Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Piastri lays down marker in Belgian GP FP1.
Oscar Piastri has made the perfect start to his Belgian Grand Prix weekend, topping the timesheets in Free Practice 1 by four tenths of a second.
25 Jul 2025
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe

The championship leader looked fast throughout the hour-long practice session — the only one of the weekend due to it being a sprint round — setting the early pace on the hard tyres before clocking his best time of 1:42.022 on his final lap on softs. His time was 0.404s faster than Max Verstappen, while his teammate Lando Norris finished the session in third, 0.504s behind the Aussie.

‘Piastri lays down marker’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-p...inant-mclaren/


Belgian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix.
25 Jul 2025
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe

POS. NO. DRIVER TEAM TIME / GAP LAPS
1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:42.022 23
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.404s 23
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren +0.504s 22
4 63 George Russell Mercedes +0.576s 27
5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.906s 22
6 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.957s 23
7 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +1.063s 24
8 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.090s 17
9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.098s 22
10 6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +1.100s 19

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-b...1-fp1-results/


Belgian GP: Piastri tops free practice from Verstappen and Norris
25/07/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

McLaren’s championship leader Oscar Piastri laid down a commanding performance in the only free practice session for the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix.

The Australian’s late charge on Pirelli’s soft C4 compound in the closing minutes of the hour-long session saw him edge out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by four tenths, signaling McLaren’s strong form heading into the weekend.

The session, dominated by setup work and testing of new aerodynamic upgrades, offered a glimpse into the intense development race as teams fine-tune their packages before the season’s latter stages.

‘Piastri tops free practice’;

https://f1i.com/news/544508-belgian-...nd-norris.html


Lewis Hamilton the target of team radio rant after ‘dangerous’ Belgian GP near miss
25 Jul 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton was the target of an angry team radio rant by Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto during FP1 at the Belgian Grand Prix. Bortoleto took to team radio to air his frustrations, telling his race engineer: “Mate, what the f**k is Hamilton doing? He’s always in the middle of the track.”

Leclerc was similarly unimpressed by the sight of two cars dawdling at a dangerous part of the circuit. He responded: “Ah, come on. This is dangerous.”

“Mate, what the f**k is Hamilton doing?”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...n-gp-dangerous


What happened in sole Spa F1 practice session
Jul 25, 2025
Ben Anderson
The Race

Oscar Piastri led the way for McLaren in the only practice session for Formula 1’s 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, as McLaren team-mate Lando Norris went off and lapped slower than Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. The Red Bull features a substantial upgrade for Spa, incorporating revised front wing, front suspension, sidepod inlet, engine cover and rear corner, but Verstappen still complained of a “weird” feeling with the car mid-corner, unable to rotate it as he wished.

Verstappen’s Red Bull was predictably supreme through the first sector of lap, which after La Source (Turn 1) is basically an extended straight through Eau Rouge and Radillon before the braking zone at the end of the Kemmel Straight. Red Bull usually runs a bit light on downforce here and asks Verstappen to work his magic through the twistier middle sector, but any gains Red Bull made through having a slippery car for sector one were more than wiped out by Piastri’s impressive pace and stability through sector two.

A tow in sector one didn't hurt Piastri either. McLaren has brought a lower-downforce rear wing option for Spa, but that car’s greater overall aerodynamic efficiency this season suggests at this early stage it has a potentially more suitable compromise for this circuit than Red Bull is potentially able to achieve.

‘Oscar Piastri led the way for McLaren’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...ctice-session/


Where is Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase at the F1 Belgian GP? Why Red Bull’s trusted voice is missing at Spa
With Gianpiero Lambiase absent for personal reasons, Max Verstappen will rely on Simon Rennie as his race engineer for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, marking another major change for Red Bull during a turbulent season
25 July 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

For the first time since his breakthrough into Formula 1’s elite, Max Verstappen is taking on a race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps without Christian Horner and trusted race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase by his side.

Instead, Verstappen will rely on the experience of Simon Rennie to help guide him through one of the most significant races of the season for Red Bull, as the team deals with dramatic upheaval both on and off the track. The news broke in the lead up to the Belgian Grand Prix that Lambiase, affectionately known as ‘GP’ in the paddock, would not be present due to personal circumstances.

Now, Verstappen will need to summon that same flexibility and composure in the Ardennes, with Simon Rennie returning to the pitwall for a second time this year. Red Bull have not confirmed if Lambiase will be back for Hungary, adding an extra layer of uncertainty to Verstappen’s bid to reassert himself at the front of the championship battle.

‘Gianpiero Lambiase absent for personal reasons’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max...lgian-gp-2025/

[Fortitude]

Piastri takes pole by 0.477sec from Verstappen - 2025 Belgian GP sprint qualifying results.
Championship leader Piastri dominates sprint qualifying to grab pole from Verstappen and Norris
July 25th 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

Oscar Piastri secured a dominant pole for the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race after beating Max Verstappen by nearly half a second.

Piastri, who had also topped practice in the morning, beat Verstappen by 0.477 seconds with a superb display at a sunny Spa.

The championship leader outqualified McLaren team-mate Lando Norris by over six tenths of a second, the Briton having to settle for third position.

‘0.477sec’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1


F1 2025 Belgian Grand Prix – Sprint Qualifying Results
July 25th 2025
Motorsport Week

Position Driver Team Time Gap
1 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:40.510
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:40.987 0.477
3 Lando Norris McLaren 1:41.128 0.618
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:41.278 0.768
5 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:41.565 1.055
6 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:41.761 1.251
7 Oliver Bearman Haas 1:41.857 1.347
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:41.959 1.449
9 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls 1:41.971 1.461
10 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber 1:42.176 1.666

‘Sprint Qualifying Results’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...fying-results/


Martin Brundle spots something ‘highly unusual’ in Lewis Hamilton onboard amid Belgian Grand Prix woes
25 July 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Hamilton joined Mercedes successor Kimi Antonelli in making an early exit. Williams’ Alex Albon, Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto were also knocked out. SQ1 runs for just 12 minutes – six minutes shorter than the Saturday equivalent. Hamilton only had time for two runs, both of which were spoiled by apparent errors.

