Spanish GP Results ROCKED as FIA Confirms Late Stewards’ Decisions Following Dramatic Madrid Race

The inaugural Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s new Madring circuit delivered a dramatic weekend of action, but the final classification remained headed by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli after the Italian secured another important victory in his remarkable 2026 championship campaign.

Antonelli converted a difficult strategic situation into his eighth victory of the season, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. However, the Spanish Grand Prix was surrounded by several FIA investigations and steward decisions, creating confusion among fans following the race.

The most important point is that there was no confirmed post-race disqualification that removed Antonelli, Verstappen or Norris from the official podium. The final result remained Antonelli first, Verstappen second and Norris third. Reuters reported that Antonelli’s victory extended his championship advantage over Mercedes teammate George Russell to 81 points after 14 rounds.

Antonelli Takes Control in Madrid

The weekend initially appeared to belong to Lando Norris. The McLaren driver produced a sensational qualifying lap to claim pole position for the first-ever Formula 1 race at the Madring.

Norris edged Antonelli by just 0.011 seconds, with Max Verstappen qualifying third. The extremely close qualifying battle set up an exciting contest for the inaugural Madrid race.

Norris then made a strong start and appeared to have the race under control. He opened a significant advantage at the front before the arrival of a Virtual Safety Car changed the strategic picture.

The VSC was triggered after Lance Stroll suffered a brake-related problem. Unfortunately for Norris, the timing was particularly unfortunate because he had already passed the pit entry. That meant several of his rivals were able to benefit from the neutralisation while Norris could not immediately make the same strategic move.

Antonelli and Verstappen gained track position as the race developed, while Norris eventually made his pit stop and returned to the circuit behind his main rivals.

 

Despite recovering strongly, Norris could only finish third.

 

Verstappen Finishes Second

 

Max Verstappen also benefited from the changing circumstances during the race and eventually secured second place for Red Bull.

 

The Dutchman was unable to challenge Antonelli for victory but nevertheless collected valuable championship points. His second-place finish placed him between the Mercedes winner and Norris in the final classification. Multiple reports described the race as heavily influenced by the VSC timing and the limited overtaking opportunities at the new Madrid circuit.

 

The Madring itself became one of the biggest talking points of the weekend.

 

Although the new circuit was designed to provide a spectacular setting for Formula 1’s arrival in Madrid, drivers quickly discovered that overtaking could be extremely difficult. Verstappen and other drivers expressed concerns about the track’s layout and the limited opportunities to pass competitors.

 

That meant qualifying position and pit-stop timing became even more important than usual.

 

Norris Left Frustrated

 

For Norris, third place represented a frustrating conclusion to a weekend that had started with genuine victory potential.

 

The McLaren driver had taken pole position and led the early stages, but circumstances outside his direct control ultimately changed the race.

The VSC arrived at exactly the wrong moment for Norris, preventing him from taking advantage of the pit window in the same way as Antonelli and Verstappen.

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After the race, Norris made clear that he believed he had done enough to win. Antonelli himself also acknowledged that Norris had appeared to deserve the victory based on his performance.

 

Formula 1’s official coverage highlighted Norris’s view that he deserved the win, while Antonelli admitted that the circumstances had worked in his favour.

 

FIA Decisions Add More Drama

 

The Spanish Grand Prix weekend was not short of FIA investigations.

 

Several drivers were investigated by the stewards at different stages of the event, including incidents involving Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, Carlos Sainz and others.

 

One confirmed decision before the race involved Antonelli during qualifying. The Mercedes driver was investigated for failing to comply fully with the required delta time between the Safety Car lines on his in-lap.

 

The stewards reviewed timing data, video evidence and information from the driver and Mercedes team. Antonelli received a warning rather than a grid penalty.

Carlos Sainz also received attention from the stewards after qualifying. The Williams driver was found to have impeded Valtteri Bottas and received a three-place grid penalty. The decision moved several drivers up the starting order for the Madrid race.

These decisions contributed to the changing starting grid and added another layer of drama to an already unpredictable weekend.

Lewis Hamilton’s Difficult Weekend

Ferrari endured a particularly difficult Spanish Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc managed to finish fourth, but Lewis Hamilton’s race ended prematurely after brake problems forced him into retirement.

 

Hamilton’s retirement was especially damaging because he had been fighting for a strong result and entered the Madrid weekend looking to close the gap to the championship leaders.

 

Reuters confirmed that Hamilton retired because of brake issues, while Leclerc finished fourth and George Russell completed the top five.

The result leaves Ferrari with plenty to investigate following a weekend in which its two cars experienced very different fortunes.

Final Spanish GP Classification

The leading positions remained:

 

1. Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes

2. Max Verstappen – Red Bull

3. Lando Norris – McLaren

4. Charles Leclerc – Ferrari

5. George Russell – Mercedes

 

Antonelli’s victory further strengthened his position at the top of the 2026 championship standings. Mercedes also continued to lead the constructors’ championship, with Ferrari and McLaren behind them.

 

The Spanish Grand Prix therefore ended without the dramatic post-race disqualification suggested by some online headlines. Instead, the biggest changes came from FIA penalties and investigations during the weekend, while the official race winner remained Kimi Antonelli.

 

With the championship now moving toward Azerbaijan, Antonelli has established a substantial advantage. But with several rounds still remaining, the title battle is far from finished.

The Madrid debut may not have produced the overtaking spectacle many fans expected, but it certainly produced a major championship statement from Antonelli—and plenty of controversy for Formula 1 to discuss before the next race.