F1 Belgian Grand Prix Race Review
- Matt Hylen
- Jul 30, 2025
- 12 min read
The latter half of the 2025 Formula 1 season has officially kicked off with Round 13 at the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps track in Belgium, as teams and drivers prepare for the summer break in just a week's time. Though we did not get the wet race we had hoped for (thanks, FIA), I felt as though this weekend was pretty decent in terms of action. The pecking order is more mixed than ever, with the midfield and even the teams above mixing and matching their positioning all weekend long.
In terms of my bold predictions (which I describe in my previous F1 article, go check it out!), I ended up going 2/5, which is not bad considering how bold I went for the Spa race weekend. Had a few more things gone my way, I could have been looking at a 3/5 or even a 4/5, but sometimes that is just how it goes. Stay tuned, because I have a good feeling about some of my Hungarian Grand Prix predictions, which will release this Saturday, August 2nd, at 8 pm EST.
Anyways, let's get into the review, shall we? But before we do, as always, a couple of reminders:
Formula One has two main championship competitions. The first of the two Championships is the Drivers' Championship, which is a competition based on the drivers' individual performance. On a non-Sprint style weekend, the drivers who finish in the top 10 in each race will score points (the higher you place, the more points you get). These points are added up, and whichever driver finishes with the most points at the end of the season will win the Drivers' Championship.
The next is the Constructors' Championship, a competition between the teams. The number of points the drivers within a team get each race is combined, creating the total points for the team (e.g., Lando Norris has scored 250 points and Oscar Piastri has scored 266 points, giving the McLaren team 516 points in the Constructors' Championship). The team whose drivers accumulate the most points combined for their team will win the Constructors' Championship.
This weekend's race was also a Sprint-style format. A Sprint race is a race with fewer laps that gives the drivers an opportunity to score some extra points. It is meant to not only help the drivers but also give the fans more racing action. Instead of the normal weekend format (three practice sessions, qualifying, and the race), a sprint weekend format is a little different. There is only one practice session but two qualifying sessions (one for the sprint race and one for the main race). The sprint race occurs between the sprint qualifying session and the main race qualifying session.
Note, 21 drivers will be listed within the Drivers' Championship Standings, as Franco Colapinto replaced Jack Doohan at Alpine.
Now, here is a look at the standings for both Championships:
Drivers' Championship Standings:
Oscar Piastri 266 points
Lando Norris 250 points
Max Verstappen 185 points
George Russell 157 points
Charles Leclerc 139 points
Lewis Hamilton 109 points
Andrea Kimi Antonelli 63 points
Alexander Albon 54 points
Nico Hülkenberg 37 points
Esteban Ocon 27 points
Isak Hadjar 22 points
Pierre Gasly 20 points
Lance Stroll 20 points
Liam Lawson 16 points
Fernando Alonso 16 points
Carlos Sainz 16 points
Yuki Tsunoda 10 points
Oliver Bearman 8 points
Gabriel Bortoleto 6 points
Franco Colapinto 0 points
Jack Doohan 0 points
Constructors' Championship Standings:
McLaren 516 points
Ferrari 248 points
Mercedes 220 points
Red Bull 192 points
Williams 70 points
Kick Sauber 43 points
VCARB 41 points
Aston Martin 36 points
Haas 35 points
Alpine 20 points
Standings were found at F1.com.
Alpine
Although they may be last in the standings, Alpine found a way to score points once again this weekend. For the Sprint, Franco Colapinto qualified 19th (started from pit lane) and finished 19th, while Pierre Gasly qualified 8th and did not finish. For the Grand Prix, Colapinto qualified 17th (started 15th) and finished 19th, with Pierre Gasly qualifying 13th and finishing 10th.
Alpine are in absolute shambles when it comes to performance. Their inability to maintain a consistent staff is bleeding into their car's ability year after year, with this year being the worst of the bunch. Gasly had to put together one of his best performances of the season thus far to escape with a point.
Regarding the drivers' performances, Gasly did everything he could, while it still seems Franco Colapinto can't get a handle on the car. I do think their lackluster results are a product of the car being the worst on the grid currently, so I am hoping the team keeps their driver lineup the same for now. Otherwise, not much to speak of in terms of this weekend for Alpine. Regardless of the fact that Gasly somehow scored a point, Alpine were slow all weekend long.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin were horrific this weekend, as they put together a performance that was not even close to competitive. For the Sprint, Lance Stroll qualified 15th and finished 13th, while Fernando Alonso qualified and finished 14th. For the Grand Prix, Stroll qualified 20th (started 16th) and finished 14th, with Alonso qualifying 19th (started from the pit lane) and finishing.
I mean it cannot get much worse than this for Aston Martin. They were extremely poor on all fronts in both qualifying sessions and the races, allowing for their competition to either increase their lead or catch up in terms of points. The fact that both Alonso and Stroll struggled equally as much, even with the new upgrades, makes me think the car just was not suited for a track like Spa.
With that said, I do think this has a chance to be a one-off. Alonso has been on a great streak as of late (16 points in the last 5 races), and the upgrades may not have been effective on a track like Spa. With Hungary's track being a completely different layout, there is still hope for Aston before the summer break hits. But nevertheless, in terms of this past weekend, Aston Martin were just awful.
Ferrari
Ferrari looked like the second-best team consistently this weekend, which is a promising sign for a chaotic team. For the Sprint, Charles Leclerc qualified and finished 4th, while Lewis Hamilton qualified 18th and finished 15th. For the Grand Prix, Leclerc qualified and finished 3rd, with Hamilton qualifying 16th (started from the pit lane) and finishing 7th.
Pace-wise, the car was in a good place this weekend. The team's upgrades worked nicely at Spa, with Leclerc and Hamilton having no major issues to speak of all weekend long.