On the first error, he suffered a snap of oversteer at Stavelot, costing him plenty of momentum on his run through Blanchimont. A broadcast graphic estimated that he’d lost seven-tenths of a second. That put Hamilton under pressure to deliver on his second attempt, and he was on course to progress through the first couple of sectors. However, the five-time Belgian Grand Prix winner spun on the entry to the final chicane, confirming his elimination.

Watching the replay, Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle said Hamilton was totally caught off the guard when he applied the brakes. “His rear axle locked up under braking, highly unusual,” Brundle remarked. “I don’t think there’s anyone more surprised at that than Lewis Hamilton.” Hamilton was silent on the radio after the spin, which meant the explanation was initially unclear. He’d complained of rear locking during the solitary practice session.

“His rear axle locked up under braking, highly unusual”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...and-prix-woes/


Piastri storms to Belgian Sprint pole with spinning Hamilton left in 18th
25 July 2025
Sky Sports

F1 championship leader Oscar Piastri stormed to a dominant pole position for Saturday's Sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix, with chief title rival Lando Norris behind Max Verstappen in third.

After the frustration of his race-losing penalty to Norris at the British GP three weeks ago, Piastri has hit the ground running at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit and had already set the pace in Friday's sole practice session before claiming the weekend's first of two poles by a whopping 0.4s margin.

Verstappen, whose Red Bull team are at a race weekend without former team boss Christian Horner for the first time after 20 years, beat Norris to second in the effective single-lap shootout of SQ3. Hamilton will start Saturday's 15-lap dash from 18th after spinning in his Ferrari on his final lap of SQ1, while 2024 Spa victors Mercedes qualified 13th and 20th with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli respectively.

‘Piastri storms… … spinning Hamilton’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...-hamilton-18th


Belgian GP: Piastri surges to Spa sprint pole as Hamilton hits new low
25 Jul 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has claimed pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race at Spa. The Australian clocked a fastest lap of 1:40.510 in SQ3 in Belgium, going 0.477s faster than Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Piastri’s McLaren team-mate Lando Norris will start third.

Stavelot also proved tricky for Lewis Hamilton with the Ferrari driver catching a snap on entry to the corner, leaving him 16th after the first runs. Hamilton suffered another moment at the end of his final effort, locking up his rears under braking and spinning at the Bus Stop chicane, with the yellow flags compromising the laps of a number of drivers behind.

‘Piastri surges… … Hamilton hits new low’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/belgia...lifying-report

[Fortitude]

Verstappen skewers McLaren with '15 qualifying laps' to win Belgian GP sprint.
A storming drive by Max Verstappen, combined with a Red Bull with an ideal set-up, left McLaren on the back foot in the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix sprint race.
July 26th 2025
Dominic Tobin
Motor Sport Magazine

Max Verstappen won the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race in a Red Bull that looked set up to perfection for the 15-lap Spa-Francorchamps dash. After a series of races in which he’s struggled with his car, Verstappen was able to push to a level he described as “over the limit”, saying that he was at qualifying pace for the whole race. He finished less than a second ahead of Oscar Piastri.

Running a lower level of rear wing than the McLaren pair of pole-sitter Piastri and Lando Norris who started third, Verstappen had the straightline speed advantage to sweep into the lead on lap one and hold off the championship leader for the remaining 14 laps.

'15 qualifying laps';

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1


F1 2025 Belgian GP – Sprint Race Results
McLaren push Verstappen to the limit as midfield fireworks light up Spa Sprint Race
26 July 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

F1 Belgian GP 2025 Sprint Race results
Check out the full Belgian GP 2025 Sprint Race results from the session at Spa below.
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Leader
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.753
3 Lando Norris McLaren +1.414
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +10.176
5 Esteban Ocon Haas +13.789
6 Carlos Sainz Williams +14.964
7 Oliver Bearman Haas +18.610
8 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +19.119
9 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber +22.183
10 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +22.897

‘Sprint Race results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...-race-results/


‘Incredible’: Martin Brundle saw Max Verstappen do something ‘incredible’ to beat Oscar Piastri in the Belgian GP Sprint
26 July 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen stunned Martin Brundle with his cornering speed in the 2025 Spa Sprint. McLaren drivers Piastri and Norris opted to run more downforce on their MCL39s for the F1 Sprint at the Belgian GP compared to Red Bull rival Verstappen. It proved to be a fatal error, as Piastri was never able to make a move on the Dutchman to regain the lead this Saturday.

Verstappen’s rear wing let the 27-year-old stay far enough clear of Piastri on the run from La Source to Les Combes via Eau Rouge and Raidillon to nullify the effect of his rival using DRS. But how Verstappen coped with the consequences in sector two impressed Martin Brundle. Brundle said on Sky Sports F1 (26/07, 11:12): “Piastri is struggling in the turbulent air. Max Verstappen’s doing an incredible job of carrying speed through the corners and then using the lower downforce. You can just see how skinny his rear wing is.”

‘Incredible’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...ian-gp-sprint/


Verstappen leads McLaren pair to win processional sprint race
26th July 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Max Verstappen won the sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix after passing Oscar Piastri at the start. The Red Bull driver spent 15 laps with Piastri in his mirrors but the championship leader never got close enough to make a serious attack on the race leader.

Lando Norris arrived on Piastri’s tail mid-way through the race after reclaiming his third place from Charles Leclerc. But with Piastri constantly using DRS in his attempts to attack Verstappen, Norris could only sit behind his team mate to the finish.

There were no significant changes of positions among the other points finishers, most of which took the chequered flag in the same order they started. Leclerc took fourth ahead of Esteban Ocon, followed by Carlos Sainz Jnr and Oliver Bearman, all in grid order.

‘15 laps with Piastri in his mirrors’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/07/26/...l-sprint-race/


Verstappen outduels McLaren rivals to win intense Belgian GP Sprint
Red Bull’s new era begins with a statement as Max Verstappen fends off Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris for victory in the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint
26 July 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Despite starting on older medium tyres, Verstappen showcased the trademark straight-line speed of his Red Bull to keep Piastri within DRS range, but never truly threatened for position.

