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Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 championship with 267 points after thirteen rounds — seven wins including a stunning drive from 19th at Monza. Antonelli 66 points clear of Russell, 76 ahead of Hamilton. Every result, standings and championship analysis in one place.
Antonelli's stunning win from 19th at Monza extended his lead to 66 points over Russell and 76 over Hamilton. Norris's two successive wins make him the third genuine threat, 96 points back. Nine rounds remain — Antonelli can clinch the title before Round 20 if results go his way.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Points | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Kimi Antonelli
|
Mercedes | 267 | — |
| 2 |
George Russell
|
Mercedes | 201 | −66 |
| 3 |
Lewis Hamilton
|
Ferrari | 191 | −76 |
| 4 |
Lando Norris
|
McLaren | 171 | −96 |
| 5 |
Charles Leclerc
|
Ferrari | 155 | −112 |
| 6 |
Max Verstappen
|
Red Bull | 127 | −140 |
| 7 |
Oscar Piastri
|
McLaren | 116 | −151 |
| 8 |
Isack Hadjar
|
Red Bull | 71 | −196 |
| 9 |
Liam Lawson
|
Racing Bulls | 51 | −216 |
| 10 |
Pierre Gasly
|
Alpine | 41 | −226 |
Official standings at formula1.com → · Includes all points through Round 13 (Italian GP).
The 2026 season marked the most significant regulatory overhaul in Formula 1 since 2022. Entirely new aerodynamic rules — designed to reduce wake turbulence and enable closer racing — combined with a new generation of power units featuring a 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical energy. The result, at least in the opening rounds, was exactly what the FIA had promised: more overtakes, more wheel-to-wheel racing, and genuine unpredictability throughout the midfield.
The season opener at Albert Park produced 120 overtaking manoeuvres — a staggering figure that underlined the scale of the change. George Russell won from pole with Kimi Antonelli second, and Mercedes sent an immediate message: the Silver Arrows had nailed the new regulations in a way no other team had managed during winter testing.
If Australia suggested Mercedes dominance, China confirmed it — but with a new protagonist. Antonelli claimed his maiden victory in Shanghai, driving a flawless 56-lap race from pole to become the second-youngest grand prix winner in the sport's history. Four drivers, including both McLarens, failed to start due to power unit and hydraulic failures, but Antonelli's lap times were peerless regardless.
At Suzuka (Round 3), Antonelli recovered from a slow start and a Safety Car triggered by Oliver Bearman's heavy crash at Spoon to take his second consecutive win — and with it, the championship lead for the first time. He became the youngest driver in history to lead the Formula 1 standings at 19 years and 216 days. Miami (Round 4) brought his third straight victory, putting him in the company of Damon Hill and Mika Häkkinen as the only drivers to win their first three consecutive grands prix in the modern era. A thrilling battle with Lando Norris in the closing laps — Norris closing from a second behind with five to go — showed Antonelli had the race management skills to match his raw speed.
Canada (Round 5) was perhaps his luckiest win — George Russell had led every lap until a battery failure on lap 30 retired the Mercedes — but Antonelli made nothing of luck, managing his tyres flawlessly over the final 38 laps to take a fourth consecutive victory. Monaco (Round 6) completed the sequence: pole, victory, and seven retirements around him as the streets did their usual attrition work.
Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari was the dominant off-season narrative, and at the Spanish Grand Prix (Round 7) he delivered the result the team signed him for — a race win. Starting P2, Hamilton ran a three-stop strategy and found the pace to beat Russell through the pit windows. Then on lap 41, Antonelli's Mercedes stopped with a power unit failure — his first DNF of the season. The combined swing cut the gap from 66 to just 41 points.
Austria (Round 8) was Russell's — pole to victory at the Red Bull Ring, with Verstappen second in a career-best result for 2026 and Antonelli third. The 10-point swing to Russell continued the momentum shift as the season headed to Silverstone. Britain (Round 9) delivered one of the most dramatic races of the year: Charles Leclerc won from pole at Silverstone by 0.427 seconds from Russell, with Lewis Hamilton third — a stunning Ferrari 1-3. Kimi Antonelli was penalized for track limit violations and finished fifteenth, scoring zero. The championship lead was almost gone entering Belgium.
But at Spa-Francorchamps (Round 10), Antonelli reminded everyone why he is the class of 2026. Pole position, a clean getaway, and 44 dominant laps. Leclerc second, Verstappen third. Russell retired — handing Antonelli a 25-point swing that reopened the gap. After ten rounds: Antonelli 179 pts, Russell 154, Hamilton 147. Six wins, the youngest championship leader in F1 history, and fourteen rounds still to go.
