Oscar Piastri passes Lando Norris, who was in the lead, early in the rain-delayed race at Spa-Francorchamps.
July 27, 2025: The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps finally started after a long delay of more than an hour because of heavy rain. It was an exciting race that ended with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri winning and the British team finishing first and second. Lando Norris, who was his teammate and started from pole position, came in second.
The race began under the safety car as heavy rain had drenched the circuit, creating treacherous conditions. Lando Norris, who started from pole position, led the race out of the pit lane, but visibility was very poor. “I can’t see much behind the safety car…” During the first formation lap, Norris said over the radio, “I can’t imagine what it’s like for everyone else,” pointing out the heavy clouds of spray.
The dynamic at the head of the pack changed right away when the safety car came into the pits, signifying the start of real racing. Oscar Piastri, who started next to Norris on the front row, made a great move at Turn 1, slipstreaming past his championship rival and McLaren teammate to take the lead. Piastri, who had also achieved pole for Saturday’s Sprint race (which Max Verstappen won), took advantage of a superb departure from Eau Rouge to swiftly seize the lead. Norris’s initial battery problems, which the British driver talked about on the radio, may have helped him.
Piastri stayed in the lead for most of the race, effectively managing his medium tires as the track dried out. Norris was able to close the gap at times and push hard, but in the end, he couldn’t catch up to his teammate’s early lead. Norris lost a lot of time because of mistakes, such going too wide at Pouhon on lap 27 and making another mistake on lap 34. Piastri was able to stay in control and even record personal best sector times in the last few circuits, which helped him win by 3.5 seconds.
This is the sixth time this season that McLaren has finished first and second, which they haven’t done since their record 1988 season. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari came in a distant third, behind Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who had won the Sprint race on Saturday. George Russell, a driver for Mercedes, came in fifth.
The tough circumstances at Spa, a track notorious for its changeable weather, made the race even more strategic and skillful. Teams had to keep an eye on the changing track and make important tire choices all the time. Piastri’s win puts him even further ahead in the 2025 Formula 1 Driver’s Championship standings, but Norris is still very close behind him.