Piastri, looking to build on his Sprint pole, tracked Verstappen relentlessly for all 15 laps, at times narrowing the gap to less than a second. His closest opportunity came at Turn 5 as the McLaren drew up to the Red Bull’s gearbox, but the Australian found no way through, later admitting the top speed advantage made it nearly impossible to challenge.

‘Despite starting on older medium tyres’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/ver...rint-win-2025/


Upset Lewis Hamilton reveals the ‘career first’ mistake he made at Belgian Grand Prix.
July 25, 2025
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Sir Lewis Hamilton says he made a mistake for the ‘first time in my career’ that caused his disastrous sprint qualifying result at the Belgian Grand Prix. The seven-time Formula 1 champion came into the weekend in good spirits, hopeful that a Ferrari upgrade could revive his fortunes after a difficult start to the season.

The 40-year-old surprisingly spun at the last corner of the tricky Spa-Francorchamps circuit as he attempted to set a fast lap, causing his early exit. Asked by Sky Sports for an analysis of what happened, a sullen and crestfallen Hamilton was in little mood to chat, simply replying: ‘I spun.’

Pressedwhether the rear-axle had locked-up, the Brit nodded and owned up to what is a somewhat amateurish mistake, responding: ‘First time I think in my career.’

‘Career first’;

https://metro.co.uk/2025/07/25/upset...o=newsnow-feed

[Fortitude]

Belgian GP: Norris pips Piastri to pole as Hamilton suffers latest Ferrari disaster.
Norris’s fastest time of 1:40.562 was 0.085s faster than Piastri, with Charles Leclerc pipping Red Bull driver Max Verstappen to claim a fine third for Ferrari.26 Jul 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Norris claimed provisional pole in the first runs, outpacing Piastri by 0.189s with Verstappen more than half a second off the pace in third on used tyres. “Really weird. Just didn’t have the same grip,” Verstappen reported over team radio.

Verstappen failed to improve in the first sector of his final effort, losing almost two tenths, with Leclerc taking third place with a fine first sector. With Norris also failing to improve, the stage seemed set for Piastri to steal pole. However, the Australian missed out on P1 by just 0.085s.

In Q1: Lewis Hamilton initially made it through but had his last lap of Q1 deleted due to a track limits breach at Raidillon. The Ferrari driver’s latest misdemeanour, following his spin at the end of SQ1 on Friday, gave Gabriel Bortoleto a late reprieve.

‘Norris’s fastest time of 1:40.562 was 0.085s faster than Piastri’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/belgia...lifying-report


F1 2025 Belgian GP – Qualifying Results
26 July 2025
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Check out the full Belgian GP 2025 Qualifying results from the session at Spa below.
Pos. Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Lando Norris McLaren 1:40.562
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.085
3. Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.338
4. Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.341
5. Alex Albon Williams +0.639
6. George Russell Mercedes +0.698
7. Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull +0.722
8. Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.748
9. Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +0.766
10. Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber +1.825

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...fying-results/


Full Results Belgian GP Qualifying | Norris fights back, Verstappen just misses out on Top 3
26 Jul 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Lando Norris managed to claim pole position for Sunday's Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. His teammate, Oscar Piastri finished in second place, while Charles Leclerc rounded off the Top 3.

Norris led after the first flying laps in Q3, and while he couldn't improve on his final lap, he remained in first place. Piastri finished marginally behind the other McLaren driver. Charles Leclerc completed the Top 3, after he marginally finished ahead of Verstappen. Alex Albon finished in P5, pushing George Russell down to P6.

‘Full Results’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/full-...s-out-on-top-3


Damon Hill baffled by Lewis Hamilton’s unnecessary decision that ‘embarrassed’ Ferrari at the Belgian Grand Prix
26 July 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Damon Hill claims Ferrari looked ‘embarrassed’ by Lewis Hamilton’s Q1 exit at the Belgian GP. Hamilton spun in SQ1 to qualify P18 for the Sprint at the 2025 Belgian GP on Friday after the Briton lost the rear-end of his SF-25 under braking at the Bus Stop Chicane. He had also had a moment at Stavelot earlier in SQ1, and would only improve to take P15 in Saturday’s Sprint.

Qualifying for the actual Belgian GP would not prove to be a happy affair for the seven-time champion on Saturday, either. Hamilton set a 1:41.664, which was fast enough for P7 in the Q1 timesheet, yet the Ferrari driver lost the lap time after exceeding track limits at Raidillon. Hamilton turned in slightly too early on his rise through Eau Rouge, so he put all four wheels of his car over the inside of the white line at Raidillon and was eliminated in P16. Damon Hill does not get why Hamilton ‘felt the need’ to take the risk, which even ‘embarrassed’ Ferrari.

Hill said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 (26/07, 15:20): “He’s no longer able to take part in qualifying. [Hamilton is] back where he was after yesterday’s Sprint Qualifying and there’s a lot of very embarrassed-looking people at Ferrari in the garage… He just went too far across the top of the hill. His car is actually all off the track, and that means his time is deleted. He didn’t have to do that. I don’t know why he felt the need to use that much track. You don’t actually lose to gain that much.”

‘There’s a lot of very embarrassed-looking people at Ferrari in the garage…’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...an-grand-prix/


Lewis Hamilton offers Ferrari heartfelt apology: 'Unacceptable'
An honest assessment from Lewis Hamilton after back-to-back horror shows in qualifying over the Belgian GP weekend.
26 July 2025
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

"We made some changes, and the car didn't feel terrible," said Hamilton, speaking to Sky Sports F1. "It was even tougher for us as we had to put a second set [of soft tyres] on just to get through Q1, so not great, and then from my side, I made a mistake.”

“I've really got to look internally. I apologise to my team because it's just unacceptable to be out in both Q1s. It's a very, very poor performance from myself."

'Unacceptable';

https://racingnews365.com/lewis-hami...y-unacceptable


Nico Rosberg relieved that Lando Norris has finally started listening to him after Belgian Grand Prix pole
26 July 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Nico Rosberg says Lando Norris has finally started blocking out the external noise. Speaking immediately after Belgian Grand Prix qualifying, Norris said ‘people like to make a lot of things up’. This appeared to dig at those who had raised concerns about the Friday deficit to Piastri.

