Lando Norris is set to analyze his latest loss to Oscar Piastri at the Belgian Grand Prix, where he finished 3.4 seconds behind his McLaren teammate. The race was significantly delayed by 80 minutes due to wet weather, and after a rolling start behind the safety car, Piastri overtook Norris on the Kemmel Straight on the first competitive lap. Despite their close championship battle, Norris now trails Piastri by 16 points in the standings.
The race strategy proved crucial, with Piastri switching to medium tyres and Norris opting for hards one lap later. Contrary to expectations, the medium tyres held up well, denying Norris the performance advantage he had hoped for in the closing stages. He pushed hard over the remaining 32 laps but was unable to close the gap sufficiently to launch an overtake.
Several mistakes by Norris also hindered his progress. He ran wide at Pouhon on lap 26, costing him 1.2 seconds, followed by a lock-up at La Source on lap 34 that added another 0.7 seconds. A final setback came when he was held up behind backmarker Isack Hadjar on lap 40, losing an additional 0.8 seconds. These moments proved costly in what was otherwise a strong drive.
Despite the disappointment, Norris praised Piastri’s performance and admitted his teammate simply did a better job. He acknowledged Piastri’s commitment during the overtake and said there were no excuses to be made. While Norris noted he’d review his own errors, he emphasized that Oscar earned the win and that it was a great result for the team, marking a rare McLaren one-two at Spa.
Looking ahead, Norris is optimistic about the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, a circuit he’s fond of and where he began his F1 career. He believes the track suits his driving style and is eager to bounce back before the summer break. While slightly disappointed by the Belgian result, Norris remains upbeat and focused on delivering a stronger performance next weekend.
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