Oscar Piastri Triumphs at Rain‑Affected 2025 Belgian Grand Prix to Extend Championship Lead.

Sports

On 27 July 2025, Formula 1 returned to the legendary Circuit de Spa‑Francorchamps in Belgium for the 13th round of the 2025 World Championship. Australian ace Oscar Piastri, driving for McLaren‑Mercedes, held off his teammate Lando Norris amid heavy rain conditions to secure a commanding victory, further boosting his title aspiration.


      - The race weekend began under torrential rain that delayed the start by over 80 minutes and required several laps behind the Safety Car. When racing finally commenced, Piastri made a decisive early move through Eau Rouge and down the Kemmel Straight, overtaking Norris and then maintaining control over the remaining 44 laps despite switching from intermediates to slick tyres.

      - This win marked Piastri’s sixth victory in 13 races in the 2025 season and represented McLaren’s sixth one–two finish of the year, with Norris following closely in second. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took the final podium spot, while Max Verstappen in the Red Bull drew his team home in fourth place.

      - Piastri’s dominant performance also transformed the championship standings: he now leads the drivers' table with 266 points, ahead of teammate Norris with 250. McLaren’s constructors’ tally rose to 516 points, more than double that of second-placed Ferrari (248), solidifying their lead.

Main Point :-   (i) Earlier in the weekend, Piastri had impressed in practice and sprint qualifying by setting fastest lap time of 1:42.022 in the sole free practice, followed by a record-breaking 1:40.510 for sprint pole position at Spa-Francorchamps. Although he lost the Sprint race to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Piastri’s Spa success highlighted his crash-proof consistency and composure across varied conditions.

      (ii) Spa’s unpredictable weather and newly resurfaced track corners were widely regarded as wildcard factors this weekend, yet Piastri remained unflappable. His victory was also McLaren’s first Belgian Grand Prix win since Jenson Button in 2012, signifying a key milestone in the team’s resurgence under a new era of performance.


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