The Englishman put half of that deficit down to poor placement on the track. And he clearly didn’t let the doubts earlier in the weekend affect his driving. Nico Rosberg has previously said Norris needs to work with a psychologist, comments that didn’t go down well inside McLaren. After qualifying, Sky Sports pundit Rosberg sounded encouraged by the change he’d seen in the 25-year-old.

“He’s said in the interviews that he’s not letting these opinions get to him anymore, he’s switching them off, which is exactly what I’ve been trying to recommend to him on-air,” Rosberg observed. “Just turn everything off, dial everything down, just focus on yourself, the team and nothing else. He says he’s doing that, so maybe all that is working to his advantage now.”

‘Blocking out the external noise’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nic...and-prix-pole/

[Fortitude]

McLaren drivers set to race with their last permitted power unit at Spa-Francorchamps.
McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will compete at today's Belgian Grand Prix with fresh power unit components, which sees them exploit their maximum power unit allocation for the current season.
27 Jul 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Over the course of the 2024 season, a driver may use no more than four ICEs, MGU-Hs, MGU-Ks and turbochargers, two energy stores and control electronics, and eight of each of the four elements that make up a set of exhaust systems (comprising primaries left-hand side, primaries right-hand side, secondary LHS and secondary RHS).

For this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have received a fresh internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K while the Australian driver has also got a new energy store and control electronics.

‘Fresh power unit components’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/27420


Vasseur: Ferrari are "still working on getting the most out of the new package"
27 Jul 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Reflecting on the Scuderia's day at Spa, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur added: "Charles did a very good lap at the end. Currently we are still working on getting the most out of the new package we brought here and there was real improvement over the course of the weekend from the start all the way to the final lap in qualifying. We learned more about the car from session to session.

"Rain is expected tomorrow that will also allow us to see how these upgrades work in all conditions. We are still a couple of tenths behind McLaren but we are on the pace of Verstappen. We will continue to work on improving still further for Budapest.” Speaking of Hamilton's difficulties, Vasseur said: "As for Lewis, he was unable to put everything together but the field is so close, a matter of just hundredths or even thousandths of a second between the cars.”

"His pace was good, he was just one place behind Charles but the track limits put him out and it is what it is," the Frenchman continued. "It’s true that it’s been a tough weekend for him so far and, at this track, you need to build up confidence lap after lap and with the problems yesterday and today that was made difficult for him."

“New package";

https://www.f1technical.net/news/27454


Hamilton blames his own “very, very poor performance” for his shock exit in Spa qualifying
27 Jul 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Hamilton was quick to admit that the poor result was down to him, and he branded his performance as “unacceptable.” "It’s not been a great day but we got some valuable insight into the new suspension and upgrades during the Sprint. The team made further adjustments ahead of qualifying based on what we learned. Unfortunately, my lap time was deleted for track limits, and I take full responsibility for that.”

"And then from my side, another mistake," he explained to Sky Sports F1. "So I really got to look internal. I got to apologise to my team because it's just unacceptable to be out in both Q1s. It's a very, very poor performance for myself. I don't think there's really much we can do. So I just try and start from where I am and see where I can get from there. Tomorrow’s race will be challenging, with overtaking being quite difficult here, but I’m fully focused on making up ground and fighting for points to reward the hard work everyone’s done back at the factory to bring these updates."

Signing off with a word for his expectations for the remainder of the season, Hamilton noted: "I mean, we're trying to do the best with what we have. And then obviously everyone's working flat out back in the factory. We have had upgrades, but I think that's probably it for the rest of the year. And then I think the focus is now, back at the factory at least, is to focus on next year's car. This season has been a tricky one," concluded Hamilton.

“Very, very poor performance”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/27444


George Russell: Mercedes has taken ‘big step backwards’ amid F1 Belgian GP struggles
27 Jul 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

George Russell believes Mercedes has “taken a big step backwards” as the Formula 1 season has gone on, after a difficult qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix. “My laps felt really strong,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “But clearly as a team we’re off the pace this weekend. And, other than yesterday, this is my worst qualification of the year – same for Kimi so we need to understand what’s going on.”

“Historically, on Sprint Race weekends, if you have a bad Sprint, if you turn the car upside down for the next day, it rarely works,” Russell explained. “So we made some sensible changes, but we just need to understand – the first six races of the year, we had four podiums, now we’ve had one in the last six, and clearly we’ve taken a big step backwards towards the midfield.”

But things could be thrown up if it will rain, which is forecast and a common eventuality at Spa, but the W16’s set-up for the race may not be conducive to the wet. “In stint one there won’t be any more overtakes [than in the Sprint Race],” Russell said.

‘Big step backwards’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...-gp-struggles/


Laurent Mekies’ upgrade call revealed with Yuki Tsunoda performance reward
26 Jul 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

“For Yuki, it was a very, very good step forward through the weekend, so it’s good to see him in Q3,” Mekies said. “Finishing there, I’m sure will give him a good boost in confidence. We upgraded his car just before qualifying as we are always pushing to the edge on our car parts quantity, but we decided to take the risk to upgrade his car.”

“That’s why you may have seen we were nearly a bit late to go out in qualifying, but it was worth the effort from everyone. And certainly it helped in supporting his performance to get to a very, very good level.” Speaking to the media, including PlanetF1.com, after qualifying, Tsunoda revealed his happiness with a car that he felt was “much better” and explained how the floor had played a part in that.

“Considering the difference I’ve always had in terms of laptime delta, between Max and myself, that’s huge,” he said. “So I knew in myself and my engineering group, that we are in the right direction, myself to improve in the way we want happy that I approve it. “But yeah, generally, a bit more grip. The previous one was more sensitive, easier to slide. With this one, you can be aggressive, I would say.”

‘Yuki Tsunoda performance reward’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-t...ian-grand-prix


Telemetry reveals the truth behind Max Verstappen qualifying lap
27 Jul 2025
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com

After the session, Verstappen explained that from the very start of his lap, he struggled with severe wheelspin and couldn’t transfer power cleanly to the track. Not long after, a significant mistake in Turn 1 cost him valuable time. Spa is a track where a small mistake in Turn 1 has a knock-on effect through Eau Rouge and all the way down the Kemmel Straight.

