Formula One gradebook: Belgian Grand Prix
- Elaina Russell
- Jul 29, 2025
- 7 min read
Written by Elaina Russell
It was a soggy Spa classic–and for Oscar Piastri, a statement win. The McLaren driver held his nerve in changing conditions to claim the team’s third straight Grand Prix victory and extend his championship lead. Temmate Lando Norris followed him home in a dominant one-two for the papaya team, with the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc returning to the podium after a one-race blip following Austria.
From pit lane launches to heroic comebacks, the Belgian Grand Prix proved once again why it’s a fan-favorite.
Here’s how all 20 drivers performed on race day:
McLaren
No. 81 - Oscar Piastri - A+
A weekend to remember for the Australian, who’s called Spa his “favorite race”–and proved exactly why. From beating Verstappen to pole in Sprint Qualifying to executing a seemingly flawless strategy on race day, Piastri’s precision in changing conditions stood out. A clean overtake on Norris and an early switch to slicks gave him track position he never relinquished. This was the performance of a title favorite, not a sophomore. Piastri extends his lead in the standings to a total 16 points.
No. 4 - Lando Norris - A
Lando’s charge began from pole but soon unravelled when he was overtaken by his teammate and left to react instead of dictate. While he put together a clean and largely measured race, a delayed switch to slicks saw him lose the crucial advantage to Piastri, and a few errors in the long run ultimately limited his fightback.
Norris admitted post race: “He did a better job in the beginning and that was it, nothing more I could do after that point. I would love to be on top but Oscar deserved it today.” Still, 18 points is no small haul in a championship fight this tight.
Ferrari
No. 44 - Lewis Hamilton - A-
After qualifying 16th and starting from the pit lane due to setup changes, Hamilton needed something special–and delivered just that. A daring early switch to slicks put him on the front foot, executing what turned out to be a huge undercut that leapfrogged him through the midfield. His charge to seventh showcased his classic race craft and tyre management in difficult conditions.
“The team did a great job as they always do throughout the weekend and they did a great job with the strategy so big thanks to them and I'll try and do a better job for them next weekend.”
A remarkable recovery, and a welcome result after a messy start to the weekend.
No. 16 - Charles Leclerc - B+
It wasn’t flashy, but it was certainly effective. Starting third, Leclerc kept the Red Bull of Max Verstappen at bay and brought home his third podium in five weekends. He never looked quite at the same pace as the McLarens up front, but his defensive driving and measured pace made him a quiet standout in a race full of chaos. After a run of misfortune earlier this season, Leclerc is putting points on the board in a still-volatile Ferrari package.
Mercedes
No. 63 - George Russell - B
Russell crossed the line fifth, but behind the scenes, Mercedes is clearly struggling. After the race, Russell admitted that recent changes to the car’s setup took a step backwards, suggesting his P5 was more about capitalizing on others’ mistakes rather than raw pace. “We need to understand why we've lost so much pace in recent races,” he said. Still, a damage-limitation drive that yielded double-digit points is better than what Mercedes had any reason to expect.
No. 12 - Kimi Antonelli - D
It’s been a tough stretch for the Italian teenager. After a bright start to the season including a podium in Canada, Antonelli seems to have faded a bit, and Spa was another low. Starting from the pit lane and struggling throughout, he never looked close to the points. While teammate Russell did marginally better with similar strategy, Antonelli simply couldn’t keep pace.
Former Mercedes-man Lewis Hamilton came to his defense, saying “He's been doing fantastic to be thrown in at the deep end at 18…he's just got to take it in his stride.” No doubt the rookie has talent, but the pressure is mounting.
Red Bull Racing
No. 1 - Max Verstappen - B
Sprint glory on Saturday, but no podium on Sunday. Verstappen was overtaken by Piastri early and never really managed to find his pace.
“With the decision making and the set up that we chose with the wing didn’t help,” he admitted. Fourth is hardly disastrous, but the reigning champ looked more mortal than usual. More worrying is the increasing sense of inconsistency in Red Bull’s weekend execution.
No. 22 - Yuki Tsunoda - D
Tsunoda hasn’t scored points since Imola, and Spa didn’t change that. A pit timing miscommunication saw him stay out a lap too long in changeable conditions, dropping him down in the order. He spent much of the race stuck behind Gasly and described the race as effectively over after the call. “I lost five positions and was stuck behind a bit all the race. That’s it, that was my race.” After a promising start to the season, Tsunoda is struggling to stay relevant in the points battle.
