Who would have expected a Mercedes one-two finish? The last time this happened was in São Paulo in 2022. And who would have imagined that George Russell would take the victory, thanks to his decision to make only one pit stop during the race? Probably no one. It was clear from the first few kilometers that Lewis Hamilton was poised for a win, as he decisively overtook Sergio Perez between La Source and Eau Rouge, and then passed Charles Leclerc on the third lap. From there, Hamilton managed the race masterfully, maintaining an average gap of two seconds over an excellent Leclerc.
It seemed like Hamilton's victory was in the bag, especially after reclaiming the lead from Leclerc with a well-timed undercut at the second pit stop, perfectly orchestrated by Ferrari. But in a surprising twist, Russell turned the race on its head on lap 26, informing the team of his intention to complete the race on the hard tires he had fitted on lap 11. Would the Pirellis last for 34 laps? According to the tire manufacturer's predictions, it was almost impossible. However, by lap 34, Russell confirmed his decision not to make a second pit stop, getting the green light from Mercedes. If the plan failed, Hamilton still had a good chance to take the victory.
With 12 laps to go, the gap between the two Mercedes drivers was over 9 seconds. Four laps from the finish, Hamilton was right on Russell's tail. It seemed only a matter of time before Lewis would take the lead, but Russell responded with impeccable tire management, having saved enough for a final push. Hamilton attempted to overtake three times at Les Combes, but to no avail. Trying elsewhere on the track would have been too risky, and any contact between the two Mercedes cars would have been disastrous. The team even reminded him to proceed with caution.
Russell fended off the attacks and secured his third career victory, arguably the most extraordinary not just for him but for F1 as a whole. It's rare to see such an outcome. Russell, already a winner in Spielberg in 2024 and São Paulo in 2022, showed that he could overcome past mistakes and achieve something truly remarkable at the legendary Spa circuit.
Hamilton, on the other hand, seemed quite shaken by the defeat, convinced he already had the win in the bag. However, his performance was still exceptional, and John Elkann, who met with him this weekend, can be satisfied looking ahead to 2025, assuming Ferrari can provide him with a competitive car like the current W15, which has made significant progress throughout the season.
Oscar Piastri's performance in the McLaren-Mercedes was also impressive, with a remarkable final surge. With a few more laps, the Australian could have even challenged for the win after his victory in Budapest. A small mistake during the second stop, when he overshot his pit box slightly, cost him a couple of precious seconds. Lando Norris was disappointed, finishing sixth after losing three positions at the start due to a slide that took him off track. He couldn't recover and, once again, Piastri finished ahead of him.
For Ferrari, Leclerc's fourth place is not a particularly exciting result, considering he held second position for much of the race. However, his pace was excellent. Carlos Sainz, meanwhile, tried to surprise everyone by starting on hard tires, but the strategy didn't pay off, leaving him in seventh place despite a strong start.
And what about Red Bull? There was no extraordinary comeback for Max Verstappen, who started from 11th position. The RB20 did not prove to be the most competitive car on the grid, with Verstappen finishing in fifth, unable to catch up to Leclerc. Sergio Perez, starting from the front row, fared even worse, finishing eighth. A disappointing result for Red Bull, especially after a strong qualifying session.
This year's championship is incredibly balanced, with Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari all capable of finishing a Grand Prix like Spa within just ten seconds of each other, without the intervention of a safety car. A result unimaginable just a few months ago. Credit, or perhaps discredit, goes to Red Bull for failing to develop the car as effectively as the other teams, which have made significant strides, although Ferrari seems to have stalled after Monte Carlo.
For the other teams, there were only scraps. Aston Martin-Mercedes secured ninth place with Fernando Alonso, who also opted for a single pit stop but with no major results. Tenth place went to Esteban Ocon in the Alpine-Renault, narrowly beating out Daniel Ricciardo, who delivered a solid performance in the Racing Bulls-Honda. In Belgium, Haas and Williams remained underwhelming.
UPDATE
A nasty surprise for the Mercedes team after the technical inspections following the Spa GP: George Russell's car was found to be 1.5 kg under the minimum weight limit. The regulations require a minimum weight of 798 kg without fuel, but Russell's W15, after removing some of the remaining fuel—2.8 liters in the tank—was weighed at 796.5 kg, 1.5 kg below the regulatory minimum.
The disqualification was inevitable, stripping Russell of his brilliant victory and handing first place to Lewis Hamilton. This reshuffle moves Oscar Piastri to second place and Charles Leclerc onto the podium in third.
© Cavalieri Garage & Co.
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