Hamilton wins thrilling Belgian Grand Prix after Russell disqualified

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Lewis Hamilton secured victory at the Belgian Grand Prix following the dramatic disqualification of his Mercedes team mate George Russell, who initially finished first but was later found to have an underweight car.

The race saw an intense battle between the Mercedes drivers, with Hamilton deploying a two-stop strategy to chase down the one-stopping Russell. Despite closing in, Hamilton couldn't overtake on track, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri finishing third. However, a Technical Delegate’s Report revealed after the race that Russell's car did not meet weight requirements. The matter was referred to the stewards, leading to Russell's disqualification and Mercedes acknowledging a "genuine error" by the team.

Charles Leclerc initially led the race from pole position but was overtaken by Hamilton within two laps. The seven-time world champion displayed strong form at a track where he has already won four times. While most of the field opted for a two-stop race, Russell gambled with a one-stop strategy, pitting on Lap 10 of 44. This left him nursing aging hard tires as the race concluded.

Hamilton closed in on Russell during the final laps and, despite coming within half a second, could not overtake. After Russell's disqualification, Hamilton was declared the winner, marking his fifth win at the Belgian circuit.

Piastri, who had finished behind the Mercedes duo, was promoted to second place. Leclerc was elevated to third, securing a podium finish for Ferrari. Max Verstappen made a commendable recovery from his P11 start to finish fourth in the adjusted results.

Lando Norris finished fifth after a challenging day and Carlos Sainz took sixth for Ferrari. Red Bull's Sergio Perez finished seventh, under continued scrutiny about his position within the team.

Fernando Alonso claimed eighth for Aston Martin, with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo completing the top ten. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) finished in P11, followed by Alex Albon (Williams).

Pierre Gasly, in the wake of Alpine Team Principal Bruno Famin’s departure, finished 13th. Kevin Magnussen brought his Haas home in 14th place.

The remaining positions saw Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber) in 15th, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull), Logan Sargeant (Williams), and Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) finishing last in P18. Zhou Guanyu of Kick Sauber was the only retirement, due to a hydraulic issue.

Hamilton’s win, complemented by Russell’s unfortunate disqualification, has significant implications for the championship standings, breathing new life into the title race.

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