SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium – Oscar Piastri handed McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris with a daring early transfer to win the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix andextend his Formulation One result in 16 factors on Sunday.
Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as reigning champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two end in 13 races and the third in a row.
The race at Spa-Francorchamps was red-flagged after an preliminary formation lap and delayed by an hour and 20 minutes because of the climate, with standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility.
Piastri was in no temper for hanging round when the racing bought going with a rolling begin after 4 laps behind the security automobile to examine situations.
The Australian slipstreamed Norris by way of the daunting Eau Rouge after which scythed previous down the Kemmel straight into Les Combes in a transfer of complete dedication within the treacherous situations.
“I knew lap one can be my finest probability of successful the race. I bought a superb exit out of Flip One, lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge,” he mentioned.
“The remainder of the race we managed rather well. I struggled on the finish. Possibly the mediums weren’t one of the best for the final 5 or 6 laps. We had it principally beneath management.”
The win was his sixth of the season, making the 24-year-old the primary Australian — on an inventory that features previous world champions Jack Brabham and Alan Jones — to triumph so many occasions in a single marketing campaign.
Norris had a slight battery situation, the Briton asking over the radio why he had “no pack” earlier than his race engineer assured him it was coming again, however he was not in search of any excuses afterwards.
“Oscar simply did a superb job. Nothing extra to say. Dedicated a bit extra by way of Eau Rouge, and had the slipstream and bought the run,” he mentioned.
“So nothing to complain of. He did a greater job at first, and that was it. Nothing extra I may do after that time. I might like to be up prime, however Oscar deserved it right this moment.”
TWO-HORSE RACE
Piastri now has 266 factors to Norris’ 250. Pink Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen is third however 81 factors off the lead and the championship greater than ever a two-horse race with Hungary up subsequent weekend earlier than the August break.
McLaren lead the constructors’ standings with 516 factors to Ferrari’s 248 whereas Mercedes fell additional behind their Italian rivals on 220.
Piastri pitted on lap 12 of 44 to change from intermediates to medium tyres on a drying observe and Norris adopted a lap later, however choosing the hards and rejoining 9 seconds behind.
The Briton may need hoped Piastri must pit once more however the Australian made the tyres final to the chequered flag on a one-stop technique.
Piastri crossed the road 3.415 seconds away from Norris, who had been chasing a 3rd win in a row and managed to cut back the hole within the remaining laps earlier than late errors left the ever-calm Australian beneath no stress.
Saturday dash winner Verstappen completed fourth in his workforce’s first grand prix for the reason that dismissal of workforce boss Christian Horner, with George Russell fifth for Mercedes.
Williams’ Alex Albon held off Ferrari’s seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton — final yr’s winner with Mercedes — to safe sixth.
Hamilton had been one in every of 4 drivers on account of begin from the pit lane however given a giant increase by the swap to a rolling getaway and a recent engine put in in a single day.
The Briton was additionally the primary to make the choice to change to slicks and pit, gaining six locations.
Liam Lawson was eighth for Racing Bulls with Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly securing the ultimate level for Alpine.
—Reuters
