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The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix was perhaps a contest that despite hinging on episodes of boredom given how less dramatic it turned out to be in the end, did offer plenty of grid shuffles to keep fans interested all throughout. For instance, Hamilton made the most of the racing conditions out there, moving up eleven places to finish strongly. The early battles between Leclerc and Verstappen made the Red Bull versus Ferrari a dogfight of sorts even as eventually, Max realised that he just didn't have enough racepace. Then there was a great tussle between the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli and some of the other midfielders. Even as a harrowingly delayed start to the contest, nearly 90 minutes worth of delay, did give the Belgian Grand Prix a boring feel at the beginning, the 44-lap contest held on the fastest track in Formula 1 unveil a fine result in the end for those involved.
Let us visit the key talking points from Formula 1's latest Grand Prix, nestled in the serene setting of the Ardennes.
Piastri's dominant win and an excellent early move on Norris
Props to Oscar Piastri for not only making a decisive move on Lando Norris, original pole sitter at Spa-Francorchamps and that too, not long after the five red lights turned green but for eventually defending his track position extremely well until the end of lap #44 to race home to another win.
The win at Spa is Oscar Piastri's sixth of the seaon.
The popular Australian now has a famous win at the Belgian Grand Prix to his name, which happens to be a legendary Grand Prix venue and given his latest feather in the hat, the unflappable Aussie has hitten right back at two of his closest threats to a possible world title this year- not only McLaren teammate Lando Norris but even Max Verstappen.
Piastri did a fine job at managing his tyres and as seen during the rain-affected contest, while several drivers complained of tyre degradation, such as Ferrari's Leclerc and Williams' Sainz, the Aussie was unaffected and calm under pressure.
Valiant drive from Lewis Hamilton
For someone who began his Spa Francorchamps drive from 18th and thus, from way behind the grid to ultimately capture a seventh, Sir Lewis Hamilton drove like a knight on a true mission.
In what was clearly a remarkable recovery drive, Hamilton was fantastic, consistent and in an absolute wheel-to-wheel racing mode having battled several drivers and executed precise moves around Eau Rouge, La Source and other famed corners at the iconic Belgian Grand Prix.
He overtook some fine talents of the class of Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll, and even Alex Albon and in the end, thanks to a fine job from the Ferrari pit wall in handling his race strategy, the iconic Briton ensured that both Ferraris ended in points.
Making eleven places north of the grid from where he began, Sir Lewis was the class of the field on Sunday and will now enter the famed Hungaroring in a much-better mindset.
Ferrari with a glad podium in the end
Charles Leclerc always had a tough job out there at Spa given beginning from third, his real threat lay just behind him, with Verstappen gunning for the Monegasque's positon from P4.
With multiple race wins to his name at the very venue (2021, 2022, 2023 rounds), Verstappen always had a headstart, should one think of it realistically given Leclerc's only win here came in 2019. Thus, the Red Bull, one ought to confess, were very much the dominant force even as Leclerc's Ferrari were placed ahead.
But in the race, Charles put his life on the line to defend his track position, shunting down any attacks whatsoever, from Verstappen's end to lose his advantage.
Even before the first five laps were rendered complete, Verstappen brought down the gap to Leclerc to under a second, a gap the Ferrari driver would further increase.
In the end, while the top honours belonged to the Papaya coloured race winning machines, Norris bagging an important second with Piastri's mega win, Leclerc ensured that Ferrari didn't exit Belgium sans a podium.
There was something to savour for the Scuderia with another race in just a week's time.
Spare a thought for Alex Albon
Not for the first time this season did Alex Albon, the famed Thai-British driver from the Williams stable, impress. Having secured a brilliant and fighting fifth at the end of the qualifying battle on Saturday, Albon always knew that at Spa- he would be the key man for Williams given Sainz's weak quali result. Sainz was always going to contest in a tricky race given he had to start the contest from the pitlane from seventeenth on the grid.
But in the rain-affected 44-lap contest, Alex Albon mustered up a strong fight to finish sixth in the end battling the likes of Hamilton earlier on in the contest and George Russell towards the end.
The talented Albon is currently on P8 with 54 points with Mercedes' Antonelli just 9 points ahead on P7.
