Mercedes Strengthens Its Dominance as Antonelli Claims Eighth Win of the Season in Madrid

[Financial News] Andrea Kimi Antonelli of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team strengthened his dominance this season by becoming the inaugural winner at the newly built circuit in Madrid, Spain.
With this victory, Antonelli secured his eighth win of the season, while Mercedes claimed 10 victories in 14 rounds this season and extended its points lead over the second-place team to more than 140 points.
Analysts say the completely revamped hybrid powertrain technology has created a gap on the track despite the sweeping regulatory changes introduced in 2026.
Antonelli crossed the finish line first in 1 hour, 34 minutes, 23.754 seconds at the Spanish Grand Prix, the 14th round of the 2026 F1 World Championship, held on the 13th local time.
Starting from the second grid position after recording 1 minute, 31.835 seconds in qualifying the previous day, Antonelli completed a comeback through precise race management and became the first champion at Madrid’s Madring circuit.
The victory gave Antonelli 292 points in the Drivers’ Championship, solidifying his lead. His teammate George Russell also retained second place, strengthening the team’s one-two punch.
In the Constructors’ Championship, the team competition, Mercedes recorded 503 points and widened its lead over the second-place team to 145 points.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli said, "I am pleased to have managed the race at a good pace today and continued my excellent season results," adding, "Although the team is currently in a strong position in the championship standings, I will prepare to lead the remaining races of the 2026 season well."
The technical maturity of the Mercedes-AMG F1 W17 E Performance, introduced this season, is cited as the foundation of the team’s dominant performance.
The hybrid power unit (PU) of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, developed to meet the 2026 regulations, is directly integrated with the car’s cooling structure and aerodynamic design. This has enabled the car to secure both thermal stability and energy efficiency, from heavy regenerative-braking zones to high-speed full-throttle running.
After conquering the Madrid circuit, Mercedes will seek its 11th victory of the season at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which begins on the 24th.

[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter