Five key takeaways from the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix

If there were still doubts about Antonelli's championship credentials, then they were answered in Spa.

The Italian had the pace throughout the weekend, taking a commanding pole position before controlling Sunday's race despite losing the lead through strategy during the Virtual Safety Car period. Lesser drivers might have panicked, but Antonelli remained patient, looked after his tyres and overtook Leclerc when the opportunity presented itself.

Just as importantly, he capitalised when Russell suffered his early retirement. Championship-winning campaigns are built on maximising weekends like this, and Antonelli did exactly that. Rather than simply extending his lead through good fortune, he ensured there was no question that he was the fastest driver on the day.

With six victories already this season, the 19-year-old is no longer just the sport's brightest young talent he is increasingly looking like Formula 1's next world champion.

Mercedes knew Antonelli was special when it promoted him to Formula 1, but his first full title challenge has exceeded even the highest expectations.

Spa showcased the complete package. One-lap speed, tyre management, racecraft and composure all combined in another near-flawless weekend. His overtake on Leclerc was decisive rather than desperate, reflecting a driver who understands when to attack and when to remain patient.

Perhaps the biggest compliment is that weekends like this are becoming routine.

The pressure that inevitably comes with leading the championship appears to have little effect on Antonelli, and Mercedes now has every reason to believe it has found the driver capable of leading the team into Formula 1's next era.

While victory ultimately escaped Ferrari, Belgium represented another encouraging step forward.

Leclerc looked capable of fighting for the win throughout the afternoon and briefly held the lead after strategy worked in Ferrari's favour. Although Antonelli eventually had too much pace, Ferrari was competitive across the entire weekend at a circuit that has not always suited its package.

Hamilton's afternoon was considerably more complicated. The seven-time world champion recovered to finish fourth despite receiving a five-second penalty following his collision with Russell and facing further scrutiny over an unsafe pit release. Even so, Ferrari demonstrated that both cars possess genuine front-running speed.

The gap to Mercedes has not disappeared, but it is certainly shrinking. If Ferrari can continue developing at this rate, race victories should become more frequent during the second half of the season.

Every championship features one weekend that changes everything. For Russell, Belgium could prove to be that race.

Starting near the front, the Briton instead found himself battling technical issues before becoming involved in the collision with Hamilton that ended his race. Russell later explained that persistent power problems had left him vulnerable on the straights, with Mercedes still searching for the root cause of the issue that has affected him in recent races.

Instead of trimming Antonelli's advantage, Russell leaves Spa having surrendered a significant number of points without completing a competitive race distance. Momentum, confidence and the championship narrative have all shifted firmly towards his younger teammate.

There are still plenty of races remaining, but Russell now needs more than outright pace. He also requires reliability, consistency and, perhaps most importantly, Antonelli to finally make mistakes that simply are not coming.

Away from the fight for victory, Belgium reinforced just how competitive Formula 1's midfield has become.

Isack Hadjar continued his excellent campaign with another assured points finish, while Franco Colapinto added valuable points for Alpine. McLaren, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were unable to challenge the leading trio despite arriving at Spa with high expectations.

Every weekend now seems to produce a different pecking order behind Mercedes and Ferrari, making the battle for the remaining points one of the most entertaining stories of the season.

As development continues under the current regulations, the margins remain incredibly fine. Small setup improvements or a well-timed strategy call can be worth several positions, and Belgium demonstrated that once again.

One week ago, the championship still felt like a genuine two-driver fight. After Spa, Antonelli has firmly seized control.

Mercedes heads to Hungary buoyed by another victory and with its lead driver full of confidence, while Ferrari has fresh evidence that it can challenge for wins on merit. Russell, meanwhile, faces perhaps the most important weekend of his season, needing both a clean race and a reversal in fortunes to prevent the championship from slipping even further away.

Spa rarely disappoints, and this year's Belgian Grand Prix may ultimately be remembered as the race where Formula 1's next world champion announced that he is ready to take the crown.