Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) (AFP) – Mercedes may appear to be the runaway Formula One leaders, but closer examination suggests rivals Ferrari have found the consistency and reliability to fight for both championships after the summer break.
Issued on: 20/07/2026 - 16:32
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As the 22-race season approaches its halfway point, with the 11th race in Hungary next weekend, the Silver Arrows are experiencing a run of alternating bitter-sweet weekends.In Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli shone for a first win in four races while the George Russell crashed out on the opening lap. AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from an intriguing Spa-Francorchamps: Furious Russell title bid unravelsNormally mild-mannered Russell, who was a pre-season favourite to win the drivers' title, struggled to hide his feelings during an expletive-loaded outburst after his first lap retirement following a collision with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari. He had lost all his battery power on the Kemmel Straight before clashing with Hamilton at Les Combes and blamed this for the accident and his exit."I'm out," said the 28-year-old Briton, who slipped from second, 25 points behind team-mate Antonelli, to third, 50 adrift as the Italian teenager secured his sixth win of the year. "It was dangerous. "I got swamped by three cars and I shouldn’t have been in the position and that’s why I am angry," he added to explain his rant.Russell's season has been punctuated by power management problems in F1's new 'hybrid era' with Mercedes conceding his troubles were not due to his driving style. Team boss Toto Wolff said the team were to blame for his Russell's Belgian issues.Hamilton's series of 10 points-scoring races, including victory in Spain, has lifted him up to second, 45 behind Antonelli, with updates to come as Ferrari gain momentum. Antonelli finds a style
