (Aston Martin).

Following the Barcelona-Catalonia Grand Prix the championship standings were updated. Despite failing to score points due to his retirement Kimi Antonelli retained the lead in the Drivers’ Championship.

Drivers’ Championship Top 5:

1. Kimi Antonelli (Italy): 156 Points
2. Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom): 115 Points
3. George Russell (United Kingdom): 106 Points
4. Charles Leclerc (Monaco): 75 Points
5. Lando Norris (United Kingdom): 73 Points

Constructors’ Championship Top 5:

1. Mercedes: 262 Points
2. Ferrari: 190 Points
3. McLaren: 141 Points
4. Red Bull: 89 Points
5. Alpine: 60 Points

^{7. Catalan GP (12–14 June) (AA)}

Races in the support categories were also held as part of the Grand Prix weekend. In the Formula 2 Feature Race pole sitter Rafael Camara of Invicta Racing claimed victory. After a post-race penalty dropped Nikola Tsolov from fourth to sixth Alexander Dunne moved up to second and Gabriele Mini to third. With this result Gabriele Mini took the championship lead.

In the Formula 3 Feature Race Theophile Nael of Campos Racing secured his maiden victory. Hiyu Yamakoshi of Van Amersfoort Racing finished second while Ugo Ugochukwu retained his championship lead by finishing third.

^{8th Austrian GP (26–28 June) (AA)}

2026 Formula 1 Season's eighth race, the Austrian Grand Prix, was held at the 4.3-kilometre Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, between 26 and 28 June 2026. The race, consisting of 71 laps, was won by British driver George Russell of the Mercedes team, with a total time of 1 hour 26 minutes 37.979 seconds. This result marked Russell’s second victory of the season, following his win at the opening race in the Australian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen of Red Bull finished second, while Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, the championship leader, completed the podium in third place.

Due to a heatwave affecting the race weekend, the Austrian Grand Prix implemented Formula 1’s “extreme heat” (heat hazard) regulations for the first time in the 2026 season. Under these rules, drivers were required to wear cooling vests or carry equivalent ballast in their cars. Drivers participated in the national anthem ceremony wearing cooling equipment and umbrellas. Track surface temperatures were reported to have reached 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).

As part of their development programs, Red Bull brought seven newly updated components to Austria, while Cadillac arrived with a major update package consisting of ten new parts.

During qualifying, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen narrowly avoided elimination in Q2 by just 0.040 seconds. In the final lap of Q3, Verstappen crashed into the barriers due to a technical fault. Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the incident was caused by a mechanical issue, not driver error. Due to the double yellow flags waved after Verstappen’s crash, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who was on a flying lap, cancelled his attempt and ended the session in fourth place. George Russell, who was on track at the same time, slowed appropriately under the yellow flag rules and set the fastest time to secure pole position. The starting grid’s top four positions were thus occupied by George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli.

Shortly before the race, Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson was investigated for an infringement during the formation lap but received no penalty. Regarding tyre strategies, Gabriel Bortoleto and Carlos Sainz opted to start on soft compound tyres, while the remaining twenty drivers began on medium compound tyres.

^{8th Austrian GP (26–28 June) (AA)}

At the start, pole-sitter George Russell maintained his lead without issue. Starting from fourth, Kimi Antonelli ran wide at Turn 1, losing position, and then made a similar mistake at Turn 3, dropping further back. Lewis Hamilton, starting third, overtook his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc to move into second place.

Max Verstappen, starting fifth, passed both Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc in the opening laps to climb to third. After a battle between Antonelli and Leclerc, Antonelli regained fourth place by lap four.

Extreme heat caused issues for several teams’ braking systems. Cadillac retired both cars within the first two laps. A fire in Valtteri Bottas’s car was extinguished in the pit lane, and shortly afterward, Sergio Perez pitted due to excessive smoke in the cockpit. Cadillac officially confirmed both drivers retired due to overheated brakes. Kimi Antonelli also reported significant difficulty managing his brakes due to overheating during the middle stages of the race.

