Charles Leclerc finished second at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, narrowly missing out on victory as Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli held on to win by 1.9 seconds.
Leclerc started the race from fourth on the grid after a yellow flag disrupted his final qualifying lap on Saturday, but produced a strong opening lap, passing both Max Verstappen and George Russell to move into second place behind Antonelli. His race took a decisive turn when Ferrari called him into the pits during a Virtual Safety Car period, a strategic gamble that briefly vaulted him into the lead of the race. Antonelli, however, responded with composure, catching and passing Leclerc on lap 34 to reclaim the lead and hold on for his sixth win of the season.
Leclerc kept the pressure on until the closing laps but was unable to find a way back past the Mercedes driver, eventually crossing the line just under two seconds behind. Max Verstappen completed the podium in third for Red Bull, marking his third podium finish of the season. George Russell’s race ended early after contact with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap sent him into the gravel trap, triggering a Safety Car period and effectively ending his afternoon. Hamilton went on to finish fourth after serving a five-second time penalty for his part in the incident.
Reflecting on the result afterward, Leclerc said he had believed in the possibility of victory until the very end of the race. The result marks his second consecutive podium finish, following his win at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone the previous weekend, and he described the outcome as a sign of continued progress, while stressing he did not yet feel he was performing at the level he is aiming for.
The result sees Leclerc remain second in the Drivers’ Championship standings, while Antonelli extends his lead at the top to 45 points. Formula One now heads to the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring for the next round of the season.
Image courtesy of @ScuderiaFerrari on X