That’s exactly what happened — telemetry shows Piastri reaching higher speeds earlier on Kemmel, which is rare even after Verstappen was running a higher-downforce rear wing. The Turn 1 error cost him around 0.15 seconds, but the real time loss came in Turns 5 and 6 — precisely where Verstappen mentioned struggling for grip. McLaren, by contrast, looked planted and quick through this section all weekend.

From there, Verstappen and Lando Norris were more or less even, until the final chicane, where the Dutch driver managed a slightly better exit. But it wasn’t enough to claw back the lost ground. Could Verstappen have challenged for the front row — or even pole — without that T1 mistake? In truth, no. While the error was costly, the underlying issues were already visible in his earlier Q3 lap. It’s also worth noting that most drivers struggled to improve in Q3 — it just stood out more for Red Bull.

‘From the very start of his lap, he struggled with severe wheelspin’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ma...ta-wing-set-up

[Fortitude]

RACE START: Piastri jumps Norris on opening racing lap in delayed Belgian Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri took the lead of the Belgian Grand Prix from Lando Norris on the opening racing lap of a delayed race at Spa-Francorchamps.
July 27th 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Following an 80-minute rain delay and four laps behind the Safety Car, the Belgian Grand Prix got under way, with Norris leading McLaren team mate Piastri for a rolling start.

But a slide for Norris at La Source allowed Piastri to gain a tow and sweep into the lead on the approach to Les Combes.

‘Piastri jumps Norris on opening racing lap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...CpoIiOaGRuP0zd


F1 2025 Belgian Grand Prix – Race Results
July 27th 2025
Motorsport Week

Position Driver Team Gap
1 Oscar Piastri McLaren
2 Lando Norris McLaren
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull
5 George Russell Mercedes
6 Alex Albon Williams
7 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari
8 Liam Lawson Sauber
9 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine

‘Race Results’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...-race-results/


Piastri takes commanding win from Norris - 2025 Belgian GP results
July 27th 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

Oscar Piastri led a commanding McLaren 1-2 ahead of Lando Norris at the Belgian Grand Prix despite a late charge from the British driver.

Piastri crucially took the lead on the first real lap of the race and controlled it from the front after switching to slick tyres once the track dried up. The race started on a wet track over an hour later than scheduled due to poor weather conditions.

‘Commanding win’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1


Oscar Piastri shows all his nous to win delayed Belgian Grand Prix from Lando Norris
Oscar Piastri wins the Belgian Grand Prix from his McLaren teammate Lando Norris after a Lap 1 overtake at Spa
27 July 2025
Euan Burns
Total Motorsport

Oscar Piastri widened his gap at the top of the Formula 1 2025 drivers’ championship by beating McLaren teammate Lando Norris to the line at the Belgian Grand Prix.

In a race that started almost an hour and a half later than planned due to rain reducing the drivers’ visibility, the first corner proved to be the major difference between the McLaren‘s as pole-sitter Norris lost time and allowed his teammate to construct an overtake.

After moving on to the slick tyres, Norris couldn’t quite eat into Piastri‘s margin with enough ferocity and had to settle for second, with Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and George Russell rounding out the top five.

‘The first corner proved to be the major difference between the McLaren‘s’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/osc...-prix-mclaren/


Brilliant Piastri dominates Norris at Belgian GP to snatch crucial win
27 Jul 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

Oscar Piastri has won the Formula One 2025 Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Lando Norris after overtaking the British driver at the start of the race. Charles Leclerc rounded off the podium places, with Max Verstappen and George Russell completing the top 5.

Instead of a standing start, race direction, on safety grounds, was prompted to start the race behind the safety car, with Lando Norris getting his wish, as he complained about the left-hand side being wetter than the right-hand side of the circuit.

The race started as the field soared past the finish line on lap 5 after four tours around the Spa-Francorchamps track behind the safety car. Oscar Piastri made a confident overtake on the outside of Norris on the Kemmel straight after sticking to his teammate's gearbox throughout La Source, Radillion and Eau Rouge.

‘Brilliant Piastri dominates Norris’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/breaking-n...ch-crucial-win

[Fortitude]

Belgian GP conclusions: Verstappen’s goodbye kiss, Hamilton’s uncomfortable truth, Piastri’s zone.
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri claimed his sixth victory of the F1 2025 season in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
28 Jul 2025
Oliver Harden

It should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched this season closely – actually, make that the last three seasons – that of the two title contenders at Spa, Oscar Piastri handled the unusual challenges of the day more adeptly than Lando Norris. For Norris, this was worryingly reminiscent of the way he collapsed over the course of the last race of a stop-start nature in Brazil last year, a little slide on the exit of the very first corner of the delayed race instantly gifting the initiative to Piastri.

For pretty much 12 months now – ever since Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley and more headed for the exit and the dominant car of 2023 was developed into what Max himself described at one stage as “a monster” – the reasons to leave Red Bull have outweighed the reasons to stay. Yet as revealed by PlanetF1.com on Saturday at Spa, Verstappen is now expected to remain where he is for 2026…

The suspicion that Hamilton already knew deep down that his best days were behind him when he decided to join Ferrari, but could not bring himself to retire without first experiencing life inside F1’s most sacred team, is becoming increasingly credible as this season unfolds. Try as he might to avoid the same fate as Alonso and Vettel, Hamilton’s time at Ferrari already seems destined to end in disappointment too.

‘Belgian GP conclusions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/be...25-conclusions


Oscar Piastri uses earlier disappointment as fuel to win Belgian Grand Prix
Jul 28, 2025
AFP-JIJI
The Japan Times

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium –
Oscar Piastri said he turned his personal disappointment into motivation to succeed on Sunday after he produced an impressive drive to earn his sixth victory of the season in the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Australian was disappointed with himself on Saturday when he was beaten by title rival and McLaren teammate Lando Norris in qualifying for Sunday's race, but he turned the tables with a masterful passing move on Lap 1 after a rolling start on a damp track.

He then hung on and, after pitting to switch from intermediates to slicks, he managed his medium compound tires perfectly to stay ahead of Norris, who was running on a more durable hard tire, in the closing stages to win and extend his lead in the title race to 16 points.