By lap 10, Verstappen had reduced the gap to Hamilton in second place to half a second, initiating a battle between the two. On lap 11, Verstappen attacked Hamilton at Turn 3, but Hamilton reclaimed the position at Turn 5. Verstappen claimed he was forced off track during the duel and requested a penalty for Hamilton, but the race stewards took no action. On lap 22, Verstappen made a similar move at Turn 3 and permanently took second place.

Ferrari executed an early strategy, bringing Hamilton in for hard tyres on lap 12 and Leclerc on lap 13. After his pit stop, Hamilton received a radio instruction to switch to “TS mode” and reduce engine power due to high component temperatures. Hamilton, running a three-stop strategy, fell back through the field, while Leclerc remained in the lower midfield for the remainder of the race.

^{8th Austrian GP (26–28 June) (AA)}

On lap 44, leader George Russell pitted for hard tyres. Second-placed Verstappen opted to extend his stint. Verstappen pitted on lap 50 and rejoined in third place, 10 seconds behind Russell. Temporary leader Antonelli pitted on lap 53, handing the lead back to Russell.

During the middle phase of the race, Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll retired due to an ERS (Energy Recovery System) failure, while Williams driver Carlos Sainz retired after an electrical issue on the main straight. On lap 53, Alex Albon of Williams hit a barrier at Turn 3, triggering a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period.

Tensions arose within the Racing Bulls team between ninth-placed Liam Lawson and tenth-placed Arvid Lindblad, both in the points. Despite engineers instructing Lindblad to preserve his brakes and tyres and hold position, Lindblad attempted an overtaking manoeuvre against his teammate Lawson.

With 14 laps remaining (lap 57), leader George Russell ran wide at Turn 1, losing time. Verstappen rapidly closed the 10-second gap, reducing it to seven seconds by lap 58 and then to just 1.5 seconds. During the same laps, third-placed Kimi Antonelli, on fresher tyres, also rapidly closed the gap to Verstappen.

Entering the final two laps, Antonelli was within one second of Verstappen, and on the final lap, the gap fell below half a second. Despite the pressure, George Russell held off Max Verstappen to win by 1.611 seconds. Verstappen finished second, with Kimi Antonelli just 0.375 seconds behind in third.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth, said after overtaking both Ferraris that his team had adopted a different approach compared to the previous race in Barcelona, successfully using slipstreaming to gain positions. Winner George Russell stated he had struggled to fully adapt to the 2026-spec car and had adopted what he described as an “abnormal” driving style to manage tyre degradation.

The official classification of drivers who finished the Austrian Grand Prix and scored points is as follows:

^{8th Austrian GP (26–28 June) (AA)}

1. George Russell (Mercedes) – 1:26:37.979
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +1.611s
3. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +1.986s
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +21.809s
5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +26.393s
6. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) – +29.399s
7. Lando Norris (McLaren) – +31.505s
8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +45.659s
9. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +1 Lap
10. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) – +1 Lap

Other classified finishers were: 11th Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), 12th Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), 13th Pierre Gasly (Alpine), 14th Ollie Bearman (Haas), 15th Franco Colapinto (Alpine), 16th Esteban Ocon (Haas), 17th Alex Albon (Williams), and 18th Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin). Drivers who retired were: Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Carlos Sainz (Williams), Sergio Perez (Cadillac), and Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac).

Following the Austrian Grand Prix, Mercedes became the first team in the 2026 season to win seven of the first eight races. With his victory, George Russell overtook Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship to move into second place, reducing the gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 40 points.

The top five positions in the Drivers’ Championship after eight races are as follows:

1. Kimi Antonelli (Italy) – 171 Points
2. George Russell (United Kingdom) – 131 Points
3. Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – 125 Points
4. Oscar Piastri (Australia) – 80 Points
5. Lando Norris (United Kingdom) – 79 Points

The top five positions in the Constructors’ Championship are as follows:

1. Mercedes – 302 Points
2. Ferrari – 204 Points
3. McLaren – 159 Points
4. Red Bull – 115 Points
5. Alpine – 57 Points

The 2026 Formula 1 Season will continue with the British Grand Prix sprint event at the Silverstone circuit in the United Kingdom.

