Oscar Piastri took a decisive lead from his McLaren teammate Lando Norris on the very first racing lap of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, a move that would ultimately secure his victory. The race had been delayed for over an hour due to heavy rain, starting behind the safety car on a wet track. When racing began on lap five, Piastri executed a brave and perfectly timed overtake through the famous Eau Rouge corner and down the Kemmel Straight before the braking zone at Les Combes.
Starting second on the grid behind Norris, Piastri used a strong exit from Turn One and the slipstream effectively. The overtake was clean and early in the lap, showing great composure and confidence, especially given the tricky wet-dry conditions. This move gave him critical pit stop priority and control of the race. Despite Norris running a strategy on harder, more durable tires that might have offered an advantage later, Piastri managed his medium compound tires with remarkable skill to maintain his lead through the evolving track conditions.
Norris admitted he struggled slightly with the restart and made minor errors that cost him time, such as locking up at La Source and running wide at Pouhon. These mistakes ultimately prevented him from mounting a strong challenge to retake the lead, despite pushing hard in the closing stages and closing the gap to about 3.4 seconds. Norris graciously acknowledged Piastri’s superior racecraft and commitment, conceding that the Australian “did a better job” on the day.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella praised both drivers for their high-quality performances, noting that the championship battle between them is intensely close and will be decided by fine margins of precision and execution. Piastri’s win in Belgium marked his sixth victory of the season and extended his championship lead to 16 points over Norris.
Jolyon Palmer’s analysis for F1 TV highlighted Piastri’s perfect pass as a display of calm and calculated aggression, crucial in a race impacted heavily by weather and tire management. The move through Eau Rouge was daring, but executed with supreme control, which set the tone for Piastri’s dominant drive to victory.
For fans and followers, the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps showcased not just raw speed but strategic mastery and mental toughness between two of McLaren’s brightest talents, with Piastri’s early overtake proving the difference on a challenging race day.
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