Belgian GP
Belgian Grand Prix 2025: Oscar Piastri Seizes Victory as Lewis Hamilton Recovers from Pit Lane Start
In a rain-soaked thriller at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri claimed a stunning victory at Spa-Francorchamps, outsmarting his McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris in a race delayed 90 minutes by torrential rain. The chaos didn’t end with the weather—Norris’ strategy backfired, and Lewis Hamilton delivered a comeback performance for the ages after starting from the pit lane at the Belgian GP.
The Belgian GP drama began long before lights out. Torrential rain and poor visibility forced a red flag just one formation lap into the race. After a nail-biting 90-minute delay, the race finally resumed with a rolling start—crucial for pole-sitter Lando Norris, who had expressed concern over track conditions.
But when racing began, it was Oscar Piastri who immediately pounced. Executing a clinical overtake at Turn 5, the Australian reversed the outcome of Saturday’s sprint race and grabbed the lead. Norris, who had started from pole in his mother’s homeland, struggled with a battery issue on Lap 1 and never fully recovered.
As the track dried, strategy became king. While Oscar Piastri and most of the grid opted for medium slick tyres, Lando Norris took a bold risk with the hard compound. For a while, it looked like the gamble might pay off—Lando Norris began to eat into the nine-second gap created when he stayed out one extra lap on inters. But two costly errors—a lock-up at Turn 1 and a late-race wobble—undid his progress, allowing Oscar Piastri to maintain his lead and extend his championship advantage to 17 points.
Behind the McLaren duel, Charles Leclerc finished a solid third for Ferrari, holding off Max Verstappen in a race where the Red Bull’s early low-downforce setup didn’t hold up in the drying conditions.
But the real shock came from Lewis Hamilton. After a disastrous qualifying saw him knocked out in Q1 at the Belgian GP—thanks to a deleted lap for exceeding track limits—he started from the pit lane. Equipped with new engine components and determination, Lewis Hamilton surged through the field to finish seventh, showing signs of the legendary racecraft that won him seven world titles. The veteran driver admitted his early weekend form was “unacceptable”, but redeemed himself with a tenacious drive.
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Lewis Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc, however, remained more optimistic, praising Ferrari’s new rear suspension upgrades even as the car’s wet-weather form lagged behind the Belgian GP 2025.
As F1 heads into the Hungarian Grand Prix, the title battle between McLaren’s young guns Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris is tighter than ever. Oscar Piastri leads with cool consistency, while Lando Norris remains a constant threat—especially if he can convert pole positions into wins.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton’s resurgence adds another layer of intrigue to a season that has already seen drama, downpours, and dazzling drives.