The 9th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, the British Grand Prix, was held at the 5.89-kilometre Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, from 3 to 5 July 2026. The race, consisting of 52 laps, was won by Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. The race concluded behind the Safety Car in its final stages, and a total of 175,000 spectators attended the event.

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As part of the weekend schedule, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won the sprint race on Saturday and secured pole position for Sunday’s main race. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc started second, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton third, and George Russell fourth.

Prior to the race, Alpine driver Pierre Gasly received a three-position grid penalty, dropping from 12th to 15th, for impeding another driver during qualifying. Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll was handed a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his quota of power unit components and started the race in 22nd position. The race stewards mandated that all cars begin the race on medium compound tyres, with a single pit stop strategy anticipated for most competitors. During the formation lap, Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso experienced a brief stoppage issue and started the race from the pit lane.

At the start, Charles Leclerc used a strong acceleration to overtake pole sitter Kimi Antonelli and take the lead. Simultaneously, his teammate Lewis Hamilton passed Antonelli to move into second place, relegating the Mercedes driver to third.

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On the first lap, Williams driver Alexander Albon locked his tyres entering the Brooklands corner and collided with Haas driver Oliver Bearman, causing Bearman to spin. Albon was handed a 10-second time penalty for the incident. In the same lap, a contact occurred between McLaren driver Oscar Piastri and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson. Piastri’s front wing was damaged, forcing the Australian driver to make a pit stop on the final lap of the first tour to replace it, dropping him to the back of the grid.

During the opening laps, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was investigated for a false start after moving his car before the lights went out and was subsequently given a 5-second time penalty.

On lap 11, Kimi Antonelli overtook Lewis Hamilton at Copse corner to reclaim second place. On lap 17, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen passed George Russell to move into fourth and then entered the pits to switch to hard compound tyres.

On lap 22, a virtual safety car (VSC) was deployed briefly to allow track marshals to remove an umbrella that had fallen onto the circuit. During this period, Ocon and Perez made their pit stops. Race leader Charles Leclerc pitted on lap 26 for hard tyres and rejoined in second place behind Antonelli.

On laps 30 and 31, a battle for position unfolded between Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, with multiple overtaking maneuvers. On lap 35, Russell was forced to pit due to a slow puncture. Race leader Kimi Antonelli delayed his first pit stop until lap 36 and rejoined the track 7.5 seconds behind Leclerc after switching to hard tyres. On lap 39, a mechanical issue caused Audi driver Nico Hulkenberg to stop on the edge of the track, triggering another virtual safety car period.

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After his pit stop, Kimi Antonelli reduced his gap to Charles Leclerc to 3.1 seconds by lap 41 thanks to his fresher tyres. However, after making contact with the kerbs at the high-speed Copse corner, a structural component of the left front wheel shield on his Mercedes broke. This mechanical failure severely compromised the car’s steering, forcing Antonelli to return to the pits on lap 41 to replace the front wing and tyres. When the issue persisted, he had to make a second pit stop, dropping to 10th place. Struggling to control his car, the Italian driver continued on track but was shown a black-and-white flag for repeatedly exceeding track limits. After further violations, he received a 5-second time penalty.

On lap 48, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, running in fourth, lost rear downforce in the Stowe corner, causing his car to spin at high speed into the gravel trap and retire from the race.

The Safety Car was deployed following the incident. During the Safety Car period, race leader Charles Leclerc and third-placed Lewis Hamilton made pit stops for new tyres. Mercedes opted to keep George Russell on track, allowing him to remain in second place ahead of Hamilton without pitting.

As the field entered lap 51, the FIA race control system erroneously displayed the message “Safety Car In This Lap” on broadcast screens, leading teams and drivers to expect a race restart on the final lap. It was later confirmed that this message was the result of a software error and was retracted shortly afterward.

