A bold opening-lap maneuver proved decisive as Oscar Piastri clinched victory at a rain-disrupted Belgian Grand Prix. The McLaren driver capitalized on challenging conditions at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, overtaking teammate Lando Norris early on and maintaining control through a race that featured a lengthy weather delay.
The event began nearly ninety minutes behind schedule after heavy rainfall drenched the Ardennes circuit. When the action finally commenced, Piastri immediately demonstrated his intent, executing a daring pass on Norris through the Les Combes complex. That early aggression set the tone for his afternoon, as he consistently managed his advantage despite varying track conditions and strategic challenges.
Norris mounted a persistent challenge from second position, closing the gap during the middle phase as the track evolved from wet to intermediate conditions. However, a series of minor errors while pushing to catch his teammate ultimately cost him valuable time, allowing Piastri to stabilize his lead and secure the win by just over three seconds.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium in third, holding off sustained pressure from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen throughout the closing stages. The Monegasque driver described the conditions as particularly treacherous, noting the extreme penalty for even minor deviations from the racing line.
Further back, Lewis Hamilton produced a remarkable recovery drive, advancing from eighteenth on the grid to secure seventh position. His progress through the field highlighted the Mercedes’ improved performance in mixed conditions, though he ultimately ran out of laps to challenge for higher positions.
The result strengthens Piastri’s position in the championship standings, extending his advantage over Norris. For McLaren, the one-two finish represents their most dominant performance of the season and provides significant momentum heading into the next round of the championship.
The Hungarian Grand Prix follows next weekend, with teams facing the challenge of adapting to the tight, twisting layout of the Hungaroring after the high-speed challenges of Spa.
