Oscar Piastri strengthened his grip on the 2025 Formula 1 championship by securing a hard-fought victory over McLaren teammate Lando Norris at the Belgian Grand Prix. The race, held under mixed weather conditions, was delayed by more than an hour due to heavy rain, with the first laps run behind the Safety Car. Once racing resumed, Piastri quickly overtook Norris down the Kemmel Straight and built a comfortable lead as the track dried. A slower pit stop and delayed tyre switch from Norris widened the gap, allowing Piastri to take control and eventually cross the line first.
Norris had opted for a harder compound tyre during the pit window, aiming to come back stronger in the latter half of the race. He began reducing the gap to Piastri, but his push was hindered by a few minor driving mistakes—particularly a late lock-up at La Source—which ultimately prevented a successful overtake. Despite coming close, Norris finished 3.4 seconds behind his teammate. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third straight victory and extended his championship lead to 16 points heading into the Hungarian GP.
Charles Leclerc completed an impressive drive to third place, holding off Max Verstappen after qualifying ahead of him. The Ferrari driver remained composed during the early treacherous laps and maintained solid pace throughout. Verstappen, last year’s winner and reigning champion, couldn’t mount a serious challenge and now trails Piastri by a significant 81 points. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, recovered from a poor qualifying by climbing from 18th to seventh thanks to an early switch to slick tyres and aggressive opening laps.
Alex Albon drove an excellent race to finish sixth, resisting pressure from Hamilton all the way to the flag. Mercedes had a forgettable outing with George Russell finishing fifth and rookie Kimi Antonelli down in 16th. Russell still beat both Ferraris but was far from the pace set by the McLarens. Further down the field, Liam Lawson finished a strong eighth for Racing Bulls, followed by Gabriel Bortoleto in ninth and Pierre Gasly taking the final point for Alpine.
The start of the race was chaotic, with torrential rain halting proceedings for over an hour. Once the conditions improved, the Safety Car led the first four racing laps to assess the track before releasing the drivers for a rolling start. Norris initially held the lead, but Piastri’s slipstream and greater commitment through Eau Rouge helped him make the decisive overtake. Norris later admitted he had a minor battery issue but credited Piastri for the bold move. Looking ahead, the F1 grid now heads to Hungary for the final race before the summer break, with Piastri firmly in control of the championship.
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