Oscar Piastri Secures Sixth Victory At Belgian Grand Prix, Extending McLaren's Championship Lead

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Oscar Piastri increased his lead in the Formula One championship to 16 points with a sixth win of the season at the Belgian Grand Prix. The race, delayed by rain, began with four laps behind a virtual safety car. Piastri overtook Lando Norris after the restart and maintained control despite Norris's late challenge. Norris finished second, securing another one-two for McLaren in 2025.

McLaren's impressive performance this season has widened their lead over Ferrari by 268 points in the constructors' championship. With Piastri and Norris consistently finishing at the top, McLaren has achieved six one-two finishes this season, matching their 1998 record. They have also placed drivers on the podium 22 times in 2025, surpassing last year's total of 21.

Piastri's victory marked McLaren's first win at Spa since Jenson Button's triumph in 2012. This was also Piastri and Norris's 60th race as teammates. The team is on track to break their record of 25 podiums set in 1988 with Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, as there are still ten races left this season.

Charles Leclerc secured third place for Ferrari, holding off Max Verstappen from Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton impressed by finishing seventh after starting from the pit lane. George Russell came fifth, followed by Alex Albon, Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Pierre Gasly rounding out the top ten.

The championship standings now show Oscar Piastri leading with 266 points, followed by Lando Norris with 250 points. Max Verstappen holds third place with 185 points. In the constructors' standings, McLaren leads with 516 points, ahead of Ferrari and Mercedes.

During the race, Hamilton made significant progress by gaining five positions within ten laps despite starting from the pit lane. As conditions improved and the track dried up, many drivers opted for early pit stops to change tyres.

A mistake by Leclerc towards the end allowed Verstappen an opportunity to overtake him; however, Verstappen couldn't maintain his position and finished fourth. Meanwhile, Norris faced battery issues but managed to hold onto second place under pressure from Leclerc and Verstappen.

Piastri had initially missed converting his pole position into a win during Saturday's sprint race but started strong alongside Norris on Sunday. He quickly overtook Norris using slipstream tactics once the safety car exited.

The Belgian Grand Prix showcased McLaren's continued dominance this season while highlighting individual performances like Hamilton's recovery drive from a challenging start position. As teams prepare for upcoming races, McLaren remains poised to extend their lead further in both driver and constructor championships.