‘Earlier disappointment as fuel’;

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/...an-grand-prix/


Piastri precision: Aussie takes major step towards F1 crown with brilliance in the wet at Spa
27 Jul 2025
The Roar

Norris, who was passed by Piastri on the first racing lap at Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, said: “Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Oscar deserved it. Oscar just did a good job. Nothing more to say. Committed a bit more through Eau Rouge, and had the slipstream and got the run.”

“So nothing to complain of. He did a better job in the beginning, and that was it. Nothing more I could do after that point. I would love to be up top, but Oscar deserved it today.” The decisive moment of the afternoon came moments after the race finally got underway.

Piastri charged through the spray to slipstream Norris through the daunting Eau Rouge and scythed past on the uphill straight, with his overtaken teammate complaining of a possible battery issue. Piastri then proceeded largely untroubled as he powered on to finish 3.415 seconds clear of his arch-rival.

‘Brilliance in the wet’;

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/07/2...um-brilliance/


Oscar Piastri reveals 'nervous' trigger whilst matching Daniel Ricciardo feat
Oscar Piastri drew level with compatriot Daniel Ricciardo by winning at Spa-Francorchamps, but it was not an anxiety-free race for the Australian.
28 July 2025
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

"It was a tough race," Piastri told media, including RacingNews365. "Difficult conditions at the start and then just trying to manage the inters [intermediate tyres] firstly, because it was drying relatively quickly, but you can kill the inters in a lap or two if you really want around here.”

"So that was a bit tricky. And then I felt good on the mediums for about five laps, and then when I could see that the hard on Lando’s car was not worse than the medium, I was a bit nervous, considering we had nearly 25 laps to go at that point. So, I had to be a bit careful, but it held on in the end much better than I feared. I had to manage a bit, but nothing special."

'Nervous trigger’;

https://racingnews365.com/oscar-pias...ricciardo-feat


Piastri Slams Rolling Start After Winning Belgian GP: "I Was Disappointed"
July 28, 2025
Nelson Espinal Newsweek
Bellingham Herald

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri secured another win at the Belgium Grand Prix, growing his lead in the Drivers' Championship, but he wasn't happy with every aspect of the race. Norris's control meant Piastri was limited in his ability to attack on the opening lap, leaving the Aussie driver "disappointed." "Once I knew I was close, to be honest, I was a bit disappointed," he said.

“It was a rolling start because I thought that was going to take away some opportunity, but I got a good exit out of Turn 1, was able to stay close. When I was that close, I knew I was just going to lift a little bit less than Lando did and try and keep it on the track. And, yeah, it was a bit lively up over the hill, but, no, I managed to make it stick. And then from there, the tire helped me out. So, no, proud of my first lap."

The title leader showed his overtaking chops on the opening lap. He stayed patient and waited for Norris to have a slide before making the move. Once Piastri got past his teammate, the race became straightforward with clear air in front of the Aussie and set the fastest lap of the race as soon as he got in front. With his sixth win of the season, he leads the Drivers' Championship by 16 points, a solid lead with one more race until the summer break in August.

"I Was Disappointed";

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/spo...mainstage_card


Piastri proves to be patient in rain-delayed Belgian GP
The Associated Press
July 28, 2025
Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium -- Oscar Piastri had to wait, and wait some more. Then he made his move. Piastri beat his McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris to win Formula 1's Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday after heavy rain delayed the start. Piastri powered past his teammate and title rival Norris on the first racing lap after the safety car pulled into the pits on lap four, following a delay to the start of more than an hour.

"I knew I was going to try and lift (off the accelerator) a little bit less than Lando did and try to make it stick," said Piastri, admitting his car felt "lively" as he took on the extra risk through the steeply uphill Eau Rouge corner. Norris suggested over the radio he was having issues with the battery providing his electric power. McLaren chief executive Zak Brown told broadcaster Sky Sports that there was "a small battery issue which we've got to look at."

Norris reduced Piastri's lead toward the end of the race but the Australian held on with worn tires and Norris couldn't get close enough to challenge. Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari after he kept Red Bull's Max Verstappen behind him all race.

‘Oscar Piastri had to wait, and wait some more’;

https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2025/...orts-prosports

[Fortitude]

Verstappen over his silence Christian Horner's Red Bull axing.
"I think since Bahrain last year, I've almost considered Jos as the team principal of Red Bull," Brundle, a former F1 driver, said on Sky Sports.
July 28, 2025
Alyssa Bone
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Jos Verstappen's silence over the departure of Red Bull boss Christian Horner was questioned by Nico Rosberg in a tense exchange on the grid during the broadcast of the Belgian Grand Prix. Verstappen has remained quiet since Horner's departure was confirmed, but Formula 1 champion Rosberg was not going to let him continue to stay quiet.

"They decided to change so I'm fine with everything as long as it works," Verstappen said when asked about the changes at Red Bull by Martin Brundle on Sky Sports.
"Last year you said Horner needs to go," Rosberg interjected.

Verstappen replied: "That was one-and-a-half years ago, it is different. I have nothing to say. It's fine."
"Now you are quiet," Rosberg added.
"I'm always quiet," Verstappen smiled.

“Almost considered Jos as the team principal of Red Bull”;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motors...28-p5mic6.html


Nico Rosberg Goes Viral For Comment to Max Verstappen's Dad About Christian Horner Sacking
July 28, 2025
Joshua Waite
Give Me Sport

Jos Verstappen vs Nico Rosberg on Martin Brundle's Grid Walk. It got a bit awkward between the two. Stopping to speak with Jos Verstappen, Brundle asked for his thoughts on Horner’s departure. “They decided to change. So I’m fine with everything,” Jos said.

At that moment, Nico Rosberg entered the exchange, bringing up previous criticism Jos had directed towards Horner. “Last year, you said Horner needed to go,” Rosberg interjected. “That was one-and-a-half years ago. It’s different. I have nothing to say. It’s fine,” Jos replied, keeping his response brief.

Rosberg pressed again, saying, “You’re quiet now?” “I’m always quiet,” Jos fired back, ending the exchange on an awkward note. The brief but tense moment captured the strained atmosphere surrounding Red Bull, with Jos Verstappen and Horner’s clashes already well documented over the past two seasons. It also comes at a time when rumours persist of Mercedes being keen on Verstappen, with Toto Wolff reportedly monitoring the situation closely.

