Belgian Grand Prix 2026: Ferrari fined €30,000 after Hamilton hits mechanic, Antonelli wins

The 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps produced a chaotic race filled with high-stakes collisions, controversial pit-lane drama, and a pivotal result in the drivers' championship. Here is a full, sourced breakdown of the key incidents, penalties, and race outcome.

Ferrari's €30,000 fine and the unsafe pit release

On lap 20, during a pit stop under Virtual Safety Car conditions, Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari was released unsafely from its pit box. As Hamilton pulled away, he struck a Ferrari mechanic who was still adjusting the front wing on the right side of the car, knocking him to the ground . Hamilton immediately halted and said his "heart sank" as he feared serious injury, but the mechanic was later confirmed unhurt .

The FIA stewards summoned Ferrari for an unsafe release and imposed a €30,000 fine on the team (roughly $34,000) . Of that total, €10,000 is suspended for one year, contingent on Ferrari avoiding similar infractions and submitting a detailed report to the FIA within 14 days .

How the stewards allocated blame

The stewards placed responsibility entirely on the team, not the driver.

• Ferrari was found guilty of an unsafe release — the team gave the electronic green signal for Hamilton to leave while a mechanic was still in contact with the car .
• Lewis Hamilton was exonerated. He received no individual penalty for the pit-lane incident. The stewards accepted that he reacted to the green light and could not have avoided the collision .

However, Hamilton was separately penalized for a first-lap collision with George Russell. For that incident, Hamilton received a five-second time penalty, which he served during the same lap-20 pit stop .

Race outcome: Antonelli wins ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen

The top five finishers were :

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) — Winner
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) — +1.9s
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) — +11.5s
4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) — +17.2s
5. (further places confirmed by multiple reports)

Antonelli started from pole but briefly lost the lead to Verstappen on the opening lap, then fought back and also had to overcome Leclerc, who led after the VSC period. Antonelli crossed the line just under two seconds clear of Leclerc to take his sixth career victory and extend his championship lead . Verstappen, who started 2nd, settled for third, calling his drive "unlucky" after Red Bull failed to capitalise on the VSC timing .

Other key storylines from the Spa weekend

Russell-Hamilton opening-lap clash — George Russell's race ended on lap 1 after contact with Hamilton at Les Combes. Russell blamed a Mercedes power issue ("no battery and no turbo" exiting Turn 1) that left him vulnerable, and was seen distraught afterward. Hamilton called it "a racing incident" . The stewards gave Hamilton a five-second penalty for that clash.

Antonelli extends title lead as Russell's hopes dented — With Russell retiring and Antonelli winning, the Italian doubled his championship advantage over his Mercedes teammate, taking a huge step toward a first world title .

Multiple safety car/VSC periods — The race featured several safety car and virtual safety car interruptions that shaped strategy, including the VSC that triggered Hamilton's fateful pit stop and gave Leclerc an undercut opportunity .

Ferrari also fined for Leclerc infringement — The stewards additionally penalised Ferrari for an infringement involving Charles Leclerc's car during the same weekend, though the Leclerc issue was separate from the Hamilton mechanic incident .