Mercedes shines in Belgium with Russell and Hamilton clinching top spots, while Piastri secures a strategic third-place finish.
For the first time this season, four teams appear capable of contesting for a race victory. Ferrari inherits pole due to Max Verstappen’s penalty, with Charles Leclerc starting from the front. He leads Sergio Pérez’s Red Bull on the front row.
Behind them, a Mercedes and a McLaren line up with Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris respectively, followed by another pairing of Mercedes and McLaren with Oscar Piastri and George Russell. With four teams occupying the top four grid positions, each has a seemingly viable chance of success.
It’s anticipated that, much like on Friday, McLaren might hold a slight advantage in race pace, given the fair weather at Spa. Red Bull seems less comfortable in dry conditions, yet the RB20 remains formidable under any circumstances on this Belgian Ardennes circuit.
Ferrari also shows lesser performance in dry conditions, and Mercedes remains an enigma as the team has switched floor setups since Friday’s disappointing performance. Carlos Sainz starts seventh, ahead of Fernando Alonso, then Esteban Ocon, and Alex Albon.
With his ten-place grid penalty, Max Verstappen starts 11th ahead of Pierre Gasly. Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas are next, followed by Lance Stroll and Nico Hülkenberg, then Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant. Guanyu Zhou is 19th at the start ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, who has incurred a 60-place penalty and starts from the back of the grid.
At 14:49: Air temperature is at 21 degrees Celsius, and the track temperature at 38 degrees.
At 14:57: Sainz, Stroll, and Zhou opt for hard tires, Ricciardo on softs, with the remaining 16 drivers choosing mediums for the start.
Start: Leclerc gets away cleanly unlike Pérez who is overtaken by Hamilton, though the Mexican quickly retaliates!
Lap 1: The two are side by side at the foot of Raidillon but Hamilton overtakes! Norris has a poor start and drops to seventh, while Piastri is fourth. Verstappen gains a position, and Ocon loses two. Verstappen passes Albon to move up to ninth by the end of the first lap.
Lap 2: Leclerc fails to pull away from Hamilton and Pérez. Piastri remains in pursuit, and Verstappen overtakes Alonso in Kemmel, while Norris passes Sainz for sixth place. However, the Briton goes wide at the chicane, allowing the Spaniard to retake the position.
Lap 3: Hamilton sets the fastest lap of the race at 1’49″849, soon bested by Verstappen with 1’49″828. Pérez is more than a second behind Hamilton, but as Hamilton overtakes Leclerc for the lead, Pérez closes to within a second of Leclerc, now within DRS range. Hamilton struggles to create a gap from the Monegasque.
Lap 4: Hamilton posts the race’s best lap at 1’49″109, gaining a second’s lead. Zhou slows with a power loss, and the Stake driver will retire. He remains slow on the track. Verstappen continues to chase Norris, as the top eight form a DRS train with less than a second separating them.
Lap 5: Alonso is ninth, 1.3 seconds behind Verstappen, with Albon, Ocon, and Gasly close behind. Zhou continues on track. Piastri presses Pérez, who has lost DRS from Leclerc. The Monegasque has also dropped out of DRS range from Hamilton.
Lap 6: Hamilton holds a 1.2-second lead over Leclerc, who himself is 1.8 seconds ahead of Pérez. Piastri, Russell, Sainz, Norris, and Verstappen remain tightly grouped behind. Alonso is 2.2 seconds off the Dutchman, with Albon trailing the Aston Martin by a second. The Alpines are close behind the Thai driver. Hamilton reports movement around his legs.
Lap 7: Zhou retires from the race. Up front, Hamilton extends his lead to 1.8 seconds over Leclerc, with Pérez 1.7 seconds adrift. Piastri falls out of DRS range of the Red Bull, and Russell is also pushed out of his DRS zone. The gaps widen slightly but remain competitive, as Verstappen, in eighth, is 7.9 seconds behind the leader.
Lap 8: Pérez is now 2 seconds behind Leclerc. Russell is 1.3 seconds behind Piastri, and the gaps begin to widen. Hülkenberg pits to switch to medium tires.
Lap 9: Hamilton maintains a 1.7-second lead over Leclerc. Russell, Sainz, Norris, and Verstappen continue to run closely together. Behind them, Albon, Ricciardo, and Sargeant pit, all switching to medium tires.
Lap 10: Hamilton’s lead over Leclerc grows to 2 seconds, who has a 2.3-second margin over Pérez. Piastri is 1.1 seconds behind, with Russell also 1.1 seconds adrift. Sainz, Norris, and Verstappen remain closely tucked behind the Mercedes. Hamilton complains about his rear tires but reports the situation as manageable. Gasly pits and rejoins in 18th on hard tires, just behind Hülkenberg.
Lap 11: Russell and Verstappen pit. The Briton rejoins in 12th on hard tires, and the Dutchman in 14th, also on hards.
Lap 12: Hamilton, Pérez, and Piastri cover the early pitters. The leader rejoins in sixth on hards, Pérez in eighth and Piastri ninth. Verstappen overtakes Tsunoda for 12th place, not without difficulty. Russell overtakes Magnussen and slots in behind Piastri, who passed him right after exiting the pits.