According to FIA sporting regulations (Article 55.13), when a Safety Car period ends, the lead car must complete one full lap behind the Safety Car before racing resumes. This procedure was correctly followed, so the Safety Car remained on track for one additional lap. The British Grand Prix concluded under the Safety Car on lap 52, with the field in formation and overtaking prohibited.

Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished the race in first place with a time of 1 hour 27 minutes 11.335 seconds. This victory marked his first win since the 2024 United States Grand Prix and his ninth career Formula 1 race win.

Mercedes driver George Russell finished second, 0.427 seconds behind Leclerc, and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in third, 0.772 seconds behind. The remaining drivers inside the points were: fourth Lando Norris (McLaren), fifth Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), sixth Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), seventh Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), eighth Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), ninth Franco Colapinto (Alpine), and tenth Pierre Gasly (Alpine).

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Following the race, the stewards reviewed several incidents and imposed the following penalties and classification changes:

• Lewis Hamilton: Investigated for a yellow flag violation during the race but retained his third-place finish after receiving only a reprimand.
• Carlos Sainz: The Williams driver was given a one-lap penalty after the race for illegally taking a lap back during the Safety Car period, dropping him from 12th to 17th in the final classification.
• Lance Stroll: The Aston Martin driver received a 5-second time penalty for exceeding track limits five times during the race.
• Kimi Antonelli: The championship leader, who crossed the checkered flag in ninth, dropped to 16th after the 5-second penalty for track limit violations was applied and scored no points.

Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Alexander Albon (Williams), and Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) failed to finish the race (DNF) due to mechanical issues or crashes.

The championship standings were updated following the British Grand Prix as follows:

1. Kimi Antonelli (Italy) – 179 points
2. George Russell (United Kingdom) – 154 points
3. Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – 147 points
4. Charles Leclerc (Monaco) – 108 points
5. Lando Norris (United Kingdom) – 97 points

1. Mercedes – 333 points
2. Ferrari – 255 points
3. McLaren – 179 points
4. Red Bull – 128 points
5. Alpine – 60 points

^{10. Belçika GP (17-19 Temmuz) (AA)}

The 10th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, the Belgian Grand Prix, was a motorsport event held on 17–19 July 2026 at the 7-kilometre Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. Under sunny and dry conditions, the race, consisting of 44 laps, was won by Italian driver Kimi Antonelli of the Mercedes team, who completed it in a time of 1 hour 24 minutes 42.479 seconds. This victory marked Antonelli’s sixth race win of the 2026 season.

Various incidents occurred during the practice sessions of the race weekend. Ferrari’s British driver Lewis Hamilton lost control of his SF-26 car at the exit of Turn 13, known as the Fagnes chicane, during the final moments of Free Practice 3 (FP3), veering into a gravel trap and striking the rear of his car against the barriers. The impact dislodged the rear wheel and caused severe damage to the rear wing. Although Ferrari mechanics managed to repair the car in time for qualifying, Hamilton reported a change in the suspension balance and could only secure fifth position on the grid.

^{10. Belçika GP (17-19 Temmuz) (AA)}

Following qualifying, several drivers received grid penalties due to power unit component changes. McLaren driver Lando Norris was penalised ten grid places for switching to a new energy storage unit (power unit control electronics), meaning that despite posting the third-fastest time in qualifying, he started the race in 13th position. Fernando Alonso, Isack Hadjar, Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll also received grid penalties for exceeding their allocated power unit components. Alonso and Hadjar started from the back of the grid (around 19th and 20th positions), while Sainz and Stroll also lined up in the rear rows. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes secured pole position after qualifying.

With cooler temperatures on race day compared to the rest of the weekend and Pirelli’s thermal degradation forecasts influencing strategy, most drivers opted for medium compound tyres for the start. Lando Norris chose the hard compound, while Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz started on the red-marked soft compound. As the red lights went out, Antonelli attempted to hold the lead, but Red Bull driver Max Verstappen made a strong start and overtook him entering the Eau Rouge corner. However, Antonelli used the speed advantage of his Mercedes on the Kemmel straight to regain the lead.

