F1 Today | Kimi Antonelli wins Belgian GP, Hamilton unhappy with penalty after Russell clash

Championship leader Antonelli returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since the Monaco Grand Prix, winning his sixth race of the season in Belgium.

What looked like a comfortable victory was thrown up in the air after Leclerc took the lead after making his pitstop behind the virtual safety car. That meant for the second race in a row, Antonelli was chasing the Monegasque for the victory.

Unlike Silverstone, where Antonelli's challenge faltered after suffering damage to his tyre shield, the Italian passed Leclerc to take the victory and extend his championship lead to 45 points. Antonelli was left stunned by the chaotic start to the race, which saw teammate Russell retire on the opening lap after a tangle with Hamilton's Ferrari.

Despite the chaos, he was pleased that everyone made it through the opening lap without incident: "To be fair, I was so confused about what was happening because Max came flying past me before Eau Rouge and then I passed him back.

Reflecting on his battle with Leclerc, he added: "Their long run didn't look bad at all (in free practice). So we knew they would have been good, and today it was just a confirmation that they were there. They were very strong in Turns 12 and 13 compared to us. I was struggling a little bit with the rear there. But then, on the other hand, we were very strong in the low-speed corners. That's why it was not easy, especially to keep up in sector two. We definitely expected them to be quick today."

Hamilton disagreed with the stewards decision to hand him a five-second penalty for his tangle with Russell, which forced his teammate to retire from the Belgian GP.

Speaking to the media including GPblog, Hamilton said: "I was in the position where George obviously looked like he lost power, and then he swooped around the outside and just had a small coming together. I got damaged, and unfortunately, really unfortunate to see his race constrained because you never want to see that. And then in the race, I did the best job I could with the damage that I had, and then also the penalty."

He added: "I think it was a racing incident, so I didn't think that it should be a penalty, but it is what it is. I'll text him later on because we won't get to see (each other). Everyone rushes out of here. I was thinking that's the last thing you ever want to do is come together with your teammate or with your old team who you highly respect."