Antonelli holds off Verstappen to stretch F1 championship lead
- On Sunday, Andrea Kimi Antonelli won the inaugural Formula One race in Madrid, securing his eighth victory of the 2026 season and extending his championship grip.
- A crash by Lance Stroll on the 14th lap triggered a Virtual Safety Car that caught McLaren driver Lando Norris off guard. Norris lost his seven-second lead and a slow front-right tyre change left him 13 seconds adrift.
- Max Verstappen finished runner-up, 4.3 seconds behind Antonelli, while Charles Leclerc led most of the race before his late stop. Lewis Hamilton retired early with a brake problem, ending the seven-time world champion's title hopes as he fell 101 points behind the pace.
- Following the race, Norris alleged Verstappen defended second place illegally on the penultimate lap. Antonelli extended his championship margin to 81 points with nine rounds remaining, positioning him to potentially usurp Sebastian Vettel as the sport's youngest-ever world champion.
- Mercedes driver George Russell finished fifth, questioning the team's two-stop strategy. "I think I could have held Norris off," Russell asked, as the team refines tactics amid the intensifying championship battle.
140 Articles
140 Articles
Formula 1 | Kimi Antonelli Won with a Lucky Margin in Madrid, Valtteri Bottas Was the Last to Finish
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli increased his lead in the World Championship.
The first Formula 1 World Championship round held at the Madring circuit was won by Italian Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), who beat Max Verstappen (Red Bull; +4.351) and Lando Norris (McLaren; +5.089).
The king of Formula 1 gets the cup from the Spanish king. Kimi Antonelli wins a week after the victory in Monza also in Madrid. A lot happened - also in his favor.
The king of Formula 1 gets the cup from the Spanish king. Kimi Antonelli wins a week after the victory in Monza also in Madrid. A lot happened - also in his favor.
After 57 laps, Kimi Antonelli was the first to cross the goal of the Spanish GP, followed by Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.With this result, the Italian driver continues to expand his advantage as leader of the Formula 1 Drivers Championship.Noticia en desarrollo, en briefe más información...
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