Oscar Piastri took his sixth win of the season at the Belgian Grand Prix, passing McLaren team-mate Lando Norris on the opening lap of green-flag running and managing his tyres masterfully to extend his championship lead to 16 points.
The race at Spa-Francorchamps began after a 90-minute delay due to heavy rain and poor visibility, with two laps initially completed behind the safety car. Once conditions allowed a rolling start, Piastri seized his opportunity using a daring outside move at Les Combes to sweep past Norris and control the remainder of the wet-dry race.
Strategic Battle at McLaren
With the track drying rapidly, both McLarens pitted early to switch to slick tyres. Piastri, as the race leader, came in first and opted for medium tyres, while Norris was left out for one extra lap before taking on hard tyres in a bold strategy move designed to run to the end.
Initially, the plan appeared to backfire as Norris rejoined 9.1 seconds behind Piastri, with tyre warm-up proving difficult. But in the final laps, Norris launched a fierce charge closing the gap to under four seconds. However, a slower pit stop, tyre lock-ups, and an off-track moment at Pouhon cost him precious time, and Piastri held on to win by 3.4 seconds.
Leclerc Holds Off Verstappen
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium after surviving early pressure from Max Verstappen in tricky wet conditions. Despite running a lower-downforce set-up, Leclerc was able to defend in the dry portion of the race and secure third. Verstappen, unable to mount a meaningful challenge in the closing laps, finished fourth and now trails Piastri by 81 points in the title race.
It was another quiet race for the Red Bull driver, whose championship hopes now appear all but over as the McLaren duo continue to dominate.
Hamilton Shines from Pit Lane
Lewis Hamilton delivered one of the drives of the day, recovering from a pit-lane start after a setup change and grid penalty. The seven-time champion pulled off several daring overtakes in the wet opening phase and was the first driver to switch to slicks on lap 11, undercutting several rivals in the process.
Hamilton climbed as high as seventh by the flag, finishing just behind Williams’ Alex Albon, whom he chased all the way to the final lap but couldn’t quite pass. George Russell took fifth for Mercedes, with Albon sixth and Hamilton seventh.
Piastri’s Decisive Lap One Move
The defining moment of the race came on lap one of racing conditions, when Piastri committed to a high-risk overtake around the outside of Norris at Les Combes. Norris later admitted his team-mate had simply “committed more” through Eau Rouge to gain the run down the Kemmel straight. The move was reminiscent of Piastri’s fearless pass in Canada and once again demonstrated his sharp race instincts under pressure.
“I knew lap one was probably my best chance,” Piastri said. “I lifted as little as I dared through Eau Rouge, got the slipstream, and made it stick. After that, it was about tyre management and thankfully, we made it last.”
What’s Next?
The 2025 season resumes next weekend with Round 14 at the Hungaroring for the Hungary Grand Prix (1–3 August), where Piastri will look to make it three wins in a row and further tighten his grip on the championship.
