Just in: F1 Star dropped from second to third after Italian GP following…Read more

Lewis Hamilton Drops to Third in F1 Championship After Italian GP Setback
Lewis Hamilton has dropped to third place in the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship following a difficult Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza, with Mercedes rival George Russell moving ahead of the Ferrari driver in the standings.
Hamilton arrived at the Italian Grand Prix tied for second in the championship, but his disappointing sixth-place finish allowed Russell to gain valuable ground. Russell produced a strong performance for Mercedes, finishing second behind teammate Kimi Antonelli and collecting enough points to move into second place overall.
According to the FIA’s official championship classification following the Italian Grand Prix, Antonelli leads the standings with 267 points, while Russell has moved into second on 201 points. Hamilton is now third with 191 points, putting him 10 points behind his former Mercedes teammate.
Hamilton’s difficult afternoon at Monza began almost immediately after the lights went out. The Ferrari driver battled teammate Charles Leclerc into the opening chicane, with Hamilton running through the gravel and losing several positions.
The situation became even worse for Ferrari when Leclerc crashed heavily on the following lap, bringing out the red flag and interrupting the race. Leclerc escaped injury, but the incident effectively ended Ferrari’s hopes of challenging for a podium at its home event.
Hamilton recovered during the remainder of the race but was unable to fight for the leading positions. He eventually crossed the finish line sixth, behind Antonelli, Russell, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The FIA confirmed Hamilton’s sixth-place finish in the official Italian Grand Prix results.
For Russell, meanwhile, second place represented another important step in his championship campaign. He spent much of the race leading before Antonelli’s spectacular charge from 19th eventually saw the Italian take victory.
The result has therefore created a significant change near the top of the championship. Antonelli remains firmly in control, while Russell now has a 10-point advantage over Hamilton with the season continuing.
Hamilton will now be looking to respond immediately at the next round. The Ferrari star has endured a frustrating home race for the team, and the championship standings show just how costly the Monza result has become.
With multiple races still remaining, Hamilton’s title hopes are not over, but dropping from second to third gives the seven-time world champion another challenge to overcome as Ferrari looks to recover from a troubled Italian Grand Prix.