Lap 13: Leclerc also pits, leaving Sainz on his hard tires in the lead ahead of Norris on mediums. Alonso temporarily moves up to third ahead of Hamilton. Verstappen sets the fastest lap at 1’48″403. Leclerc rejoins in fifth just behind Hamilton. Verstappen overtakes Magnussen. Piastri passes Pérez for sixth.
Lap 14: Piastri sets the fastest lap of the race at 1’47″565, while Alonso pits and rejoins in 13th.
Lap 15: Sainz continues in the lead, three seconds ahead of Norris, who is extending his only set of medium tires. He still has two sets of hard tires left, and his engineer has asked for 100% pace, indicating a pit stop is imminent. Hamilton is 10.5 seconds behind Sainz, with Leclerc 1.4 seconds behind Hamilton. Piastri is 1.9 seconds back, with Pérez a further 1.1 seconds adrift, threatened by both Russell and Verstappen. Magnussen and Tsunoda, yet to pit, complete the top 10.
Lap 16: Norris pits and rejoins just behind Verstappen on hard tires. With 28 laps remaining, will the Briton attempt a one-stop strategy? Meanwhile, Hamilton closes three seconds per lap on Sainz due to a mistake by the Spaniard and is now seven seconds behind. Tsunoda also pits.
Lap 17: Hamilton is gaining 1.2 seconds per lap on Sainz. Further back, Ocon takes 13th from Hülkenberg, who he will replace next year. Red Bull tells Verstappen he can start attacking Russell and Pérez in front of him.
Lap 18: Hamilton reduces the gap to Sainz to 5.3 seconds. Norris sets the fastest lap of the race at 1’47″522, and his team confirms that the undercut on Sainz is already effective.
Lap 19: Hamilton is 4.3 seconds behind Sainz, holding a 1.5-second margin over Leclerc. Piastri is 3 seconds from the Ferrari, and Russell overtakes Pérez. Verstappen and Russell are held up behind the Mexican, with Norris 3.8 seconds behind the Dutchman. Albon is 12.8 seconds ahead of Ricciardo. Sainz is informed it will be difficult to complete the race on one stop, but the Spaniard opts to stay out a few more laps on the hards.
Lap 20: Bottas overtakes Hülkenberg, who slips further down the order, while Ocon takes 12th from Alonso.
Lap 21: Sainz pits just before mid-race, and it appears challenging for him to go the distance. Hamilton takes the lead, 1.9 seconds ahead of Leclerc. Piastri is 3 seconds behind the Ferrari, and Russell overtakes Pérez.
Lap 22: Pérez pits for the second time mid-race and Red Bull does not need to apply team orders. With significant gaps between the top 8 and the rest, the Mexican rejoins in eighth on hard tires.
Lap 23: Hamilton maintains a 1.7-second lead over Leclerc, with Piastri trailing the Monegasque by 2.5 seconds. Russell follows at 4.3 seconds, holding a 1.9-second advantage over Verstappen, who feels Norris closing in by four-tenths. Sainz is four seconds adrift, with Pérez a further twelve seconds back, lamenting his lack of pace on the straights. Albon and Ocon round out the top ten.
Lap 24: Pérez sets the fastest lap of the race at 1’47″223. Verstappen keeps an eye on Norris behind him, even though the McLaren driver made a mistake at the last chicane, failing to close the gap on Russell ahead.
Lap 25: The top three drivers are separated by intervals of 2.5 seconds. Norris has fallen slightly behind Verstappen and has exited the DRS zone.
Lap 26: Leclerc makes another pit stop after just 13 laps on hard tyres, rejoining in seventh with a fresh set of hards. Ferrari clearly aims for an undercut on Hamilton, risking tyre degradation towards the end of the race.
Lap 27: Hamilton responds to his direct rival’s strategy by pitting himself. The Briton hands the lead to Piastri and re-emerges in sixth, 2.5 seconds ahead of Leclerc, who has not gained any time. Meanwhile, Russell considers staying out until the end.
Lap 28: Piastri sets the fastest lap of the race at 1’47″024, extending his lead to 5.3 seconds over Russell. Verstappen is 1.5 seconds behind the Mercedes, with Norris closing to within a second of the Dutchman. Sainz is 5.2 seconds back, with Hamilton in hot pursuit.
Lap 29: McLaren informs Piastri of his fastest lap, to which he replies, “No need to say, but clean air is king.” Verstappen, Sainz, and Gasly pit. The Dutchman rejoins in seventh behind Pérez, on medium tyres. Sainz follows suit, opting for hards.
Lap 30: Piastri holds a 5.5-second lead over Russell, who is 2.2 seconds ahead of Norris, who pitted at the end of lap 29. With a superb out lap, Verstappen emerges just 1.8 seconds behind the Red Bull. Verstappen logically overtakes Pérez, who moves aside.
Lap 31: Piastri pits as Verstappen sets the fastest lap of the race at 1’46″447. Piastri loses two seconds in the pits due to a late stop in his box but re-emerges fourth. Norris overtakes Pérez and stays close to Verstappen despite supposedly inferior tyres. Ocon pits and rejoins in 14th.
