Antonelli tops Power Rankings after Spanish GP victory as cruel Virtual Safety Car timing costs Norris
Kimi Antonelli has topped the Power Rankings after the Spanish Grand Prix, with the Mercedes driver turning the timing of a Virtual Safety Car into victory at the all-new Madring circuit — and leaving pole-sitter Lando Norris to reflect on a race that slipped away through no fault of his own.
How the rankings work
Our five-judge panel assesses every driver after each Grand Prix, scoring them out of 10 based on their performance across the weekend — with machinery taken out of the equation. The experts' scores are averaged to produce a race score, which is then tallied up across the season on the overall Power Rankings leaderboard.
A race of what-ifs for Norris
Norris appeared to do almost everything right last weekend. After bouncing back from technical troubles during Friday practice, he took a superb pole position and surged into a comfortable lead in the early stages of the race. But the Virtual Safety Car came out at just the wrong moment — after he had already passed the pit entry — forcing him to complete an extra lap before stopping and handing the initiative to Antonelli. The Briton ultimately had to settle for third, though our judges were nonetheless clear on who deserved to top the rankings.
Antonelli cashes in and stretches his lead
Antonelli was the big beneficiary of Norris's misfortune, pitting under the VSC and taking the lead when Norris finally stopped. But the young Italian's place at the top of the standings was about more than good fortune: he comfortably led the Mercedes charge and extended his championship lead over team mate George Russell to 81 points.
Verstappen quietly efficient
Max Verstappen gave little away about his and Red Bull's hopes after a low-key Friday practice in Madrid, but both driver and team stepped forward in qualifying to claim a very solid third on the grid. That became second in the race thanks to Norris's VSC drama, and marked a fifth podium finish in the last seven events.
"The car is the car, and I think for us to be second is a very good result," Verstappen summed up afterwards.
Colapinto, Lindblad and Hulkenberg catch the eye
Franco Colapinto is enjoying a much stronger run at Alpine in 2026, with the Argentinian growing in confidence as he builds experience at the top echelon. The last two events have been particularly encouraging — back-to-back Q3 spots and points at Monza and in Madrid — and after turning ninth on the grid into seventh at the chequered flag on Sunday, he described it as "probably my best race weekend" in the sport.
Arvid Lindblad looked rapid during Friday practice at Madring before pushing too hard on a soft-tyre run in FP2 and slamming into the barriers. The rookie rebuilt his confidence, though, to make it through to Q3 and bag more points — his ninth score in the last 10 weekends — and our judges continue to be impressed by the sport's latest rookie driver.
Battling with Lindblad in the closing stages of Sunday's race was Nico Hulkenberg, who just missed out on the final shootout in qualifying before edging himself into points contention during a long, hot race in the Spanish capital and coming away with 10th — the German's third top-10 finish in four events.
Gambles that failed: Leclerc and Hamilton
While Antonelli and Verstappen pitted under the VSC — and Norris stopped just after it ended — Charles Leclerc rolled the dice, extending his opening stint and waiting it out for a potential Safety Car. That never came, leaving the Monegasque fourth at the finish, but feeling there was not much more on the table for himself and Ferrari.
Leclerc was the sole Ferrari driver to make the flag at the Madring after Lewis Hamilton's early retirement due to brake problems. Hamilton had looked quick in final practice, only to find the wall at the final corner, then led the first Q3 runs before winding up fourth on the grid.
"I think we had the car to fight for a win today, and unfortunately it just didn't work out," Hamilton said in the media pen.
Near-misses and a career-best
Esteban Ocon bounced back from a difficult mid-season run with a stronger weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, featuring among the quickest in Friday practice, placing 13th in qualifying and ending the race just outside the points in 11th. Team mate Ollie Bearman, by contrast, got stuck at the back of the field following a heavy crash in FP3 and a pit lane start.
Liam Lawson was given a third weekend in the Red Bull in Madrid as Isack Hadjar continues his recovery from a wrist injury. He lacked some confidence during Friday practice but qualified a respectable eighth — not a world away from Verstappen's lap time — and went on to finish the race in sixth, his best result at the senior team.
Just missing out
George Russell just missed out on a spot in this week's Power Rankings list, despite starting the weekend by topping FP1. The Briton lost confidence as track conditions improved, meaning he had to settle for sixth in qualifying and fifth in the Grand Prix.