Autobayng News Team
Oscar Piastri claimed his sixth victory of the season in a rain-affected Belgian Grand Prix after passing his team mate at the start.
He led a one-two for McLaren after pouncing on Lando Norris as they approached Les Combes on the first racing lap.
Piastri kept Norris at arm’s length during the opening phase of the race as the track dried out. When the conditions were dry enough for drivers to switch to slicks, Piastri was the first of the pair to change. He pulled out several more seconds on Norris which put him out of range of his team mate.
Norris tried to attack Piastri strategically, opting for hard rubber while his team mate selected medium. However Norris made a few errors in pursuit, including a high-speed off-track moment at Pouhon, which compromised his progress. As the penultimate lap began Norris ran wide at La Source, and his three-second deficit ballooned to over five, ending any hopes of a last-lap attack.
The McLaren drivers had the fight for victory to themselves. Charles Leclerc clung to his third place under fierce pressure from Max Verstappen in the opening laps. He pulled ahead after switching to slicks, but the Red Bull driver came back at him towards the end of the race.
George Russell finished 13 seconds behind them in fifth, with a further five seconds back to Alexander Albon. He was chased home by Lewis Hamilton, who made excellent progress in the wet phase of the race, then picked up more places with a bold early switch to slicks.
Liam Lawson took eighth for Racing Bulls while team mate Isack Hadjar sunk to last. Gabriel Bortoleto followed him home after Sauber told Nico Hulkenberg to let him through. Hulkenberg made a second pit stop but never recovered to the top 10.
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That allowed Pierre Gasly to pick up the final point, though he came under fierce pressure from Oliver Bearman at the end.
The start of the race was delayed for an hour and a half as rain fell during the build-up to the race. The cars completed a formation lap behind the Safety Car but the majority of drivers expressed the view the conditions weren’t good enough.
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