George Russell managed to secure a thrilling victory over his Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton, in the Belgian Grand Prix with a strategic one-stop approach that caught everyone by surprise. Despite the win, Russell’s victory is now in jeopardy as his car was found to be underweight after post-race checks by the FIA technical delegate. This matter has been sent to the stewards for further investigation.
In a race where other teams were expected to shine due to a rainy qualifying session and a penalty for Max Verstappen, it was Mercedes who dominated the track. Hamilton made a remarkable start from third place, while Russell made a bold call for a one-stop strategy that ultimately paid off. Despite Hamilton making two stops and Russell only one, they managed to maintain their positions at the front of the pack until the end.
After 19 months without a win, Mercedes has now won three of the last four races, showing a significant resurgence in their form this season. The final podium place was claimed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who finished just behind Russell and Hamilton in a closely contested race.
The Hungarian GP winner, Piastri, had to fight hard for his position after being passed by both Hamilton and Russell during the race. Despite a strong performance, he was unable to catch up to the Mercedes cars in the closing laps. Lando Norris, who started ahead of Piastri, lost ground after a mistake at the start of the race and finished behind him in sixth place.
Verstappen’s fifth-place finish extended his lead in the championship standings over Norris, while Red Bull’s advantage over McLaren in the constructors’ title race has been reduced. The race also saw Sergio Perez dropping from second on the grid to finish eighth, behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
The key to Russell’s victory lay in his strategic decision to go for a one-stop strategy, which allowed him to maintain his lead over Hamilton despite his teammate’s fresher tires. Hamilton, who seemed poised for victory early in the race, was unable to close the gap due to the aerodynamic effects of following Russell closely.
The Formula 1 season will resume after the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, where the battle for the championship is expected to intensify. Fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports F1 and stream every race with a NOW Sports Month Membership for an exciting end to the season.