Piastri Triumphs in Wet-Dry Belgian GP, Fends Off Norris to Extend Championship Lead
Oscar Piastri delivered a composed and clinical drive to win a dramatic wet-dry Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, holding off late pressure from McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris. The victory extends Piastri’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 16 points.
The race was delayed by nearly 80 minutes due to heavy rain, but once conditions improved and racing got underway on Lap 5, Piastri immediately seized the initiative. A clean run through Eau Rouge allowed him to breeze past polesitter Norris along the Kemmel Straight, completing a decisive move into Les Combes.
As the track dried, strategy became crucial. Piastri pitted on Lap 12 for medium tyres, while Norris stayed out an extra lap and opted for hards. That decision saw the Briton rejoin nearly nine seconds behind, and despite closing the gap to just over three seconds, a small mistake at La Source on the penultimate lap ensured Piastri crossed the line 3.4 seconds ahead.
The McLaren duo finished comfortably ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who secured third place after a tense race-long battle with Max Verstappen. The Red Bull driver, fresh from his Sprint win on Saturday, was just 1.5 seconds off the podium but couldn’t find a way past the Ferrari.
Midfield Battle: Russell, Albon, Hamilton Shine
George Russell had a relatively uneventful race to fifth place, making an early move on Alex Albon and then running in clear air. Albon, in turn, produced one of his strongest drives of the season, managing sustained pressure from Lewis Hamilton to secure a commendable P6.
Hamilton, who started from the pit lane in his Ferrari, executed a strong recovery drive — gaining 11 places and being one of the first to switch to slicks during the crossover phase. He eventually crossed the line seventh.
Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson impressed again with an eighth-place finish, followed by Kick Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto in ninth. Pierre Gasly claimed the final point in P10 for Alpine, having led a lengthy DRS train through the mid-section of the race.
Bearman Leads the Chasers, Tsunoda and Hulkenberg Fade Late
Haas rookie Oliver Bearman narrowly missed out on points in P11, with teammate Nico Hulkenberg finishing 12th after a second pit stop cost him a potential top-10 finish. Yuki Tsunoda dropped two positions in the closing laps to end P13.
Backfield Order and Pit Lane Starters
Red Bull’s Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon (Haas), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), and Carlos Sainz (Williams) — all of whom started from the pit lane — completed the top 18, having struggled to recover significant ground.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar rounded out the order in P19 and P20 respectively. Notably, all 20 drivers finished the race, with no retirements or caution periods once the delayed action began.
With just one round to go before the summer break, the championship picture is heating up — and Spa may well be remembered as the weekend that tilted momentum firmly in Oscar Piastri’s favor.
