Oscar Piastri dominates Belgian Grand Prix, extends championship lead

Oscar Piastri Triumphs Over Lando Norris at the Belgian Grand Prix

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Oscar Piastri solidified his championship credentials with an emphatic win over teammate and rival Lando Norris at the Belgian Grand Prix. The McLaren driver executed a stunning early pass that proved decisive, crossing the line 3.41 seconds ahead of Norris to claim his sixth victory of the season and the eighth of his career.

The triumph at Spa-Francorchamps extends Piastri's lead in the Formula 1 championship standings to 16 points and halts Norris' bid for a third consecutive win.

"Let’s go!" Piastri exclaimed over the team radio after taking the checkered flag. "Nicely done. Nicely f---ing done."

Piastri Reflects on Lap 1 Heroics

Reflecting on his race, Piastri acknowledged the importance of his Lap 1 heroics.

"I knew Lap 1 would be my best chance of winning the race," Piastri said. "I got a good exit out of Turn 1, lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge. The rest of the race we managed really well. I struggled at the end—maybe the mediums were not the best for the last five or six laps—but we had it mostly under control."

Piastri's win came as a quick turnaround from his disappointment in Saturday's sprint race, where he lost the lead at the start to reigning world champion Max Verstappen. "I was pretty disappointed with myself yesterday, but turns out starting P2 was not as bad as I thought," he admitted.

Norris’ Response and McLaren's Dominance

From pole position, Norris led briefly but was overtaken by his teammate on the Kemmel Straight after Eau Rouge. Despite switching to the more durable hard tires for the final stint, Norris was unable to close the gap.

"Oscar just did a good job [at the start]," Norris said. "Nothing more to say. I committed a bit more through Eau Rouge and had the slipstream, but he did a better job at the beginning, and that was it. Nothing more I could do after that point. I would love to be up top, but Oscar deserved it today."

Leclerc Salvages Podium for Ferrari

While McLaren dominated the front, Charles Leclerc salvaged a morale-boosting third-place finish for Ferrari, holding off a relentless Verstappen. The Monegasque driver battled precarious conditions with composure and delivered a crucial podium finish.

"Max was behind the whole race within two seconds, so it’s never easy," Leclerc said. "Luckily it dried up pretty quickly, then the pace was good. The pressure is high, especially in those conditions. At one point I told [my engineer] Brian to leave me alone! Obviously, he was trying to give me the most information; sometimes I needed it, sometimes I didn’t."

Race Delays and Key Moments

The race start was delayed by heavy rain, with drivers waiting over an hour and 15 minutes for the green light. One formation lap took place ahead of the scheduled 3 p.m. local start, but conditions were deemed unsafe, and the field remained grounded. Racing finally resumed behind the safety car at 4:20 p.m., with a rolling start on Lap 5.

Norris initially led the pack, but Piastri’s slipstream-assisted pass after Eau Rouge handed the Australian control of the race—a moment that defined the outcome and was an inverse of Verstappen's opportunistic move during Saturday's sprint.

Midfield Battles and Highlights

McLaren’s dominance left the rest of the grid scrambling to keep up. Leclerc's Ferrari finished a distant 20 seconds behind Piastri in third, with Verstappen settling for fourth after struggling for pace all weekend.

Mercedes’ George Russell secured fifth, and Alex Albon gave Williams something to cheer about with a season-best sixth-place finish. The Thai driver showcased his skill and maturity, capitalizing on his impressive fifth-place qualifying performance on Saturday. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton put in a spirited recovery drive from the back of the grid after a disastrous Q1 elimination. His early switch from wet to dry tires proved advantageous, and he ultimately climbed to seventh.

Elsewhere, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson impressed with an eighth-place finish, followed by Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto in ninth. Bortoleto benefitted from team strategy after being allowed past teammate Nico Hülkenberg at a critical juncture. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly rounded out the points by claiming tenth after a challenging weekend.

Yuki Tsunoda’s strong qualifying effort for Red Bull was undone by a poorly timed tire switch during the transition from wet to dry, leaving the Japanese driver to rue a missed opportunity.

Looking Ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix

With Formula 1 now headed to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix—the final race before the midseason four-week break—all eyes will be on McLaren's ongoing resurgence and Piastri’s growing momentum. As the championship battle heats up, one thing is clear: Piastri is more than ready to fight for F1 supremacy.

Stay tuned, as the drama continues next weekend at the Hungaroring.

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