Kimi Antonelli Menangi Grand Prix Belgia 2026 Usai Salip Charles Leclerc

Pembalap Mercedes Kimi Antonelli sukses memenangi balapan Formula 1 Grand Prix Belgia di Sirkuit Spa-Francorchamps pada Minggu, 19 Juli 2026, setelah menyalip pembalap Ferrari Charles Leclerc di fase akhir lomba.

Kemenangan keenam Antonelli musim ini membuatnya memperlebar keunggulan di puncak klasemen menjadi 50 poin dari George Russell yang gagal finis akibat bertabrakan dengan Lewis Hamilton pada lap pembuka.

Dilansir dari Yahoo Sports, Charles Leclerc sempat memimpin balapan berkat keuntungan momen Virtual Safety Car (VSC), namun Antonelli berhasil mengejarnya dan merebut posisi terdepan di Trek Lurus Kemmel pada lap ke-34.

Pembalap Red Bull Max Verstappen mengamankan posisi podium ketiga setelah memulai balapan dari baris terdepan berkat strategi bantuan kebul (tow) dari rekan setimnya, Isack Hadjar, saat sesi kualifikasi hari Sabtu.

Hamilton finis keempat tetapi berada dalam investigasi atas insiden pelepasan pit yang tidak aman, sementara Oscar Piastri dari McLaren melengkapi posisi lima besar.

Berikut adalah hasil lengkap balapan F1 GP Belgia 2026:

Pernyataan Para Pembalap

"It’s great to be back on the top stop after a few difficult rounds," kata Kimi Antonelli, Pembalap Mercedes.

Antonelli menambahkan bahwa balapan berjalan sengit karena mereka kehilangan posisi akibat VSC sebelum akhirnya mampu bangkit kembali merebut kemenangan.

"It was a hard-fought race. We lost the first place with the Virtual Safety Car, we made our way back and it was a touch win as Charles was quick." kata Kimi Antonelli, Pembalap Mercedes.

Ia juga menegaskan pentingnya konsistensi performa untuk sisa musim ini.

"The (championship) momentum was always there. It was just about getting the results and today we were a bit lucky, in terms of what happened in the championship but you have to take every opportunity because we can see how much it can swing. We have to keep performing, getting the results, and we will see what happens at the end of the year." kata Kimi Antonelli, Pembalap Mercedes.

Sementara itu, Leclerc mengaku tetap optimistis sepanjang balapan meski gagal mempertahankan keunggulan.

"I believed in the win until the end," kata Charles Leclerc, Pembalap Ferrari.

Leclerc menilai mobilnya menunjukkan peningkatan performa yang cukup baik walaupun masih ada beberapa hal yang perlu dievaluasi.

"We had a bit of luck with the VSC at the right place for us. The pace was relatively strong. I felt better with the car, there is still some work to do but it is a step forward." kata Charles Leclerc, Pembalap Ferrari.

Di sisi lain, Verstappen merasa hasil podium sudah cukup maksimal mengingat situasi balapan yang dinamis.

"I tried everything I could in the race. Kimi and I, we got a little bit unlucky with the VSC so for us, a podium is good.

Verstappen menyatakan telah mengerahkan seluruh kemampuannya di lintasan.

I gave it everything I had." kata Max Verstappen, Pembalap Red Bull.

Sebelumnya pada hari Sabtu, Verstappen mengapresiasi bantuan slipstream dari Hadjar yang membuatnya bisa start dari baris depan.

"It was definitely helping me otherwise I would not be standing here," kata Max Verstappen, Pembalap Red Bull.

Verstappen memperkirakan posisi startnya akan jauh di belakang tanpa strategi tersebut.

"Otherwise I think you're like P6 or something. I think Isack today, knowing that he will start at the back of the grid, he did a really good job giving me a tow in the final sector. That's why we're standing right here." kata Max Verstappen, Pembalap Red Bull.

Ia juga mengaku sempat khawatir karena jarak mobil mereka yang terlampau dekat saat kualifikasi.

"No, it was flat out. I would have just pushed him! It was close, but he did amazing.

Verstappen memercayai rekan setimnya sepenuhnya dalam eksekusi taktik tersebut.