Lap 32: Verstappen records the fastest lap of the race at 1’46″363, with Norris even quicker at 1’45″563! His team encourages him to attack. Russell confirms his intention to attempt a one-stop strategy, leading Hamilton by 6.5 seconds. Verstappen feels the pressure from Norris and seeks advice from Red Bull, whose engineer also urges him to push despite his medium tyres.
Lap 33: Hamilton closes half a second per lap on Russell, while Leclerc and Piastri remain within striking distance of the Mercedes.
Lap 34: Hamilton is now 5.8 seconds behind Russell, who faces increasingly challenging performance demands. Behind, Piastri has closed in on Leclerc, with Norris still shadowing Verstappen.
Lap 35: Hamilton queries if he’s on target to outpace his teammate, as he gains half a second per lap with ten laps to the finish. His engineer advises it will be close, noting Russell’s tyres have already endured 24 laps and may degrade further. Piastri challenges Leclerc but fails to overtake.
Lap 36: Hamilton has now reduced the gap to 4.1 seconds, increasing his rate of recovery each lap. Piastri makes a successful move on Leclerc at Combes, claiming third place.
Lap 37: The gap between the Mercedes narrows to just 3.6 seconds. Piastri is 5.4 seconds off Hamilton. Verstappen closes to within 1.2 seconds of Leclerc, with Norris shadowing the Dutchman closely. Pérez falls back by 9 seconds, with Sainz just 1.1 seconds behind the Mexican.
Lap 38: Hamilton shaves nearly a second off the lead, closing to within 2.7 seconds of Russell. The gaps between Piastri, Leclerc, Verstappen, and Norris remain stable. Sainz is pressing Pérez. Alonso is ninth, 22 seconds behind Sainz, and Ricciardo is tenth, 7 seconds behind the Spaniard, with a 2-second cushion over Ocon. Gasly is 15th.
Lap 39: The lead has now shrunk to under two seconds. With six laps remaining, a change in positions seems inevitable. Sainz overtakes Pérez for seventh.
Lap 40: The gap between Russell and Hamilton is just 1.1 seconds with five laps left. Verstappen is only seven-tenths behind Leclerc, with Norris in his wake. Ocon tails Ricciardo, eyeing a point.
Lap 41: Hamilton’s engineer tells him they must give each other space, indicating no team orders! It’s a significant risk for Mercedes, poised for a one-two finish. Piastri’s engineer advises him to stay within striking distance in case an opportunity arises, and the McLaren driver does even better, closing to within 3 seconds of Hamilton. Leclerc, Verstappen, and Norris are all captured in the same frame.
Lap 42: Hamilton closes to within four-tenths of his teammate and attempts an overtake but fails to pass. Piastri is 2.5 seconds behind Hamilton.
Lap 43: Pérez pits to try and snatch the fastest lap from Norris. Piastri is just 1.4 seconds behind Hamilton, who remains stuck behind his teammate. Ocon overtakes Ricciardo to move into tenth place.
Final Lap: Hamilton is just six-tenths behind at the start of the final lap, with Piastri only eight-tenths behind the Brit! Russell manages to lap faster than at any other point in the race, preserving his lead. Piastri is close but unable to make a move. Behind, the group featuring Leclerc, Verstappen, and Norris remains unchanged.
Finish: Russell clinches the race with a one-stop strategy, half a second ahead of his teammate Hamilton! Piastri finishes third, 1.1 seconds behind the winner. Leclerc crosses the line fourth, ahead of Verstappen and Norris.
Sainz takes seventh ahead of Pérez, who claims the point for the fastest lap with a time of 1’44″701. Alonso and Ocon round out the top 10, followed by Ricciardo and Stroll. Albon finishes 13th, ahead of Gasly, Magnussen, Bottas, Tsunoda, Sargeant, and Hülkenberg.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Diff | Stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | George Russell | Mercedes W15 | 44 Laps – 1h21m40.102s | 1 |
| 01 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes W15 | +0.526 | 2 |
| 03 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | +1.173 | 2 |
| 04 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-24 | +8.549 | 2 |
| 05 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | +9.226 | 2 |
| 06 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL38 | +9.850 | 2 |
| 07 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari SF-24 | +19.795 | 2 |
| 08 | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB20 | +43.195 | 3 |
| 09 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | +49.963 | 1 |
| 10 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault A524 | +52.552 | 2 |
| 11 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | +54.926 | 2 |
| 12 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR24 | +63.011 | 1 |
| 13 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW46 | +63.651 | 2 |
| 14 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault A524 | +64.365 | 2 |
| 15 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | +66.631 | 1 |
| 16 | Valtteri Bottas | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | +70.638 | 2 |
| 17 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT VCARB 01 | +79.737 | 1 |
| 18 | Logan Sargeant | Williams Mercedes FW46 | +86.057 | 2 |
| 19 | Nico Hülkenberg | Haas Ferrari VF-24 | +88.833 | 2 |
| 20 | Guanyu Zhou | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C44 | DNF | 1 |
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