McLaren’s Australian driver Oscar Piastri (C) lifts the primary place trophy winner on the rostrum next to second-placed McLaren’s British driver Lando Norris and third-placed Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc after the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa, on July 27, 2025. (Photo by SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP)
Series leader Oscar Piastri grabbed an early lead and prolonged his title advantage on Sunday when he drove to a perfectly-controlled triumph ahead of McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris at a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old Australian managed his tyres expertly to stay out of reach within the closing laps because the Briton, 25, who had began on pole, closed in on a harder-wearing compound, ending 3.415 seconds clear as McLaren reeled off their sixth 1-2 in a dominant season.
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Oscar Piastri reigns at Spa 👑#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/iNAPinfsuv
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 27, 2025
It was Piastri’s first win on the classic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, his sixth this season and the eighth of his profession, extending his lead within the drivers’ championship to 16 points after 13 of this season’s 24 races. For McLaren, it was a tenth win this 12 months.
Charles Leclerc got here a solid third for Ferrari ahead of four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, under the race leadership of recent team boss Laurent Mekies for the primary time, and Mercedes George Russell.
Alex Albon clung on to complete sixth for Williams ahead of chasing seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, who began from the pit lane, and Racing Bulls’ rookie Liam Lawson.
Gabriel Botoleto was ninth for Sauber ahead of Pierre Gasly of Alpine.
“That was vigorous!” said the cool Piastri, who swept past Norris on lap one.
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“Very vigorous. I knew that lap one was probably my best probability of winning the race. I lifted a little bit as I went through Eau Rouge after which it was enough.
“The remaining of the race we managed rather well. Perhaps the medium wasn’t the most effective within the last five-six laps, but we had it almost under control! I used to be dissatisfied after yesterday, nevertheless it seems that starting second was not too bad.”
Norris conceded he couldn’t have won.
“Oscar just did a very good job – there’s nothing rather more to say. He was committed a bit more in Eau Rouge and that was it. Oscar deserved it today.”
Leclerc said: “Max was behind me all race inside two seconds so it’s never easy. I knew the primary part was the trickiest and I’m pretty comfortable we managed to maintain that third place.”
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The race began, after an 80-minute delay as a result of heavy rain, with the complete field on intermediates to run for 4 laps behind a security automotive, clearing standing water.
Piastri’s craft and calm
4 drivers began from the pitlane – Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton – having made changes to their power units or set-up overnight. They began on the rear of the sphere ahead of the rolling start firstly of lap five.
Because the lights went green, Norris powered away to guide through La Source, but he was unable to withstand when Piastri sneaked out of his slipstream to take the lead going into Les Combes chicane.
“Why do I actually have no pack?” asked Norris, realising he lacked electric power. “We used lots on the security automotive re-start,” McLaren responded.
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On lap 12, Hamilton was the primary in for medium slick tyres, rejoining 18th, followed by Piastri, Leclerc, Verstappen, Russell and more. Norris stayed out one lap longer for hards, hoping to profit if his rival’s rubber degraded within the closing laps. He was the just one.
By lap 15, everyone else had switched to mediums and it was Piastri on top ahead of Norris by 9.3 with Leclerc third leading Verstappen, Russell, Albon and… in flying form, Hamilton.
As Norris closed in, Piastri said his tyres were already degrading. “I feel it can be tough to get to the top,” he told race engineer Tom Stallard, raising the prospect of a dramatic finale.
On lap 26, Norris slid wide at Puhon, falling back to nine seconds adrift before remounting his charge. It was a strategy of marginal gains as Piastri managed his tyres.
Norris was close but Piastri’s craft and calm prevailed.