Williams
No. 23 - Alexander Albon - A-
One of the standout drives of the weekend. Albon ran as high as fifth and held off Lewis Hamilton for multiple laps in the closing stages. It was yet another reminder that when the Williams works, Albon can punch above his weight.
“Very happy,” he said post race. “It was not easy to hold off Lewis and he gave me a lot of pressure for long parts of the race.”
No. 55 - Carlos Sainz - D+
Sainz continues to endure a baffling run of misfortune. Starting from the pit lane, he failed to mount any real challenge and finished 18th. “It is not like it is a pattern…every weekend is a different thing,” he said. While Albon thrived, Sainz couldn’t extract performance.
Kick Sauber
No. 27 - Nico Hülkenberg - B-
The Silverstone podium hero came back to earth slightly at Spa, but still delivered a respectable race. Starting 15th and finishing 12th, Hülkenberg showed strong pace early but ultimately couldn’t break into the points. Compared to recent heroics, it felt like a flat result but it was still a solid execution from a driver in good form.
No. 5 - Gabriel Bortoleto - B
Ninth place and points at Spa is nothing to dismiss. Bortoleto held his own in the tricky conditions and executed a quiet, competent race. His two points were the only ones for Sauber this weekend, and while not spectacular, it was exactly the kind of clean weekend a rookie needs to build confidence.
Racing Bulls
No. 6 - Isack Hadjar - D-
After strategy misfire early on, Hadjar’s pace never really recovered. Despite running ahead, Hadjar was left out as Lawson boxed first–a move that would eventually drop him to the back. “It’s a shame… I think it could have been a double-points finish,” he said. Instead, he finished dead last. Hadjar shows glimpses, but Spa was a clear misfire from both driver and pit wall.
No. 30 - Liam Lawson - B
A strong drive largely overshadowed by Hadjar's issues. Lawson stayed out of trouble and looked sharp amidst a competitive field. His stock continues to rise quietly.
"I really enjoyed today. Often in those conditions you just want to survive, so I'm very happy for the team and how everything came together."
Aston Martin
No. 18 - Lance Stroll - C
Started 16th and finished 14th. It wasn’t a disaster, nor was it particularly memorable. Tyre wear saw him drop down the order, and though he’s historically strong in the wet, he couldn’t capitalize this time.
No. 14 - Fernando Alonso - C
Alonso started from the pit lane with a wet-weather setup that never came to fruition. The gamble backfired, and Alonso spent the race mired in traffic, finishing 17th. It was just one of those days for Aston Martin, with the veteran driver admitting that pace just wasn’t there.
Haas
No. 87 - Oliver Bearman - B-
Bearman’s race was shaped by unfortunate timing and reliability woes. He boxed too late, wrestled with an engine issue, and ultimately finished just outside the points in P11.
No. 31 - Esteban Ocon - C
Another scrappy race for the Frenchman who dropped from a P11 start to a P15 finish. Spa was anything but relaxing for the only American team on the grid, and Haas will be looking to rewrite the narrative come Hungary.
Alpine
No. 10 - Pierre Gasly - A
Smart strategy, bold setup, and fierce defending. Gasly executed in a race where many failed to do so, using a low-downforce package to great effect. He spent the closing stages holding off quicker cars and didn’t put a wheel wrong–a gritty drive that netted a hard-earned point.
“I am very happy with that and that hard work has paid off today. It is only a point but, after a race like that, defending from a number of cars for so long, we can be pleased.”
Spa is understandably an emotional race weekend for Gasly, and with family and the late Anthoine Hubert’s mother in the paddock watching on, this one clearly meant more.
No. 43 - Franco Colapinto - C-
Spa was another learning weekend for the rookie. He looked relatively competitive early on but struggled with traffic and tyre degradation after the switch to slicks.
“A tricky weekend,” he admitted. Alpine continues to evaluate its second seat–and Colapinto needs sharper results to stake his claim.
Looking Ahead
Oscar Piastri might have taken the trophy, but Spa gave nearly every driver something to fight for. From Hamilton’s charge to Gasly’s grit, it was a weekend of comebacks, rain dances, and redemption arcs. As we head into the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren has seized the upper-hand–but behind them, the fight is heating up.
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