Antonelli wins Spanish GP on Sept 13 to lead by 81 points

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won the first Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s new Madring circuit on Sunday (September 13, 2026), extending his Formula One championship lead over team-mate George Russell to 81 points. 

Antonelli’s eighth victory of the season came after the timing of a virtual safety car disrupted Lando Norris’s race. The 20-year-old Italian finished 4.351 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, while McLaren driver Norris took third, 5.089 seconds behind the winner.

Norris loses Spanish GP lead during virtual safety car

McLaren’s Lando Norris lost the advantage of a lead exceeding six seconds when Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll stopped at Turn 20, prompting a virtual safety car during the Spanish Grand Prix. 

Norris had already passed the Madring pit entrance when the virtual safety car was deployed. Antonelli and Verstappen changed tyres while the field was travelling at reduced speed, but normal racing had resumed by the time Norris made his stop.

A seven-second tyre change left Norris fifth when he rejoined. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained that keeping Norris out on worn medium tyres would also have left him behind rivals who had already stopped, leaving the team without a realistic way to preserve the lead. 

Antonelli acknowledged Norris’s misfortune, saying: “It’s good to win, but it doesn’t feel as good because I think Lando today deserved to win.” 

Verstappen criticised the Madring’s limited overtaking opportunities and called for greater driver involvement in the design of future circuits.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc led after staying out during the virtual safety car, hoping another interruption would reduce the cost of his eventual stop. Leclerc pitted at the end of lap 48 and finished fourth, ahead of Russell, whose second stop helped Norris regain a podium position.

Red Bull’s Liam Lawson finished sixth, followed by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg. 

Antonelli opens 81-point lead over Russell

Antonelli left Madrid with 292 championship points to Russell’s 211. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton remained third on 191, followed by Norris on 186, according to Formula 1’s official standings.

Hamilton retired from the Spanish Grand Prix with brake trouble and subsequently praised Antonelli and Mercedes. “There’ll be no stopping him and Mercedes this year,” the Ferrari driver told Reuters.

Mercedes also strengthened their position in the constructors’ championship, reaching 503 points compared with Ferrari’s 358 and McLaren’s 306. 

Albon finishes 15th for Williams in Madrid

Thailand’s Alex Albon finished 15th in the Spanish Grand Prix for Williams, while team-mate Carlos Sainz retired with car damage.

Albon described the Madrid weekend as difficult and expressed hope that Williams upgrades planned for Baku would improve the team’s competitiveness.

Formula One’s next race is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku on Saturday (September 26).