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Dubai Eye
4 days ago
- Sport
- Dubai Eye
Piastri beats Norris in rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri passed McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris with a bold early move to win the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix and extend his Formula One lead to 16 points. Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as reigning champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row. The race at Spa-Francorchamps was red-flagged after an initial formation lap and delayed by an hour and 20 minutes due to the weather, with standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility. Piastri was in no mood for hanging around when the racing got going with a rolling start after four laps behind the safety car to check conditions. The Australian slipstreamed Norris through the daunting Eau Rouge and then scythed past down the Kemmel straight into Les Combes in a move of total commitment in the treacherous conditions. "I knew lap one would be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn One, lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge," he said. "The rest of the race we managed really well. I struggled at the end. Maybe the mediums were not the best for the last five or six laps. We had it mostly under control." The win was his sixth of the season, making the 24-year-old the first Australian - on a list that includes past world champions Jack Brabham and Alan Jones - to triumph so many times in a single campaign. Norris had a slight battery issue, the Briton asking over the radio why he had "no pack" before his race engineer assured him it was coming back, but he was not looking for any excuses afterwards. "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," he said. "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 now has 266 points to Norris' 250. Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen is third but 81 points off the lead and the championship more than ever a two-horse race with Hungary up next weekend before the August break. McLaren lead the constructors' standings with 516 points to Ferrari's 248 while Mercedes fell further behind their Italian rivals on 220. Piastri pitted on lap 12 of 44 to switch from intermediates to medium tyres on a drying track and Norris followed a lap later, but opting for the hards and rejoining nine seconds behind. The Briton might have hoped Piastri would have to pit again but the Australian made the tyres last to the chequered flag on a one-stop strategy. Piastri crossed the line 3.415 seconds clear of Norris, who had been chasing a third win in a row and managed to reduce the gap in the final laps before late mistakes left the ever-calm Australian under no pressure. Saturday sprint winner Verstappen finished fourth in his team's first grand prix since the dismissal of team boss Christian Horner with George Russell fifth for Mercedes. Williams' Alex Albon held off Ferrari's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton - last year's winner with Mercedes - to secure sixth. Hamilton had been one of four drivers due to start from the pit lane but given a big boost by the switch to a rolling getaway and a fresh engine installed overnight. The Briton was also the first to make the decision to switch to slicks and pit, gaining six places. Liam Lawson was eighth for Racing Bulls with Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly securing the final point for Alpine.
Gulf Insider
4 days ago
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
Piastri Beats Norris in Rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri passed McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris with a bold early move to win the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix and extend his Formula One lead to 16 points on Sunday. Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as reigning champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row. The race at Spa-Francorchamps was red-flagged after an initial formation lap and delayed by an hour and 20 minutes due to the weather, with standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility. Piastri was not in a mood for hanging around when the racing got going with a rolling start after four laps behind the safety car. The Australian charged through the spray to slipstream Norris through the daunting Eau Rouge and scythed past on the uphill straight. 'I knew lap one would be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn One, lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge,' he said. 'The rest of the race we managed really well. I struggled at the end. Maybe the mediums were not the best for the last five or six laps. We had it mostly under control.' If Norris had a battery issue, the Briton asking over the radio why he had 'no pack' before his race engineer assured him it was coming back, he was not looking for any excuses afterwards. '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,' he said. '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 pitted on lap 12 of 44 to switch from intermediates to medium tyres and Norris followed a lap later, but opting for hards, before both then went to the chequered flag on a one-stop strategy. Piastri crossed the line 3.415 seconds clear of Norris, who had been chasing a third win in a row and managed to reduce the gap in the final laps with putting the ever-calm Australian under too much pressure. Reigning champion and Saturday sprint winner Max Verstappen finished fourth, in Red Bull's first grand prix since the dismissal of team boss Christian Horner, with George Russell fifth for Mercedes. Williams' Alex Albon held off Ferrari's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton to secure sixth. Liam Lawson was eighth for Racing Bulls with Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly securing the final point for Alpine. Also read: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025: Post Malone to Perform at Etihad Park for 17th Edition
India Today
4 days ago
- Automotive
- India Today
