Oscar Piastri rewrites record books with historic qualifying lap
The 24-year-old Australian, who leads the drivers' championship by eight points ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris, clocked a fastest lap in 1min 40.510sec to seize the prime starting position.
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His record-setting lap blew the previous record out of the water, knocking off Lewis Hamilton's time from 2020 by more than seven tenths.
Norris, like the rest of the field, was left helpless as the Aussie scorched his way around the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Watch the record-setting moment in the video player above
'That was a good lap!' said Piastri.
'I had a scare in SQ2 with the deletion of my lap, but the car has been mega all day I feel like I've been able to put in a lot of good laps.
'Thanks to the team, the car's been great and this is a track I love. It's my favourite one of the year and, I don't know, maybe that gave me a couple of extra tenths! It's always good fun around here, when the car's handling as well as it is today it's a pleasure.'
Piastri was asked why he appeared to carry so much confidence around the circuit with the Aussie stating it was all down to the track being one of his favourites on the calendar.
'I don't know. The car has been in a good window from Lap 1, and again it's a track I always enjoy coming to and, yeah, I don't know why,' he said.
'I think I had good confidence, I feel like the last few weekends have been good from a pace perspective but not so much from a results perspective, so it's nice to get a result today.
'The pace in the car is really strong. I've felt good today so hopefully we can have a good race tomorrow.'
The history-making display from the Aussie left those watching on with their jaws on the floor.
Formula 1 God wrote on X: 'OH. MY. WORD. Oscar Piastri's sprint pole position laptime is OVER SEVEN TENTHS FASTER than the previous lap record … set by Lewis Hamilton in the MERCEDES W11.'
The F1 Republic wrote: 'An unstoppable lap from the Aussie secured Sprint Pole ahead of Verstappen and Norris.'
P1's Matt Gallagher wrote: 'Oscar Piastri that is a PHENOMENAL lap... nearly half a second clear!!!'
Another wrote: 'That piastri lap…. standing up and applauding that's my driver.'
Piastri's success helped him erase his disappointment at the British Grand Prix where he was handed a 10-second penalty and felt he missed out on a victory as Norris won to trim his lead in the title race.
Verstappen, in his first race weekend since the exit of team boss Christian Horner, said he was satisfied with P2.
'To be there between the two of them is a good result for us,' he said.
'And I enjoyed it out there and the lap was good. The gap is big, so we have to focus on ourselves and the balance of the car.'
Belgian Grand Prix Sprint grid
Front row: Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen
Second row: Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc
Third row: Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz
Fourth row: Oliver Bearman, Pierre Gasly
Fifth row: Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto
Sixth row: Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda
Seventh row: George Russell, Fernando Alonso
Eighth row: Lance Stroll, Alexander Albon
Ninth row: Nico Hulkenberg, Lewis Hamilton
Tenth row: Franco Colapinto, Kimi Antonelli
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The Age
4 hours ago
- The Age
‘It's Piastri v Norris' for the F1 title – and the Australian just pulled further ahead
Go to latest Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix and cements championship lead By Hannah Kennelly Australian Oscar Piastri has won the Belgian Grand Prix and furthered his championship lead, while his teammate Lando Norris had to settle for second during a rain-interrupted race at Spa. Spa-Francorchamps is the longest track on the F1 calendar and Sunday's drenched conditions made the sweeping turns and sharp chicanes even trickier. Poor weather and visibility triggered a red flag and a delayed start with grandstands of poncho-clad spectators waiting for nearly 80 minutes. Piastri started second on the grid but quickly capitalised on Norris' uncertainty and battery trouble, using the slipstream to swoop on the outside of turn 5 of the opening lap. It was a move the Briton never quite recovered from. Norris began the nail-biting hunt and fiercely pursued his teammate, but the calm and collected Australian was untouchable. Two different tyre strategies for the McLaren-duo meant Piastri had to nurse his medium-compound tyres for more than 30 laps, while Norris tried to catch him on hard tyres. Piastri voiced his concerns around tyre degradation, telling his engineer: 'I think it will be tough to get to the end.' Despite narrowing the gap to 3.414 seconds on the final lap, Norris made several blunders during the race and was never able to catch his teammate. