Kimi Antonelli wins Formula 1 race in Madrid to establish a dominant championship lead, tell me about this news in (https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/formula-1/kimi-antonelli-wins-formula-1-race-madrid-rcna597467)
13-09-2026
Kimi Antonelli won the inaugural Formula 1 race at the Madring circuit in Madrid (Spanish Grand Prix), securing his eighth victory of the season.Key highlights from the race:
- Pivotal Moment: Pole-sitter Lando Norris (McLaren) led comfortably early on, but a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) intervention on lap 15 turned the race. While Antonelli and Max Verstappen pitted immediately, McLaren left Norris out and suffered a slow stop, losing control of the lead [cite: 1.1.3].
- Podium & Finish: Antonelli crossed the line first ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in second and Lando Norris in third [cite: 1.1.1]. Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari [cite: 1.1.2].
- Championship Impact: The Italian Mercedes prodigy extended his drivers’ championship lead significantly, moving up to 292 points81 points ahead of teammate George Russell (who struggled on a two-stop strategy and finished lower down). Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton retired early due to brake failure [cite: 1.1.3].