Oscar Piastri led home Lando Norrishis sixth victory of the 2025 Formula 1 campaign asMcLarensecured another 1-2 at a wet-to-dry Belgian Grand Prix.
Regarding different approaches, Piastri managed to execute a single pit stop, switching from intermediate to medium tires, which helped him maintain a lead over the pursuing Norris on a track that was becoming drier, withCharles Leclerc beating Max Verstappen to third.
The start process for F1's Belgian Grand Prix was halteddue to reduced visibility reported by numerous drivers during the formation lap.
New downpours added to the challenges faced by the organizers in enhancing the track's state, but following a pause in the rain, significant work was undertaken to eliminate pooled water.
Race officials finally began the race more than an hour after the scheduled start time, at 16:20 local time, following four laps behind the safety car before a rolling start.
The track was opened on the fifth lap of 44, and Norris slid out of La Source, enabling Piastri to stay close to his teammate's gearbox with a courageous drive through Eau Rouge and Raidillon, then easily overtook on the Kemmel Straight to take the lead into Les Combes.
Further back, George Russell got past fifth-starting Alex AlbonIn the same corner during the next lap. Norris remained with Piastri as the two pulled ahead of Leclerc in third place, who then began slowing down Verstappen with a lower downforce configuration on his car.Ferrari.
The leading pioneer wasLewis Hamilton, who began from the pit lane with a brand-new Ferrari engine and moved swiftly through the midfield, rising from 16th to 13th in just four laps.
The seven-time world champion also took the lead for the first time with gamblers, switching to mediums on lap 11, as didNico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton quickly achieved the fastest time in the second and third sectors, causing leader Piastri to pit on lap 12, followed by Leclerc and Verstappen, while Norris continued for an additional lap, putting him at a disadvantage compared to Piastri, worsened by a slower pit stop that left him eight seconds behind.
As the switch to slicks unfolded, the top six remained unchanged, but Hamilton's initial maneuver proved successful as he climbed to eighth, moving up to seventh after passingLiam Lawson.
Norris extended his lead over Piastri by eight seconds, leaving the Australian with the task of ensuring his medium tires last until the race concludes. Meanwhile, Verstappen's attempt to overtake Leclerc for a podium position began to wane around the halfway point as he found it difficult to remain within two seconds of the Ferrari, while Russell, Albon, and Hamilton trailed even further back.
A lackluster second half of the race evolved into a contest of contrasting approaches, as Norris began to push harder with his inherently slower but more resilient hard tires, while Piastri was fully focused on preserving his medium tires until the finish.
The overall outcome of those two distinct methods led to fairly comparable lap times between the two drivers. Norris was gradually closing the gap on his teammate, but it soon became clear that he would only have a chance if the Australian was required to make an additional pit stop.
However, as Piastri faced tire wear, he maintained a five-second lead until the finish, helped by Norris exceeding the limits multiple times in an attempt to close the gap. Piastri finished 3.4 seconds ahead, securing another McLaren 1-2.
Highlighting McLaren's supremacy in unpredictable weather, Leclerc secured third place, 20 seconds behind Piastri, while Verstappen came in fourth closely, unable to challenge the Monaco driver. Russell finished another 13 seconds behind Verstappen in fifth, marking a decent outcome but raising concerns about his performance.Mercedesamid Ferrari's advancements.
Hamilton couldn't quite finish a promising return race by surpassing Albon'sWilliamsfor sixth, with the Anglo-Thai driver skillfully holding his spot as Hamilton remained within DRS range. Lawson secured eighth place for Racing Bulls following a solitary performance throughout the race, whileGabriel Bortoleto was allowed past SauberTeam-mate Hulkenberg, as he demonstrated greater speed on the day, secured ninth place.
Hulkenberg chose a second pit stop instead, sacrificing 10th place but the German couldn't benefit from that decision. Gasly moved up to the final points position in 10th, while Hulkenberg remained in 12th behind Haas' driver.Oliver Bearman.
As Hamilton advanced, it was a challenging afternoon for other drivers who started in the pit lane.Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Alonso and Carlos Sainz, who ended up at the back of the pack. All 20 drivers reached the finish line, withIsack HadjarThe sole driver to be lapped following an undiagnosed issue with his Racing Bulls vehicle.
In the championship, Piastri's sixth victory increases his advantage over Norris by seven points to 16, while Verstappen remains 81 points behind in third place. Far behind the leading McLarens, Ferrari solidifies its position in second place in the constructors' standings against Mercedes and Red Bull.
F1 Belgian Grand Prix - race outcomes
| 1 | 81 |  | 44 | - | 1 | 25 | McLaren | Mercedes | |
| 2 | 4 |  | 44 | +3.415 3.415 | 3.415 | 1 | 18 | McLaren | Mercedes |
| 3 | 16 |  | 44 | +20.185 20.185 | 16.770 | 1 | 15 | Ferrari | Ferrari |
| 4 | 1 |  | 44 | +21.731 21.731 | 1.546 | 1 | 12 | Red Bull | Red Bull |
| 5 | 63 |  | 44 | +34.863 34.863 | 13.132 | 1 | 10 | Mercedes | Mercedes |
| 6 | 23 |  | 44 | +39.926 39.926 | 5.063 | 1 | 8 | Williams | Mercedes |
| 7 | 44 |  | 44 | +40.679 40.679 | 0.753 | 1 | 6 | Ferrari | Ferrari |
| 8 | 30 |  | 44 | +52.033 52.033 | 11.354 | 1 | 4 | RB | Honda |
| 9 | 5 |  | 44 | +56.434 56.434 | 4.401 | 1 | 2 | Sauber | Ferrari |
| 10 | 10 |  | 44 | +1'12.714 1'12.714 | 16.280 | 1 | 1 | Alpine | Renault |
| 11 | 87 |  | 44 | +1'13.145 1'13.145 | 0.431 | 1 | Haas | Ferrari | |
| 12 | 27 |  | 44 | +1'13.628 1'13.628 | 0.483 | 2 | Sauber | Ferrari | |
| 13 | 22 |  | 44 | +1'15.395 1'15.395 | 1.767 | 1 | Red Bull | Red Bull | |
| 14 | 18 |  | 44 | +1'19.831 1'19.831 | 4.436 | 1 | Aston Martin | Mercedes | |
| 15 | 31 |  | 44 | +1'26.063 1'26.063 | 6.232 | 1 | Haas | Ferrari | |
| 16 | 12 |  | 44 | +1'26.721 1'26.721 | 0.658 | 2 | Mercedes | Mercedes | |
| 17 | 14 |  | 44 | +1'27.924 1'27.924 | 1.203 | 2 | Aston Martin | Mercedes | |
| 18 | 55 |  | 44 | +1'32.024 1'32.024 | 4.100 | 2 | Williams | Mercedes | |
| 19 | 43 |  | 44 | +1'35.250 1'35.250 | 3.226 | 2 | Alpine | Renault | |
| 20 | 6 |  | 43 | 1 lap | 2 | RB | Honda |