2026 Belgian Grand Prix: Russell retires after clash

George Russell retired on the opening lap of the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix after contact with Lewis Hamilton, with reports also pointing to an energy issue.

George Russell retired on the opening lap of the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix after contact with Lewis Hamilton, as reported by Autosport, Motorsport.com and BBC Sport. Formula1.com reported that Hamilton viewed the incident as a racing incident, and Motorsport.com reported that the Ferrari driver was later given a penalty for the clash. Hamilton arrived at the race second in the drivers' championship on 159 points, with Russell third on 154.

BBC Sport described Russell’s retirement as a setback to his title hopes. RaceFans reported that Russell placed more blame on an energy deployment problem than on Hamilton, while Motorsport.com reported Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said Mercedes-powered cars had struggled with energy deployment at the start.

At the front, Kimi Antonelli won the race after passing Charles Leclerc, according to Autosport, Motorsport.com and RaceFans. BBC Sport also reported that Antonelli’s victory extended his championship lead, while Russell’s lap-one exit left him with no points from the race.