Kimi Antonelli claimed his eighth win of the season on the Spanish Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver extending his factors lead within the title race as System 1 made its first go to to the Madring.
Though the Italian got here out on high on the streets of Madrid, Lando Norris misplaced a possible victory because of an ill-timed Digital Security Automotive, whereas Lewis Hamilton’s race was over nearly earlier than it began after brake issues.
Listed below are all the important thing moments from the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix…
Antonelli extends result in 81 factors after one other victory
Kimi Antonelli put in yet one more spectacular show to develop into the primary driver to take victory on the Madring, and file his eighth win of the season from 14 Grands Prix.
The Mercedes racer continues to march on in his quest for a maiden F1 title, together with his margin over group mate George Russell now standing at 81 factors.
Antonelli did not actually put a foot fallacious all weekend, however was no match for Lando Norris’ tempo within the early phases of Sunday’s race after beginning second.
A brief Digital Security Automotive deployment simply as Antonelli headed to the pit entrance allowed him to take an affordable pit cease, as Norris missed his probability within the pivotal second of the race.
As soon as Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari made a late pit cease from the lead, Antonelli was again in entrance however acknowledged that Norris had been the quickest driver on the day.
“It’s good to win, nevertheless it doesn’t really feel pretty much as good as a result of I believe Lando at this time deserved to win,” mentioned Antonelli.
In distinction, Russell was left to complete solely P5 having made one further cease than these forward after being left compromised by beginning in P6.
The Briton admitted post-race that any hopes of difficult Antonelli for the drivers’ title had all however light with 9 Grands Prix nonetheless remaining.
“Realistically, I’m not within the battle for the drivers’ All the important thing moments from the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix as Kimi Antonelli wins once more after Lando Norris denied by VSC,” he mentioned. “That simply permits me to focus race by race and attempt to get some good outcomes.”
Norris’ Qualifying heroics undone by VSC
Simply in case his victories in Hungary and the Netherlands weren’t sufficient to show the calibre of driver Lando Norris has develop into, the reigning World Champion executed what he confessed was “the most effective laps” of his F1 profession in Qualifying.
Except for a small error on the closing flip, the Briton mastered the newest addition to the calendar to edge out Mercedes’ Antonelli by 0.011s for his third pole place in 4 races.
With overtaking spots restricted, it gave the McLaren driver an actual probability of victory come race day.
And he received off to a assured begin, rebuffing Antonelli’s problem when the lights went out, with the Italian making two small errors that enabled Norris to shortly construct a lead on the entrance.
It was a considerably merciless irony that quickly after his engineer praised him for managing his tyres so effectively, the Digital Security Automotive was deployed and Norris missed the prospect to take benefit, having already handed the pit entry when the alert got here via.
McLaren nonetheless introduced him in on his subsequent tour to stay on the identical technique as Antonelli, each drivers having began on the medium compound, however by that point the VSC had ended and a painfully sluggish 7s cease dropped him all the way down to P5.
He did handle to get well to the rostrum, which might usually be a end result to have fun towards the likes of Mercedes, however the disappointment was palpable as Norris – and even the triumphant Antonelli – believed that he “deserved” the win.
Ferrari fail to capitalise on robust tempo once more
The Madring represented a possibility for Ferrari to capitalise on the circuit’s novelty and snatch a superb end result, particularly after a disastrous residence occasion at Monza.
Lewis Hamilton’s head-on crash within the closing hour of apply gave his mechanics a hefty restore job with a view to make Qualifying, however that didn’t appear to dissuade the seven-time World Champion, as he went on to say provisional pole with the primary Q3 flying laps.
Ending up fourth within the closing reckoning, immediately forward of group mate Charles Leclerc, there was nonetheless a risk {that a} podium was on the playing cards, particularly when Hamilton received an outstanding launch off the road.
Verstappen, who Hamilton had jumped, minimize the chicane earlier than ultimately permitting the Ferrari driver again forward, just for Hamilton to endure a brake drawback that despatched him via a number of run-off areas and ultimately pressured his retirement.
It was a greater day for Leclerc, who was seemingly left questioning what may have been had Ferrari’s hope of a Security Automotive or crimson flag come to fruition. He didn’t pit underneath the VSC and thereby inherited the lead, however the lack of any additional incidents left him with no alternative however to lastly pit after 48 laps on the arduous tyres.
The gaps that had opened up between the frontrunners and the remainder of the highest 10 helped the Monegasque to return again out in P4, the place he held off Mercedes’ Russell to carry residence a decent haul of factors.
Better of the remaining for Verstappen after giving positions up
Max Verstappen claimed P2 in Madrid, regardless of begrudgingly giving again locations within the opening laps after tangling with Lewis Hamilton.
The Ferrari driver received forward after lights out, with Verstappen slicing the primary flip by driving off observe to maintain his P3 beginning place.
The Dutchman mentioned on the radio that Hamilton “nearly shunted me”, and tried to withstand Purple Bull’s directions to present the place again to keep away from a possible penalty, particularly after he had since overtaken Antonelli for P2.
After giving in and permitting each Antonelli and Hamilton via, he shortly returned to the rostrum locations after the Ferrari driver had an issue together with his brakes.
Verstappen was additionally in a position to profit from the VSC to restrict positions misplaced throughout his pit cease, and ultimately held off a charging Norris within the closing laps.
Ugochukwu takes F3 title in Madrid
Each F2 and F3 championships had been in motion on the Madring, with the latter concluding their season within the Spanish metropolis.
Ugo Ugochukwu was up towards Freddie Slater for the title, and it was the Campos Racing man who took the crown courtesy of a P2 end within the closing Function Race.
Slater’s probabilities had been dealt a blow when he was unable to attain within the Dash Race, earlier than failing to complete the primary Function Race, that means the pair entered the ultimate race tied on factors.
Eighth within the second Function Race was not sufficient to disclaim his rival, Ugochukwu taking the title by 14 factors ultimately, with Tuukka Taponen additionally left celebrating after taking a maiden F3 victory on Sunday.
Over in F2, Dino Beganovic took a lights-to-flag victory within the Function Race for DAMS Lucas Oil, as he led residence Rodin Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne and Hitech’s Ritomo Miyata.
Championship chief Nikola Tsolov completed down the order, however his rival Rafael Camara couldn’t capitalise, coming residence P10 after a penalty to solely narrowly cut back his deficit within the standings.
Tsolov leads by seven factors, with these two set to renew their rivalry subsequent trip in Baku.
Soccer stars out in pressure whereas Madrid welcomes tennis royalty to the paddock
There have been loads of well-known faces from the world of sport on the Madring grid on Sunday, with Actual Madrid giving a couple of gamers the time without work to return and watch F1.
Their supervisor Jose Mourinho was additionally on the grid, and having crushed Rayo Vallecano 4-1 in La Liga motion the earlier night, he was in an understandably good temper. As was Jude Bellingham, who scored in that match earlier than utilizing his Sunday off to meet up with a few of his countrymen.
Vinicius Jnr was seen laughing and joking with Gabriel Bortoleto, whereas Actual Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois towered over a few of the drivers – at six foot seven, he’s significantly taller than even the likes of Russell and Esteban Ocon.
Footballing legends David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Carlos had been additionally in attendance, as was retired tennis star Rafael Nadal, who was noticed down at Ferrari.
