Let’s review the key moments of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix in Formula 1, where McLaren secured another one-two finish and Ferrari bounced back after a difficult Saturday.
The checkered flag fell at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit with the two McLaren drivers occupying the top two positions: Oscar Piastri leading ahead of Lando Norris. Charles Leclerc completed the podium, successfully holding off Max Verstappen who was closing in during the final stages of the race. Here are the key takeaways from the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
Formula 1 will immediately return next week with the Hungarian Grand Prix. After that, the summer break will begin, during which several important updates are expected in the driver market, including announcements about the Mercedes lineup and decisions from Cadillac for the 2026 season.
Challenging Weather Conditions at Spa
The race start was initially delayed due to heavy rain flooding the track. The cars began behind the Safety Car, and a red flag was quickly displayed to halt the race. This decision sparked mixed reactions among drivers. Most were in favor of stopping the race, but Max Verstappen was among those who preferred it to continue.
When track action resumed, the wet conditions heavily influenced the race outcome. At the start, Oscar Piastri overtook Lando Norris and launched towards victory. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton made a significant recovery drive, benefiting from a slightly higher downforce setup that provided greater grip in the wet.
A crucial moment was the switch from intermediate to slick tires. Lewis Hamilton was the first to pit, followed by several drivers behind him. This strategic call proved perfect as Hamilton rejoined the race in seventh position. Charles Leclerc defended well thanks to his car’s top speed, while the McLaren duo pulled away from the rest of the field.
Dry Track Performance
From around lap 13 onwards, all cars switched to slick tires. Most drivers chose the medium C3 compound, except for Lando Norris who opted for the harder C1 tires. Norris was disadvantaged by Piastri pitting before him, which forced him to complete an extra lap on intermediates. Norris’s pit stop was also slower, causing him to rejoin 9 seconds behind Piastri.
The #4 car tried to catch up to Piastri, but several driving errors prevented Norris from closing the gap. The harder tires clearly were not ideal, making his comeback even more difficult. Lewis Hamilton was held up by the high top speed of Williams driver Alexander Albon.
Charles Leclerc managed to keep Max Verstappen at bay, who was constantly in his mirrors. The Monegasque driver appeared quite tense over team radio but still secured a solid third place. Ferrari extended its lead over Mercedes, which scored 10 points thanks to George Russell’s fifth-place finish, while Kimi Antonelli failed to climb from the back of the grid into the points zone.
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