Piastri Triumphs in Thrilling Wet-Dry Belgian Grand Prix at Spa

Oscar Piastri secured a masterful victory at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, skillfully navigating a challenging wet-to-drying track and fending off sustained pressure from his McLaren teammate and title contender, Lando Norris. The win at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit further solidifies Piastri’s championship aspirations after a race marked by strategic tire calls and an impressive charge through the field by Lewis Hamilton.

Delayed Start and Immediate Action

The atmosphere at Spa was electric, but heavy rainfall ahead of the scheduled start cast a pall over the circuit, leading to an almost 80-minute delay. The race, originally set for 3:00 PM local time, finally commenced at 4:20 PM, setting the stage for a dramatic afternoon. When the lights eventually went out on Lap 5 for the 44-lap contest, the crucial moments unfolded immediately.

Polesitter Lando Norris initially held his advantage, but Oscar Piastri, starting alongside him on the front row, found a superior line through the legendary Eau Rouge corner. Utilizing the slipstream along the Kemmel Straight, Piastri completed a decisive overtake on his teammate well before the braking zone of Les Combes, seizing the lead and immediately establishing a crucial one-second buffer.

Strategic Tire Gambles and Piastri's Control

As the circuit began to dry, the battle of wits moved to the pit lane. Piastri made the first bold move on Lap 12, pitting for medium compound tires. Norris, forced to complete an additional lap on his intermediate tires, found himself nine seconds adrift of Piastri after his own stop on the subsequent lap, where he fitted hard compound tires. Despite Piastri managing the softer compound, he maintained a healthy gap, only seeing it reduce significantly in the final laps. A small error from Norris at La Source on the penultimate lap allowed Piastri to extend his lead slightly, crossing the finish line 3.4 seconds ahead of his teammate.

The Rest of the Field: Leclerc Holds Firm, Hamilton's Remarkable Comeback

Behind the dominant McLaren duo, Charles Leclerc delivered a strong performance for Ferrari, securing a well-deserved third place. The Monegasque driver expertly defended his position throughout the race, resisting constant pressure from Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who finished just 1.5 seconds shy of a podium spot in fourth.

Mercedes driver George Russell had a relatively uneventful race, settling into fifth position after an early move past Alex Albon. Albon, piloting his Williams, demonstrated resilience by fending off persistent attacks from Lewis Hamilton in the latter half of the race to claim sixth place.

Lewis Hamilton's race was a masterclass in recovery. Initially set to start 16th, he ultimately started from the pit lane in 18th position due to a power unit change under parc fermé conditions. The Ferrari driver embarked on a remarkable charge, gaining 11 places during the race by effectively overtaking competitors and being notably one of the first to switch from intermediate to medium tires at the crossover point, a strategic call that ultimately paid dividends, earning him a valuable seventh-place finish.

Liam Lawson in the Racing Bulls secured eighth, while Kick Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto claimed ninth, both earning valuable championship points. Pierre Gasly, driving for Alpine, secured the final point in tenth position, having led a tight DRS train for much of the race.

Further back, Haas's Oliver Bearman headed this train for a period, with Nico Hulkenberg finishing 12th after a second pit stop cost him a points-scoring position earlier in the race. Yuki Tsunoda lost two places in the closing stages. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Esteban Ocon (Haas), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), and Carlos Sainz (Williams) also completed the race, having started from the pit lane. Alpine's Franco Colapinto and Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar rounded out the finishers. All drivers reached the checkered flag, with no caution periods after the initial delayed start.

The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix was a true test of skill and strategy, with Oscar Piastri emerging as a deserving winner, further solidifying his championship charge.