Watch: Oscar Piastri's heart-stopping move that won him Belgian Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri pulled off a bold early move on McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris to win a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, extending his Formula One championship lead to 16 Charles Leclerc finished a distant third as McLaren secured their sixth one-two finish of the season - and their third in a row - cementing their dominance in the 2025 race at Spa-Francorchamps was red-flagged after the formation lap and delayed by 1 hour and 20 minutes due to heavy rain, standing water, and poor visibility. Once racing resumed with a rolling start after four laps behind the safety car, Piastri wasted no time in taking control. The 24-year-old Australian showed fearless commitment, using the slipstream through the iconic Eau Rouge before sweeping past Norris on the Kemmel Straight into Les Combes - a move that defined the Piastri wastes no time in seizing control of this race ??#F1 #BelgianGP Formula 1 (@F1) July 27, 2025"I knew lap one would be my best chance to win," Piastri said. "I got a good exit out of Turn One and lifted as little as I dared through Eau Rouge. We managed the race well overall, although the mediums were a bit tricky in the last few laps. Still, we kept it mostly under control."Piastri's sixth victory of the season puts him in elite Australian company, surpassing former world champions Jack Brabham and Alan Jones for most wins in a single who reported a brief battery issue early on, acknowledged that Piastri simply outperformed him."Oscar just did a good job. He was more committed through Eau Rouge, got the slipstream, and made the move. Nothing to complain about - he deserved it today," Norris said.A Championship Battle Between TwoWith 266 points to Norris' 250, Piastri now leads the championship by 16 points. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, the reigning champion, sits third with 185 points - 81 behind the leader - making it increasingly clear that this season's title fight is a McLaren-only also lead the constructors' standings convincingly with 516 points, more than doubling Ferrari's 248. Mercedes, meanwhile, dropped further back on proved crucial in Belgium. Piastri pitted on Lap 12 to switch from intermediates to medium tyres as the track dried. Norris followed one lap later, opting for hard tyres, but rejoined the race nine seconds Norris hoped his teammate might need a second stop, Piastri made the mediums last in a well-managed one-stop strategy. Despite a late push from Norris, who was chasing a third consecutive win, Piastri held on to win by 3.415 seconds, never appearing flustered even as the gap briefly Rest of the GridadvertisementSaturday sprint winner Verstappen finished fourth in Red Bull's first race since the departure of team boss Christian Horner. Mercedes' George Russell took fifth, while Williams' Alex Albon impressively held off Lewis Hamilton to claim last year's Belgian GP winner, started from the pit lane after receiving a new engine overnight. He capitalized on the rolling start and was the first to switch to slicks, gaining six Lawson finished eighth for Racing Bulls, followed by Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine), who rounded out the top ten with a valuable One now heads to Hungary next weekend, the final race before the August summer break. With momentum clearly on his side, Piastri will look to tighten his grip on the championship heading into the second half of the season.- EndsMust Watch
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First Post
4 days ago
- Automotive
- First Post
Oscar Piastri wins rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix, extends Drivers' Championship lead over McLaren teammate Lando Norris
Oscar Piastri extended his lead in the Formula 1 2025 Drivers' Championship by 16 points after winning the Belgian Grand Prix ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris. read more Oscar Piastri passed McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris with a bold early move to win the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix and extend his Formula One lead to 16 points on Sunday. Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as reigning champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row The race at Spa-Francorchamps was red-flagged after an initial formation lap and delayed by an hour and 20 minutes due to the weather, with standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Piastri was in no mood for hanging around when the racing got going with a rolling start after four laps behind the safety car to check conditions. The Australian slipstreamed Norris through the daunting Eau Rouge and then scythed past down the Kemmel straight into Les Combes in a move of total commitment in the treacherous conditions. 'I knew lap one would be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn One, lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge,' he said. 'The rest of the race we managed really well. I struggled at the end. Maybe the mediums were not the best for the last five or six laps. We had it mostly under control.' The win was his sixth of the season, making the 24-year-old the first Australian – on a list that includes past world champions Jack Brabham and Alan Jones – to triumph so many times in a single campaign. Norris had a slight battery issue, the Briton asking over the radio why he had 'no pack' before his race engineer assured him it was coming back, but he was not looking for any excuses afterwards. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD '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,' he said. '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.' TWO-HORSE RACE Piastri now has 266 points to Norris' 250. Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen is third but 81 points off the lead and the championship more than ever a two-horse race with Hungary up next weekend before the August break. McLaren lead the constructors' standings with 516 points to Ferrari's 248 while Mercedes fell further behind their Italian rivals on 220. Piastri pitted on lap 12 of 44 to switch from intermediates to medium tyres on a drying track and Norris followed a lap later, but opting for the hards and rejoining nine seconds behind. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Briton might have hoped Piastri would have to pit again but the Australian made the tyres last to the chequered flag on a one-stop strategy. Piastri crossed the line 3.415 seconds clear of Norris, who had been chasing a third win in a row and managed to reduce the gap in the final laps before late mistakes left the ever-calm Australian under no pressure. Saturday sprint winner Verstappen finished fourth in his team's first grand prix since the dismissal of team boss Christian Horner, with George Russell fifth for Mercedes. Williams' Alex Albon held off Ferrari's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton – last year's winner with Mercedes – to secure sixth. Hamilton had been one of four drivers due to start from the pit lane but given a big boost by the switch to a rolling getaway and a fresh engine installed overnight. The Briton was also the first to make the decision to switch to slicks and pit, gaining six places. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Liam Lawson was eighth for Racing Bulls with Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly securing the final point for Alpine.
The Age
4 days ago
- Automotive
- 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.