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc completed the podium with Red Bull's Verstappen finishing in fourth – his first race without recently dismissed team principal Christian Horner. Fellow Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton had an impressive race, finishing in seventh after starting in 18th place. The seven-time world champion carved his way through the field and managed to overtake three cars in one lap. Piastri was all smiles in the post-race interview and said he was very proud of his opening lap. 'I knew lap one was going to be my best chance of winning the race,' he said during the post-race interview. 'I got a good exit out of turn one, lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge. The rest of the race we managed really well.' A gracious Norris said it was a well-deserved result for Piastri and McLaren. 'Oscar just did a good job, nothing more to say,' he said. '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.' Piastri's victory in Belgium brings his grand prix tally to eight – the same number as former Red Bull and McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo. Piastri now leads Norris by 16 points with 11 races to go in a rivalry that will likely last until December. Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle summarised the rest of the season succinctly, saying 'This race confirms, it's Piastri versus Norris for the world championship.' The next race will be the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 3. Latest posts 2.43am Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix and cements championship lead By Hannah Kennelly Australian Oscar Piastri has won the Belgian Grand Prix and furthered his championship lead, while his teammate Lando Norris had to settle for second during a rain-interrupted race at Spa. Spa-Francorchamps is the longest track on the F1 calendar and Sunday's drenched conditions made the sweeping turns and sharp chicanes even trickier. Poor weather and visibility triggered a red flag and a delayed start with grandstands of poncho-clad spectators waiting for nearly 80 minutes. Piastri started second on the grid but quickly capitalised on Norris' uncertainty and battery trouble, using the slipstream to swoop on the outside of turn 5 of the opening lap. It was a move the Briton never quite recovered from. Norris began the nail-biting hunt and fiercely pursued his teammate, but the calm and collected Australian was untouchable. Two different tyre strategies for the McLaren-duo meant Piastri had to nurse his medium-compound tyres for more than 30 laps, while Norris tried to catch him on hard tyres. Piastri voiced his concerns around tyre degradation, telling his engineer: 'I think it will be tough to get to the end.' Despite narrowing the gap to 3.414 seconds on the final lap, Norris made several blunders during the race and was never able to catch his teammate. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc completed the podium with Red Bull's Verstappen finishing in fourth – his first race without recently dismissed team principal Christian Horner. Fellow Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton had an impressive race, finishing in seventh after starting in 18th place. The seven-time world champion carved his way through the field and managed to overtake three cars in one lap. Piastri was all smiles in the post-race interview and said he was very proud of his opening lap. 'I knew lap one was going to be my best chance of winning the race,' he said during the post-race interview. 'I got a good exit out of turn one, lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge. The rest of the race we managed really well.' A gracious Norris said it was a well-deserved result for Piastri and McLaren. 'Oscar just did a good job, nothing more to say,' he said. '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.' Piastri's victory in Belgium brings his grand prix tally to eight – the same number as former Red Bull and McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo. Piastri now leads Norris by 16 points with 11 races to go in a rivalry that will likely last until December. Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle summarised the rest of the season succinctly, saying 'This race confirms, it's Piastri versus Norris for the world championship.' The next race will be the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 3.
