Antonelli's Spanish GP win 'still stings' despite extending championship lead to 81 points

Kimi Antonelli extended his Formula 1 championship lead to 81 points with victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on the Madring circuit, but F1 TV analyst James Hinchcliffe believes the result will carry a bitter edge for the 20-year-old Mercedes driver. Norris had shown superior pace throughout the race before a poorly timed virtual safety car cost him the win.

Norris, who had started from pole position, built a commanding advantage during the opening stint. The decisive moment came when the virtual safety car was deployed just after the McLaren driver passed the pitlane entry, leaving Antonelli free to take a cheaper, faster stop. Norris pitted as the safety car period ended and suffered a four-second stop, handing the lead — and ultimately the victory — to his rival.

Hinchcliffe, a former IndyCar Series driver, argued that Antonelli’s measured reaction in the post-race interview revealed an awareness that fortune had played its part. “I don’t want to say it’s better to be lucky than good, but sometimes it’s good to be both because we know he’s good,” Hinchcliffe said during F1 TV’s post-race broadcast. “He was like, ‘Yeah, we’ll take it.’ You guys know what it’s like as a driver. Even when you win, when you know there was somebody faster than you, it still stings a little.”

Hinchcliffe was careful to credit Antonelli’s execution, while maintaining that the Italian was not the outright quickest driver on the day. “He was very complete, did what he had to do, got the job done. That’s the goal. But it’s interesting to see even such a young driver with already so much success this season — it burns when he knows he’s not the best on the day.”

The win is Antonelli’s eighth of the 2026 season and stretches his lead over Mercedes team-mate George Russell to 81 points in the drivers’ standings. McLaren’s pace at the Madring circuit, however, will serve as a warning that Norris and the Woking squad remain a genuine threat to the Italian’s title ambitions as the season progresses.