Oscar Piastri charged to a commanding victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, turning a tense Spa-Francorchamps battle into a McLaren masterclass. The Australian driver started from pole and held off early pressure from teammate Lando Norris, who pushed hard but couldn’t find a way past in the opening laps.
Rain threatened to shake things up midway through, but Piastri’s team nailed the strategy, switching to intermediates at just the right moment. That move vaulted him ahead of Max Verstappen, who had been lurking in third for Red Bull. Verstappen, partnered this year with Liam Lawson, fought back fiercely but spun on a damp kerb at Eau Rouge, dropping him out of contention.
Lewis Hamilton, in his debut season with Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc, mounted a late surge from fifth on the grid. He overtook George Russell’s Mercedes in a wheel-to-wheel scrap through Les Combes, but Piastri’s pace proved untouchable. Hamilton crossed the line in second, with Norris rounding out the podium for McLaren’s double delight.
Rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed in his Mercedes bow, holding off a charging pack to finish sixth, while Ferrari’s Leclerc struggled with tyre wear and settled for fourth. The race saw a brief safety car after a clash between Haas drivers Oliver Bearman and Nico Hülkenberg, but Piastri stayed composed to claim his third win of the 2025 campaign.
This result tightens the championship fight, with Piastri now just 15 points behind leader Verstappen heading into the summer break.
