Ranking GP: F1 2026 Belgian GP Driver Ratings

The entire Formula 1 paddock knew that battery deployment and energy management at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix would be a major bottleneck. How drivers would manage energy across the long straights and sweeping high-speed corners of Spa-Francorchamps—and what would ultimately make the difference at one of the world’s most iconic tracks—was the central question. What unfolded, however, was a muted race lacking genuine drama and featuring a somewhat jarring artificial dynamic. It certainly wasn’t one of the highlights of the year.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli sealed another victory. It shouldn’t have been a complex affair, but circumstantial factors made it closer than expected. Charles Leclerc was driving a strong race, but the timing of a Virtual Safety Car period opened the door for an unexpected undercut. It took some time, but Antonelli eventually asserted on track what had been clear since initial practice: Mercedes’ substantial pace advantage.

For his teammate and main championship rival, George Russell, the weekend told a very different story. Struggling from the outset and unable to bounce back, Russell qualified well off pole and got a poor launch. His opening-lap collision with Lewis Hamilton, which resulted in a retirement, was the culmination of a troubled weekend. Things escalated further when Russell publicly voiced his frustration over Mercedes’ battery reliability issues affecting both his weekend and overall season. Where does Mercedes go from here?

Elsewhere, Gabriel Bortoleto scored points for Audi for the second consecutive race, this time finishing as “best of the rest.” Nico Hülkenberg spent a significant portion of the race inside the top 10, but the VSC timing worked against him, leaving him outside the points once again. Now, F1 has just one final round remaining before the summer break.

Formula 1 returns on July 24–26 in Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the 11th round of the 2026 season.

F1 2026, SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, CORRIDA, MERCEDES, KIMI ANTONELLI — Kimi Antonelli won at Spa-Francorchamps (Photo: F1)

1st) Andrea Kimi Antonelli – 9.5 — In one of those weekends where he was in a league of his own in terms of pace within Mercedes, he faced very little resistance. The main challenge came from the undercut he suffered at the hands of Leclerc, but with plenty of laps remaining and a far superior Mercedes beneath him, it was clear he would retake the position. Once back in the lead, he checked out.

2nd) Charles Leclerc – 8.5 — Drove the best race possible. Once again understanding the car better than Hamilton, he pushed the Ferrari to the absolute limit of its capabilities. With a bit of luck, he took the lead and managed the situation brilliantly until Antonelli’s inevitable pass.

3rd) Max Verstappen – 9.0 — Unlike Leclerc, he didn’t get lucky with the timing of the VSC. Otherwise, he would have led part of the race and finished second at worst. Once again, he maximized what he had and returned to the podium.

4th) Lewis Hamilton – 6.5 — An opening-lap collision that earned him a penalty, a messy pit stop, and another day behind Leclerc. It wasn’t a terrible drive from Hamilton, but it certainly won’t be one he looks back on fondly at the end of the year.

5th) Oscar Piastri – 6.5 — Another driver involved in a first-lap clash, this time with Leclerc, whom he blamed while claiming to have suffered a loss of performance. Fifth place was the bare minimum given Russell’s retirement and the penalties for Hadjar and Norris. Piastri stayed there without showing much spark.

6th) Isack Hadjar – 8.5 — “The most complete race I’ve driven,” he stated post-race. On a completely unique multi-stop strategy, he managed to climb from 21st to 6th, proving it was down to more than just the car’s underlying pace.

7th) Lando Norris – 8.0 — Another driver forced to mount a recovery drive, albeit from less far back. Norris claimed post-race that McLaren had the pace to fight for the win had their race unfolded under more normal circumstances. That wasn’t the case, but he still outshone Piastri.

8th) Gabriel Bortoleto – 8.0 — Best of the rest! After a long points drought, Bortoleto has logged back-to-back top-10 finishes for Audi—something Hülkenberg has yet to match. Reconnecting with the points positions and putting those “near-misses” behind him provides a massive confidence boost.

9th) Arvid Lindblad – 7.5 — Under normal operating conditions, Racing Bulls remains the benchmark in the midfield. This time, Lindblad achieved something that has been rare: putting genuine clear air between himself and his teammate.

10th) Franco Colapinto – 7.0 — Perhaps the highlight move of the entire race was Colapinto’s double overtake, even as he struggled significantly with tire management. Still, he beat Gasly and scored points once again for Alpine.

11th) Pierre Gasly – 6.5 — Things just didn’t fall into place for Gasly. A poor launch, an unsuccessful undercut attempt, and a lack of raw pace to overcome his teammate all worked against him. On a day where Alpine seemed a step behind Audi and Racing Bulls, beating one car from each rival team was notable, but not enough to score points.

12th) Liam Lawson – 6.0 — Despite a well-sorted car and a strong start, he lamented being unable to make performance gains across the weekend even with a competitive package. This marks the end of a five-race point-scoring streak.

13th) Nico Hülkenberg – 5.5 — Starting further back heavily compromised what should have been his first points finish of the year. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t to be. While Bortoleto was the “best of the rest,” his teammate remains stuck on zero points for the season.

14th) Oliver Bearman – 5.5 — Came away complaining bitterly about power unit performance, predicting that races at Silverstone and Spa will be painful for years to come. Despite a clash with his teammate, he reported his fourth gear was stuck. Haas continues its recent ordeal.

15th) Alexander Albon – 5.0 — After a decent start, he lost momentum mid-race and couldn’t stay close to the midfield pack. A familiar story for Williams this season.

16th) Carlos Sainz – 5.0 — Followed a similar trajectory to Albon, compounded by extra setbacks: a grid penalty that pushed him back at the start and front-wing damage on lap one following midfield contact.

17th) Esteban Ocon – 4.0 — What’s the worst thing a driver facing technical struggles, tense team relations, and an expiring contract can do in F1? Probably crash into their teammate, which is precisely what happened in Belgium.

18th) Valtteri Bottas – 5.0 — Endured what felt like another glorified test session, but reached the checkered flag and clearly outpaced the increasingly wretched Aston Martin entries.

19th) Fernando Alonso – 5.0 — High expectations surround Aston Martin’s much-hyped Hungary upgrade package. If it fails to drastically alter the car’s place in the competitive hierarchy, it is fair to question whether this could be the two-time world champion’s final race in Formula 1.

20th) Lance Stroll – 3.5 — On top of everything else, he was forced to retire with a gearbox issue.

21st) Sergio Pérez – 3.5 — Another driver plagued by mechanical issues, suffering rear suspension failure. Even before the retirement, it was a miserable weekend for Pérez, who lacked the pace to challenge any of Red Bull’s direct rivals.

22nd) George Russell – 4.5 — Lacking pace all weekend, his race lasted only seconds following a first-lap collision with Hamilton—a clash for which he actually absolved his former Mercedes teammate. His most notable moment came post-race with his first open criticism of the team regarding potential favoritism toward Antonelli. Where do they go from here?

Belgian GP Overall Rating – 5.5 — Hungary will present a completely different challenge compared to Silverstone and Spa, but the issues from the last two rounds cannot be ignored. Truth be told, the on-track action was entirely unmemorable; off the track, however, it must serve as a catalyst for discussions regarding necessary tweaks to the current regulation cycle.