^{10. Belçika GP (17-19 Temmuz) (AA)}

On the first lap, Mercedes driver George Russell lost power on the straight due to an energy deployment issue with his hybrid battery system, causing him to drop behind Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc as he approached Turn 5. As Russell entered the Les Combes chicane (braking zone for Turn 6), he attempted an aggressive overtake from the outside to regain position. At the same time, Hamilton, closely following Verstappen, drifted outward, resulting in contact between the two cars. The collision sent Russell’s car into the gravel trap, eliminating him from the race and prompting the deployment of the Safety Car. After reviewing the incident, race officials imposed a five-second time penalty on Lewis Hamilton for causing the collision. Simultaneously, in the rear of the field, Esteban Ocon suffered a puncture to his left front tyre after contact with Carlos Sainz and his teammate, forcing him to drop to last place.

During the Safety Car period, Isack Hadjar, Oliver Bearman and the Cadillac drivers pitted to change tyres. When racing resumed on lap 5, Kimi Antonelli maintained his lead ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen. In the rear, Hamilton passed Piastri at the La Source corner, but Piastri reclaimed the position shortly after to settle in fourth. Red Bull driver Verstappen moved into second place by overtaking Leclerc at the Les Combes corner.

Later in the race, contact occurred between Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri at the braking zone of Turn 5, scattering carbon fibre debris across the track. Piastri’s car sustained aerodynamic damage, resulting in a time loss of 0.2 to 0.3 seconds per lap. Although Piastri claimed Leclerc did not leave him sufficient room, officials took no punitive action. During this battle, Hamilton, who was closing in on the two, passed Piastri to move into fourth place. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly, who had previously sustained damage, pitted, and Sergio Perez retired from the race due to a broken suspension.

^{10. Belçika GP (17-19 Temmuz) (AA)}

The first pit stop in the front group came on lap 18 when Max Verstappen pitted and dropped to sixth. In response, leader Antonelli pitted on the same lap under green flag conditions. Around lap 20, the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed to allow track officials to clear debris. Ferrari took advantage of this window to pit both Leclerc and Hamilton. Hamilton served his five-second penalty during his stop, but accidentally collided with a mechanic while exiting the pit box; no injuries occurred, but the team was fined and Hamilton’s front wing angle could not be adjusted. Leclerc, who pitted under the VSC, emerged ahead of Antonelli. Lando Norris, who started on hard tyres and did not pit during the VSC, briefly led the race, but as his old tyres lost performance, he was overtaken by Leclerc, Antonelli and Verstappen, and finally pitted on lap 31. Norris’s slow pit stop dropped him to eighth place.

As the race entered its final 10 laps, Antonelli rapidly closed the gap to Leclerc and overtook him to reclaim the lead. Kimi Antonelli held his position for the remainder of the race, crossing the finish line first, 1.952 seconds ahead of Leclerc. Charles Leclerc finished second, and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen came in third, 11.586 seconds behind the winner.

The top 10 finishers and their positions were as follows: fourth, Lewis Hamilton; fifth, Oscar Piastri; sixth, Isack Hadjar, who started from the back; seventh, Lando Norris; eighth, Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto; ninth, Arvid Lindblad; and tenth, Franco Colapinto. Oliver Bearman finished 14th. Drivers who failed to finish were George Russell (collision), Sergio Perez (suspension failure), and Lance Stroll (gearbox issue).

After the Belgian Grand Prix, the top five positions in the 2026 Formula 1 season for drivers and teams are as follows:

1. Kimi Antonelli (Italy) – 204 Points
2. Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) – 159 Points
3. George Russell (United Kingdom) – 154 Points
4. Charles Leclerc (Monaco) – 126 Points
5. Lando Norris (United Kingdom) – 103 Points

1. Mercedes – 358 Points
2. Ferrari – 285 Points
3. McLaren – 195 Points
4. Red Bull – 151 Points
5. Alpine – 61 Points

With this result, the Mercedes team secured its eighth race win of the 2026 season.