The Hungaroring (Round 11) belonged to Lando Norris — pole position and 70 laps of controlled racing to give McLaren their first 2026 victory. Max Verstappen pushed hard in the closing stages but couldn't find a way past; Kimi Antonelli finished third to bank 15 more points over key rivals Hamilton and Russell, both of whom struggled for pace. The result extended Antonelli's lead to 50 points over Hamilton — the Briton dropping to second in the standings — and leaves Norris and McLaren as genuine title wildcards entering the summer break. After eleven rounds: Antonelli 219, Hamilton 169, Russell 160. Dutch GP sprint qualifying on 22 August saw George Russell take pole, with Norris second and Leclerc third.
The Dutch Grand Prix (Round 12) at Circuit Zandvoort was a sprint weekend — George Russell won Saturday's Sprint from pole ahead of Leclerc and Norris, but Sunday's 72-lap race belonged entirely to Lando Norris. Starting from pole, Norris controlled the race and crossed the line 11.5 seconds ahead of Antonelli in second. Russell took third. The devastating footnote was Max Verstappen's retirement on lap 14 after contact — zero points at his home circuit in front of a heartbroken orange grandstand. Championship after Round 12 (including Sprint points): Antonelli 242, Russell 183, Hamilton 181, Norris 159.
The Italian Grand Prix (Round 13) at Monza will be studied in Formula 1 coaching academies for decades. Kimi Antonelli received a qualifying penalty that dropped him to 19th on the grid. He won the race. Overtaking 18 cars at the circuit where he was born and raised, using every Safety Car and pit stop window to perfection, Antonelli crossed the line 3.857 seconds ahead of race leader Russell — who had led from pole and watched the gap close in the final stint. Max Verstappen was third, his best result since Austria. Leclerc retired on lap 1. Championship after Round 13: Antonelli 267, Russell 201 (−66), Hamilton 191 (−76), Norris 171 (−96). Nine rounds remain.
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) leads the 2026 Drivers' Championship with 267 points after thirteen rounds — 66 ahead of George Russell (Mercedes, 201 pts) and 76 ahead of Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari, 191 pts). Antonelli has won seven races including a remarkable victory from 19th at the Italian GP at Monza.
Kimi Antonelli has won seven of the first thirteen races — China, Japan, Miami, Canada, Monaco, Belgium and the Italian GP at Monza (from 19th). George Russell won Australia and Austria. Lewis Hamilton won the Spanish GP. Charles Leclerc won the British GP. Lando Norris won the Hungarian GP (Round 11) and the Dutch GP (Round 12).
Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Italian GP at Monza on 7 September 2026, starting from 19th on the grid after a qualifying penalty. George Russell (pole) finished second, Max Verstappen third. Leclerc retired on lap 1. Antonelli's championship lead extended to 66 points over Russell.
Kimi Antonelli was born on 25 August 2006 — he turned 20 on 25 August 2026, during the Dutch GP weekend at Zandvoort. He drives for Mercedes alongside George Russell. Antonelli leads the 2026 championship with 267 points — seven wins — the youngest champion-elect in F1 history.
Max Verstappen had a difficult 2026 season with early reliability problems and a DNF at his home Dutch GP, but recovered to finish third at the Italian GP at Monza — his best result since Austria (Round 8). Verstappen sits sixth with 127 points, 140 behind Antonelli.
The 2026 regulations introduced the most significant aerodynamic overhaul since 2022, reducing downforce dependency and improving the ability of cars to follow closely in traffic. New power units feature a 50/50 internal combustion / electrical split. The changes were designed to create more overtaking opportunities — and the opening rounds, with 120-plus passes at Albert Park alone, suggested they had succeeded. The energy deployment system also created new strategic and safety considerations that the FIA have been reviewing mid-season.
F1 is broadcast in the USA on ESPN and ESPN2. UK commentary from Sky Sports F1 — featuring David Croft, Martin Brundle and Damon Hill — can be accessed in the US via the Sky Sports F1 channel on Apple TV. See our full guide: How to watch Sky Sports F1 in the USA on Apple TV →
The 2025 Topps Chrome F1 Diamond set features all the key drivers from the current championship battle — Antonelli, Hamilton, Russell, Leclerc, Norris and Verstappen all have base cards, autographs and coloured refractor variants. As Antonelli's season records have piled up, collector interest in his cards has intensified significantly.