I initially thought, 'Oh my God, it’s too close,' but then actually it worked out well to the last corner. It was close, but I trusted him." kata Max Verstappen, Pembalap Red Bull.

Dari kubu rekan setim, Hadjar menegaskan komitnya untuk mendukung kepentingan tim di kualifikasi.

"I don't know if I really helped him into second, probably, but he drove very well and anyway he would have been at the front but to give that bonus was definitely the right thing to do," kata Isack Hadjar, Pembalap Red Bull.

Hadjar menyatakan kepuasannya atas hasil yang diraih tim.

I'm happy for the team, I'm happy for him." kata Isack Hadjar, Pembalap Red Bull.

Sementara itu, Russell mengungkapkan kekecewaannya setelah tersingkir di awal balapan akibat senggolan dengan Hamilton.

"The incident with Lewis was a racing incident," kata George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.

Russell mengonfirmasi bahwa Hamilton tidak berniat memicu tabrakan tersebut.

"He didn’t do it on purpose. He was more to blame than I. But he didn’t do anything reckless.

Ia mengaku frustrasi karena masalah mekanis merusak momentum start bagusnya.

I was just angry I was in that position in the first place. I got a great start and I was ready to fight the two guys ahead of me up to turn five and instead I get swamped by three drivers because of another problem.

Russell merasa mulai terbiasa dengan berbagai nasib buruk musim ini.

I am numb to the disappointment. When it happens so often you just get used to it." kata George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.

Di bagian lain, bos tim McLaren Andrea Stella berkomentar kepada Sky Sport Germany mengenai gaya balap Oscar Piastri yang dinilai kurang agresif untuk regulasi mobil 2026.

"I think the drivers are talking about this generation of cars requiring a certain driving style," kata Andrea Stella, Prinsipal Tim McLaren.

Stella menjelaskan bahwa pembalap harus lebih aktif mengendalikan mobil yang kerap bergeser di lintasan.

"Basically, if you just try to drive too clean, the lap time doesn't come. You have to attack the car, you have to accept that the car slides, you have to be extremely active.

Pihak tim kini sedang berupaya membantu Piastri menyesuaikan karakter berkendaranya.

And this is a driving style that comes more normal to Lando than Oscar. We are working with Oscar to make sure that his natural application in terms of driving input takes these characteristics into account. We have seen this across some other team-mates, like Antonelli and Russell, sometimes Hamilton and Leclerc.

Stella meyakini Piastri akan segera menemukan performa terbaiknya kembali.

So, I think we will figure this out and Oscar will be able to express the full extent of his talent." kata Andrea Stella, Prinsipal Tim McLaren.

Menanggapi hal tersebut, Piastri mengklarifikasi bahwa kendala utamanya di Spa bukan karena faktor hidrolik pada hari Jumat.

"I think the struggles I've had today have not been related to that," kata Oscar Piastri, Pembalap McLaren.

Piastri menyebut pengendalian mobil saat berada di batas maksimal performa menjadi tantangan terbesar.

"It's just been a very difficult car to drive and very, very tough. If you can balance it on the edge, then the lap time seems to be there, but balancing it on the edge is pretty tough." kata Oscar Piastri, Pembalap McLaren.

Ia juga menggarisbawahi masalah stabilitas bagian belakang mobil dalam beberapa pekan terakhir.

"A bit of everything, depending on where exactly you put it and which way the wind is, what kind of corner you're in. It's not one kind of clear problem, which I think when you've got struggles with a bit of everything, it's probably that that's just what the car is capable of and extracting any more out of it is… You just need more downforce really.

Faktor angin kencang di Spa dan Silverstone turut memperumit situasi bagi pembalap Australia tersebut.

But the rear of the car has definitely been a challenge the last couple of weekends in particular. Obviously today it's been quite windy, Silverstone was quite windy, so I don't know if that's added to the challenge, but it's definitely not been easy." kata Oscar Piastri, Pembalap McLaren.

Seri ke-10 Formula 1 musim 2026 ini resmi berakhir dengan keunggulan poin yang kian mutlak bagi kubu Mercedes lewat performa impresif Kimi Antonelli.