‘Jos Verstappen vs Nico Rosberg’;

https://www.givemesport.com/nico-ros...g-red-bull-f1/


'Now you're quiet, Jos Verstappen?' Up, Down in Belgium
July 28th 2025
James Elson
Motor Sport Magazine

The 2025 Belgian GP signified a new status quo being established at the Red Bull F1 team – and it has a distinctly Dutch flavour. So it really is over, the deed is done. As one of the most successful, entertaining – and controversial – team bosses is ejected for being too much, well, of himself, so Red Bull enters its LinkedIn era. It’s all clean press statements, corporate suits and that skin-crawling “it’s all about the can” mission statement from here.

Apparently Red Bull has decided it doesn’t like the fact that everyone who isn’t Dutch or Austrian sees it as the villain, following years of playing the villain. Milton Keynes (the team, not the place, but maybe also the place) used to revel in that – now it doesn’t. Red Bull has the best driver in the world currently. If it loses him, like Ferrari with Prost in ’91, and McLaren with Senna two years later, it will be truly stuffed – and spend whole seasons on end in the doldrums.

'Now you're quiet, Jos Verstappen?';

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../?nowprocket=1


Jos Verstappen squirms after being hit with awkward Christian Horner question as father of Red Bull star Max is grilled on rift with ex-team boss following his Formula One sacking
28 July 2025
YASEEN ZAMAN
MailOnline

Jos Verstappen was left squirming on live television as former world champion Nico Rosberg confronted him with his past comments about Christian Horner. Horner was dismissed as team principal and CEO of Red Bull earlier this month after 20 years with the team, having overseen their transformation from upstart on the grid to winner of six constructors' championships and eight drivers' championships.

Rosberg then reminded Jos of his public call last year for Horner to step down. The former Mercedes driver said: 'Last year, you said: "Horner needs to go because he's going to destroy the team".' Jos tried to brush it off, replying: 'That was a year ago. It's different. I have nothing to say. It's fine.' But Rosberg pressed again, 'Now you're quiet? You're quiet now?' to which Jos responded: 'I’m always quiet.'

‘Jos Verstappen was left squirming on live television’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rmula-One.html


Jos Verstappen REACTS to Red Bull sacking Christian Horner | Martin's Belgian GP grid walk
Jul 27, 2025
Sky Sports F1

Max Verstappen's dad, Jos Verstappen, reacts to Christian Horner's sacking from Red Bull during Martin Brundle's gridwalk at Spa.

@davidgb291: These two together on the grid walk are GOLD! Rosberg savaging Jos like that was brilliant!! The man has a point as well calling him out for being quiet now.

@Chalky: Red Bull won't want Max to leave the team, but i guarantee they'll have a party when they get rid of Jos.

@ServiceProcess: Jos stirred it up, sh@t on Horner, and now Horner is sacked he's got nothing to say. Despicable. Nico does a very good grid walk, asks what needs to be asked and doesn't give a toss if it's sensitive or not !!!!!. Go Bottas.

@scotthughes9057: Jos a coward now doesn’t want to talk but was very loud before he got what he wanted !! His and helmet have destroyed redbull next year will be middle field at best

@robertbills4290: Well said Nico to Jos about his past comments. He didn't look very comfortable with your Question. Well asked

@JamesC1981: And look at that Jos cant even be honest when confronted about what role he had in Horner's sacking

@intheknow129: Based on that, I assume Nico And Martin do not like Jos.

‘Rosberg savaging Jos’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQi-OKakMNU

ADDITIONAL ARTICLE SUBMITTED IN THE EDIT;

Martin Brundle: "Almost considered Jos Verstappen as team principal of Red Bull".
… the lead driver’s team had effectively assumed control after a spate of issues
27 Jul 2025
Alex Harrington
Motorsport.com

Speaking on Sky Sports F1 broadcast with 2016 F1 champion Nico Rosberg, Brundle painted a picture of a squad where the lead driver’s team had effectively assumed control after a spate of issues.

“One year ago, the Verstappen camp, Max Verstappen’s dad, said Horner has to go now. He’s destroying this team. Do you think that played a role now? Verstappen said to Red Bull, either Horner goes, or we go to Mercedes.” Rosberg asked Brundle.

Brundle was quick to answer, admitting that he had already assumed that the Verstappen camp had taken control. “Absolutely, I think since Bahrain last year, I’ve almost considered Jos as the team principal of Red Bull. It’s become a one-driver team, and I think that’s something they’ve got to fix.”

“There’s no way the hierarchy in Austria would have done… the Verstappens would have bought into this, they wouldn’t have been blindsides, so there’s no way Max will now be leaving the team because of that. They would have ensured that before they made that move with Christian.”

‘Jos Verstappen as team principal of Red Bull’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...n-gp/10745832/

[Fortitude]

Brundle delivers blow to Norris: Can he recover?
Brundle thinks that in order to win the championship, “Lando will need absolutely all he's got, all the time, to win this.”
28 Jul 2025
Savannah Lenz
GPblog.com

Martin Brundle saw Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris battle it out during the Belgian Grand Prix. Afterwards, he shared his opinion on how the two McLarens fared on Sky Sports. At the beginning of the season, many people believed that 2025 was Norris's year to win. After last year's battle with Verstappen and the improving McLaren, that seemed plausible. However, his teammate swept in and now has the lead.

Brundle thinks that in order to win the championship, “Lando will need absolutely all he's got, all the time, to win this. We've very often seen two championship combatants find an overdrive and move to a scarcely believable level of delivery; it will be interesting to see if that happens over the next three Sprints and 10 GPs.”

Belgian Grand Prix: After the safety car released the drivers, Norris failed to keep his lead on the first lap without it. Piastri was able to quickly pass his teammate and keep the lead. When it came time to make their pit stops, Norris put on hard tyres compared to Piastri’s mediums. Brundle describes this move as ‘clever’. “Lando threw caution to the wind; he had nothing to lose. Continuing, he said, “I've felt the same way all year, when all the stars align, I believe Lando is marginally the faster, but Oscar is more consistent, makes fewer errors, and is more clinical in combat.”