Man of Many
4 hours ago
- Man of Many
Where Oscar Piastri Ranks Amongst Australia's Greatest F1 Drivers
With a win at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Oscar Piastri tied Daniel Ricciardo with eight Formula 1 race wins. Now, the 24-year-old has his sights on his manager Mark Webber's total of nine and, more importantly, winning his first Formula One World Championship. While he still has some achievements to lock in before he challenges Australian F1 greats like Alan Jones and Sir Jack Brabham for the top of the all-time drivers rankings, Oscar Piastri is on track to become the first Australian Formula One World Champion since Alan Jones in 1980. Should he achieve this, his name will go down in history with the greats of Australian motor racing, but some would argue he's already in that conversation. Today, we're taking a retrospective look at the achievements of the greatest Australian F1 drivers. If you want to see how Oscar Piastri compares to the greats in wins, podiums, and points in his short but successful career, read on. Jack Brabham pushing his car across the line to win 1959 Formula One World Championship | Image: Supplied Has There Ever Been an Australian F1 World Champion? Year Champion Points* Wins Podiums 1959 Jack Brabham 31 2 5 1960 Jack Brabham 43 5 5 1966 Jack Brabham 42 4 5 1980 Alan Jones 67 5 10 Scroll horizontally to view full table * FIA championship points credited after the season's drop‑score rules were applied. The first Australian F1 driver to win the Formula One World Championship was Sir Jack Brabham. His first of three titles arrived in 1959 when he won the US Grand Prix at Sebring International Raceway on 12 December 1959 by pushing his rear-engined Cooper T51 across the line. He would then back up his efforts a year later by winning the 1960 title behind the wheel of the Cooper T53, which would also secure the Cooper team a constructors' title. Six years later, he won the 1966 championship behind the wheel of his own Brabham BT19 and BT20, powered by a 3.0-litre Repco 620 3.0 V8. Notably, only the best five results from the nine- and ten-race 1959, 1960, and 1966 seasons counted towards the championship. Still, this was no small achievement as Brabham was racing against names like Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, John Surtees, and Jackie Stewart. The last Australian to win a Formula One World Championship was Alan Jones, who took home the 1980 title behind the wheel of a Williams-Ford FW07 and FW07B. He would beat out names like Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, and Mario Andretti during the 14-race season, winning five races and scoring five fastest laps. Jones would put up a strong fight in the 1981 season, finishing third in the title race, but with Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, and Nigel Mansell on the up and up, and Carlos Reutemann in peak form, it was going to be tough to mirror the success of the 1980 season. Neither Daniel Ricciardo nor Mark Webber won a Formula One World Championship, but Webber managed to finish third in the championship in the 2010, 2011 and 2013 seasons. Ricciardo managed the same in the 2014 and 2016 seasons. Sir Jack Brabham has the most wins with 14 | Image: Supplied Which Australian F1 Driver Has the Most Race Wins? Driver Total wins First victory Win span Sir Jack Brabham 14 1959 Monaco GP 1959‑1970 Alan Jones 12 1977 Austrian GP 1977‑1981 Mark Webber 9 2009 German GP (Nürburgring) 2009‑2012 Daniel Ricciardo 8 2014 Canadian GP 2014‑2021 Oscar Piastri 8 2024 Hungarian GP 2024‑2025 Scroll horizontally to view full table Oscar Piastri is on track to secure his first Formula One World Championship in 2025, but he's still a ways behind Sir Jack Brabham for outright titles. That said, Oscar has a very good chance of catching Sir Jack for total race wins in the not-so-distant future. Most recently, he tied Daniel Ricciardo with eight race wins after a first-place victory at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. His manager, Mark Webber, is next on the list with nine wins before Alan Jones on 12, and finally, Sir Jack Brabham with 14. Mark Webber has the most podiums with 42 | Image: Supplied Who Has the Most Podiums? Driver Career podiums First podium Most‑recent podium Podium span Sir Jack Brabham 31 1959 Monaco GP (P1) 1970 British GP (P2) 1959 – 1970 Alan Jones 24 1977 Austrian GP (P1) 1981 Caesars Palace GP (P1) 1977 – 1981 Mark Webber 42 2005 Monaco GP (P3) 2013 Brazilian GP (P2) 2005 – 2013 Daniel Ricciardo 32 2014 Spanish GP (P3) 2021 Italian GP (P1) 2014 – 2021 Oscar Piastri 21 2023 Japanese GP (P3) 2025 Belgian GP (P1) 2023 – 2025 Tim Schenken 1 1971 Austrian GP (P3) 1971 Austrian GP (P3) 1971 Scroll horizontally to view full table We dislike intergenerational comparisons as much as the next person, but podiums are the toughest to make because of the number of races in a season. The 1959 F1 season had a total of nine races, while the 2025 F1 season has a total of 24 Grands Prix (six of which include an F1 Sprint