‘Can he recover?’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/brund...ionship-battle


Lando Norris: You are the biggest loser of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix
28 Jul 2025
SCOTT GULBRANSEN
sportsnaut.com

The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps delivered a thrilling and consequential race, marked by a significant shift in the championship standings and numerous strategic gambles. After an 80-minute rain delay and a rolling start behind the safety car, the action unfolded with impressive overtakes and costly errors. Let’s break down who came out on top and who left feeling disappointed.

Biggest Loser of Belgian Grand Prix: Lando Norris | McLaren
Lando Norris had a frustrating day at Spa, converting a convincing pole position into a mere second-place finish. He admitted that Piastri “did a good job” and deserved the win. Despite Norris’s reputation for strong performances in wet conditions, Piastri’s excellent run from the start allowed him to seize the lead early on. Norris overcompensated for having to wring lap time out of the slower hard tires, leading to three mistakes totaling over four seconds in the second half of the race. Being second on the road also forced him to do an extra lap before pitting, which cost him over six seconds. Ultimately, finishing second is a loss, and it significantly widened the points gap to his teammate Piastri.

‘Biggest loser’;

https://sportsnaut.com/f1/lando-norr...an-grand-prix/


Norris claims it was "painful" for him to box later than Piastri
28 Jul 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Asked to comment why he boxed a lap later than Piastri, opting against double stacking, Norris conceded that he might have needed to pit earlier given the fact that the track dried up so quickly. "I need to ask the team. It's tough because you're going to lose quite a good chunk of time doing that as well. Considering the slick tyre was so much better by that point… like Oscar said, it was a late call for us to box on that lap.”

"I think if we review it, we probably would have kicked ourselves a little bit for staying out as long as we did. I think there was enough evidence that we should have boxed early, but no one boxed that early. It was just Lewis that boxed one lap earlier than us. It was just more painful for me that Oscar got the good lap. I had to go one lap longer. That's life," concluded Norris.

‘It was painful: “That's life"’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/27470


Revealed: The mistakes that cost Lando Norris victory in Belgium
27 Jul 2025
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com

After a delayed race start in Belgium, Oscar Piastri made a bold and decisive move on the opening lap of green flag running — a move that would ultimately seal his victory and further extend his lead in the championship standings. But could Lando Norris have done anything differently to challenge his team-mate? How much did his mistakes cost him? And was the decision to go with the hard compound tyres the right one? With the help of telemetry data, we break it all down.

Knowing that the race start was likely his best — perhaps only — chance to snatch the lead, Piastri launched a fearless attack. With a great exit from Turn 1 (La Source), he was already in Norris’s diffuser. He stuck with him through Eau Rouge and Raidillon, and by the time they reached the Kemmel Straight, he was side-by-side. Telemetry shows a noticeable speed advantage for Piastri due to the slipstream effect, reducing drag and allowing him to complete the pass before Les Combes.

Before the stops, the gap between the two McLarens was just under 2 seconds. After the stops, Norris found himself 9 seconds behind, due in part to a slow pit stop caused by a problem on the front-left wheel change, which likely cost him an extra 1 to 1.5 seconds. … he made several costly errors. The first came on Lap 26, where he lost rear grip in Sector 2 and had to run wide off the circuit at Pouhon — a mistake that cost him about 1.5 seconds. The second error came on Lap 34: a lock-up into La Source cost around 0.6 seconds, but besides this, his entire second sector on that lap was poor, resulting in a total lap time deficit of over one second.

‘With the help of telemetry data, we break it all down’;

https://www.planetf1.com/home-page/r...ory-in-belgium


Would another strategy have improved Norris’s chances of winning? Belgian GP data
2025 Belgian Grand Prix interactive data
27th July 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lando Norris’s hopes of winning the Belgian Grand Prix suffered a blow when he lost the lead to his team mate moments after the race started. But could he have played a stronger hand tactically in his efforts to get back on terms with his team mate? Norris likely lost far more time doing another lap on his worn intermediates on the drying track than he would have by following Piastri in. Piastri was 2.4 seconds faster through the middle sector alone on his first lap out of the pits as Norris headed in.

Norris lost a little more time than Piastri making his pit stop due to a slow front-left tyre change. However his total pit stop time was only half a second slower. The gap between them ballooned from 1.9 seconds to 9.1 seconds through Norris’s pit stop, so Norris would surely have lost much less time by ‘stacking’ behind his team mate in the pits. That time loss was probably amplified by the fact Norris took the hard tyres while Piastri, like everyone else, opted for mediums. This gave Norris a chance to close on Piastri as the mediums degraded late in the race. Sure enough, he got within three seconds of the leader before making a mistake at La Source on the penultimate lap.

Had Norris followed Piastri into the pits and taken a set of hards, he would likely have lost less time and been in a better place to attack him. However the mistakes Norris made during his pursuit of Piastri also cost him, as the graphs below make clear on laps 26, 34 and 43. Of course, Norris could have been in an even better position had he pitted on the same lap as Hamilton, i.e. before any other driver and one lap before his team mate. Whether McLaren would have allowed Norris to ‘undercut’ Piastri in this way is another matter – in dry conditions it would normally be out of the question.

‘Belgian GP data’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/07/27/...lgian-gp-data/


Andrea Stella thinks Lando Norris made one critical error before losing the lead of the Belgian Grand Prix
29 July 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Andrea Stella thinks Lando Norris’ critical Belgian Grand Prix error came at the restart. Sector one is a slipstream haven, and cars starting at the very front always struggle to hold their leads beyond the end of lap one. Despite his efforts and receiving a small advantage of having to deal with a rolling start in the wet, rather than a standing one, Norris was still powerless to defend himself.

According to McLaren boss Andrea Stella, Norris’ main error came when not building enough of a gap when the safety car came in to mark the start of the race. “It would have always been very difficult for Lando to keep the position starting first at the safety car restart,” he told BBC Sport. “At the same time, I think Lando didn’t help himself by not having a great gap on the finish line.”

‘Andrea Stella thinks Lando Norris’ critical Belgian Grand Prix error came at the restart’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/and...an-grand-prix/