race). There are more chances to land a spot on the podium, but we don't want to take away from just how hard it is for someone like Daniel Ricciardo, Mark Webber, and Oscar Piastri to get a bottle of Champagne in their hands. With 24 races per F1 season today, Oscar Piastri could easily catch his manager, Mark Webber, within the next two seasons if he continues to win at a high level. Oscar Piastri wins the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix | Image: Supplied Where Does Oscar Piastri Sit Amongst the All-Time Greats? With 21 podiums, eight GP wins, and a real chance at the first Formula One World Championship for an Australian F1 driver in more than 40 years, Oscar Piastri could catch Mark Webber and 1980 F1 Champion Alan Jones quickly to become one of the greatest Australian F1 drivers of all time. If he manages to hold out teammate Lando Norris and win the 2025 World Championship, Piastri would eclipse Jones in the rankings, but where he ranks against Sir Jack Brabham and his pre-ground-effects titles is up for debate. It will be an accomplishment worth celebrating when he catches his manager, Mark Webber, for podiums and wins. However, Piastri likely has more in the tank than a few wins. Still early in his career, he has the potential for more than a few Formula One World Championships if his car, skill, and a little luck can continue to perform at a high level.
The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Piastri 'deserved' Belgian Grand Prix victory: Norris
Oscar Piastri has been hailed by title rival Lando Norris after taking a major step towards a first world championship title by defying wet conditions to win a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix. Heading home McLaren teammate Norris, who had started on pole, means Australian driver Piastri's lead has jumped from nine to 16 points. It also halted his English rival's gathering momentum - Norris had won the previous two races to slash Piastri's overall lead to single figures. 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. Norris reduced Piastri's lead toward the end of the race but the Australian held on with worn tires with his teammate unable to get close enough to challenge. "I knew Lap 1 (after the safety car) would probably be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn 1, lifted as little as I dared and yeah, we had it mostly under control," Piastri said after his eighth Formula One career win and sixth of this season. Piastri had been disappointed to qualify second for the race behind Norris, but it "turns out starting second at Spa is not so bad after all," he said. The world title initiative has suddenly swung back to Piastri, who heads to Hungary for next Sunday's grand prix having won his first race in Budapest last season. Norris added: "I'll review my things but still happy for the team, another 1-2 and our first 1-2 here for many, many years." The race had been red-flagged after an initial formation lap due to standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility. That resulted in a delay of an hour and 20 minutes as officials waited for conditions at the notoriously weather-prone circuit to improve. Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as dominant champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row. Titleholder Max Verstappen, in his first full race under a new Red Bull chief following the departure of Christian Horner, finished fourth. George Russell, of Mercedes, who crossed the line first in Spa last year but was disqualified due to his car being underweight, was fifth this time and Williams' Alex Albon came home sixth. With agencies Oscar Piastri has been hailed by title rival Lando Norris after taking a major step towards a first world championship title by defying wet conditions to win a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix. Heading home McLaren teammate Norris, who had started on pole, means Australian driver Piastri's lead has jumped from nine to 16 points. It also halted his English rival's gathering momentum - Norris had won the previous two races to slash Piastri's overall lead to single figures. 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. Norris reduced Piastri's lead toward the end of the race but the Australian held on with worn tires with his teammate unable to get close enough to challenge. "I knew Lap 1 (after the safety car) would probably be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn 1, lifted as little as I dared and yeah, we had it mostly under control," Piastri said after his eighth Formula One career win and sixth of this season. Piastri had been disappointed to qualify second for the race behind Norris, but it "turns out starting second at Spa is not so bad after all," he said. The world title initiative has suddenly swung back to Piastri, who heads to Hungary for next Sunday's grand prix having won his first race in Budapest last season. Norris added: "I'll review my things but still happy for the team, another 1-2 and our first 1-2 here for many, many years." The race had been red-flagged after an initial formation lap due to standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility. That resulted in a delay of an hour and 20 minutes as officials waited for conditions at the notoriously weather-prone circuit to improve. Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as dominant champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row. Titleholder Max Verstappen, in his first full race under a new Red Bull chief following the departure of Christian Horner, finished fourth. George Russell, of Mercedes, who crossed the line first in Spa last year but was disqualified due to his car being underweight, was fifth this time and Williams' Alex Albon came home sixth. With agencies Oscar Piastri has been hailed by title rival Lando Norris after taking a major step towards a first world championship title by defying wet conditions to win a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix. Heading home McLaren teammate Norris, who had started on pole, means Australian driver Piastri's lead has jumped from nine to 16 points. It also halted his English rival's gathering momentum - Norris had won the previous two races to slash Piastri's overall lead to single figures. 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. Norris reduced Piastri's lead toward the end of the race but the Australian held on with worn tires with his teammate unable to get close enough to challenge. "I knew Lap 1 (after the safety car) would probably be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn 1, lifted as little as I dared and yeah, we had it mostly under control," Piastri said after his eighth Formula One career win and sixth of this season. Piastri had been disappointed to qualify second for the race behind Norris, but it "turns out starting second at Spa is not so bad after all," he said. The world title initiative has suddenly swung back to Piastri, who heads to Hungary for next Sunday's grand prix having won his first race in Budapest last season. Norris added: "I'll review my things but still happy for the team, another 1-2 and our first 1-2 here for many, many years." The race had been red-flagged after an initial formation lap due to standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility. That resulted in a delay of an hour and 20 minutes as officials waited for conditions at the notoriously weather-prone circuit to improve. Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as dominant champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row. Titleholder Max Verstappen, in his first full race under a new Red Bull chief following the departure of Christian Horner, finished fourth. George Russell, of Mercedes, who crossed the line first in Spa last year but was disqualified due to his car being underweight, was fifth this time and Williams' Alex Albon came home sixth. With agencies Oscar Piastri has been hailed by title rival Lando Norris after taking a major step towards a first world championship title by defying wet conditions to win a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix. Heading home McLaren teammate Norris, who had started on pole, means Australian driver Piastri's lead has jumped from nine to 16 points. It also halted his English rival's gathering momentum - Norris had won the previous two races to slash Piastri's overall lead to single figures. 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. Norris reduced Piastri's lead toward the end of the race but the Australian held on with worn tires with his teammate unable to get close enough to challenge. "I knew Lap 1 (after the safety car) would probably be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn 1, lifted as little as I dared and yeah, we had it mostly under control," Piastri said after his eighth Formula One career win and sixth of this season. Piastri had been disappointed to qualify second for the race behind Norris, but it "turns out starting second at Spa is not so bad after all," he said. The world title initiative has suddenly swung back to Piastri, who heads to Hungary for next Sunday's grand prix having won his first race in Budapest last season. Norris added: "I'll review my things but still happy for the team, another 1-2 and our first 1-2 here for many, many years." The race had been red-flagged after an initial formation lap due to standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility. That resulted in a delay of an hour and 20 minutes as officials waited for conditions at the notoriously weather-prone circuit to improve. Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as dominant champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row. Titleholder Max Verstappen, in his first full race under a new Red Bull chief following the departure of Christian Horner, finished fourth. George Russell, of Mercedes, who crossed the line first in Spa last year but was disqualified due to his car being underweight, was fifth this time and Williams' Alex Albon came home sixth. With agencies