The only real concern was Hamilton's qualifying performances. Though Hamilton's poor qualifying sessions are a little concerning, he was able to fly up the grid during the Grand Prix, making up 6 places in only 10 laps. His decision to pit onto slicks earlier than everyone else (Lap 11) benefited him immensely too, as he rose all the way to 7th.
Leclerc, on the other hand, was spectacular. He got the absolute most out of his car all weekend long, which is something not many drivers can say with a good result next to it. He defended against Max Verstappen very nicely for multiple laps, before eventually pulling away from him by the end of the race. This could definitely be Charles' best drive this season; he was amazing.
The team also pulled away from Mercedes once again in the Constructors' standings, which will be crucial as we enter the summer break. Ferrari is doing exactly what they need to be doing while Mercedes is struggling, making few mistakes along the way. Overall, a very nice weekend for Ferrari.
Haas
Though they did come away with solid points, Spa ended up as a big "what if" weekend for Haas. For the Sprint, Oliver Bearman qualified and finished 7th, while Esteban Ocon qualified and finished 5th. For the Grand Prix, Bearman qualified 12th and finished 11th, with Ocon qualifying 11th and finishing 15th.
Everything came together for Haas this weekend pace-wise. Both Bearman and Ocon found consistent and quick pace within the car, putting it in places it had no business being. Though it was only the Sprint, a 5th and 7th place finish is extremely impressive for Haas, especially considering the consistency battle they've gone through all season long.
Haas also did not fall off come main race qualifying, with finishes just outside the top 10. However, it was their poor decision-making that screwed them over during the main race. Haas should have pitted Bearman and Ocon as soon as they saw Hamilton's pace on the slicks (Hamilton pitted a lap before everyone else).
This weekend was Haas' chance to score major points, yet their strategy and hesitancy to take risks foiled that. If they want to make up ground this year, they need to take risks, especially when things come together like they did this past weekend. Like I said, Haas' pace was fantastic all weekend long, but a bad strategy threw their chances out the window.
Kick Sauber
Kick Sauber were decent in Spa, considering their run of form as of late. For the Sprint, Gabriel Bortoleto qualified 10th and finished 9th, while Nico Hülkenberg qualified 17th and finished 18th. For the Grand Prix, Bortoleto qualified 10th and finished 9th, with Hülkenberg qualifying 14th and finishing 12th.
Points in any form are a positive for Sauber, which they accomplished this weekend. Bortoleto, in my opinion, had his best overall weekend of the season with two Q3 appearances and a top ten finish in both races. Hülkenberg was not as quick in Spa, but I mean, you can't expect him to defy the odds every weekend.
Sauber's strategy was also good this weekend. Neither driver was affected negatively by the choices they made, which you can't say for every team this past weekend. Overall, Sauber continues to exceed most expectations, with the team very much in the midfield fight.
McLaren
McLaren was dominant once again in Spa, furthering themselves from the rest of the grid. For the Sprint, Lando Norris qualified and finished 3rd, while Oscar Piastri qualified on pole and finished 2nd. For the Grand Prix, Norris secured pole position and finished in 2nd, with Piastri qualifying 2nd and winning the race.
McLaren is currently in a league of its own. The pace of the car, no matter the track or the conditions, is consistently the best, and it isn't even close. At this point, the only thing stopping McLaren from at minimum a podium finish every weekend going forward is a drastic mistake or a crash. They are that good.
However, Spa did bring out something that may dictate the rest of the season, which is the fact that right now, Norris is not ready to win a Drivers' Championship. Throughout this past weekend, you saw Lando make mistake after mistake, with Piastri not making one. Yes, the reason Oscar was able to take the lead in the Grand Prix was not fully on Lando (his car had a problem with the battery), but he still had a great opportunity to catch Oscar. What happened instead? Norris made four costly errors that lost him too much time in his hunt for the win.
Piastri, on the other hand, may have the strongest mental game in the sport. He just does not get fazed by anything. It is because of that mental toughness Oscar is leading the championship. He rarely makes mistakes, and he capitalizes on other drivers' mistakes. He is as solid as they come, which is why I feel, as of right now, he is more equipped to win this battle between teammates. Spa was just the most recent illustration of this.
Now, I am not counting out Lando. Norris is still an incredible driver, and honestly a top two driver in the sport when his mind is right. The problem is that once his confidence is down (which happens a lot), he makes mistakes. If he can find a way to build the mental toughness he knows he can have, then we have a championship fight on our hands.
Mercedes
Mercedes continued to move in the wrong direction at Spa, as their poor streak went on through the weekend. For the Sprint, Kimi Antonelli qualified 20th (started 19th) and finished 17th, while George Russell qualified 13th and finished 12th. As for the Grand Prix, Antonelli qualified 18th (started from the pit lane) and finished 16th, while Russell qualified 6th and finished 5th.
Mercedes just seems to be taking steps backward. The car looked so promising at the start of the season, but since their double podium in Canada, the downhill spiral has been drastic. They are making all the wrong decisions right now, and it is costing them dearly in the Constructors' Championship.
So, until the team gets their act together, there is not much Antonelli or Russell can do. George, being the veteran he is, is having to get every bit out of the car in order to make it into Q3 and fend off a Williams for 5th. That is not a good thing. Mercedes are lucky that Russell has the confidence that he does right now, because otherwise he would not have been close to finishing where he did in the main race.
Meanwhile, we are seeing in real time an eighteen-year-old's confidence (even with recording the fastest lap of the race in Belgium) go from sky high to rock bottom in Antonelli. This was Antonelli's worst weekend of his young career, no doubt, but how much of that is his fault? His lap times in the races say differently, so it makes me believe that there is something fundamentally wrong with the car. George would be in the same spot if it weren't for his experience.
Overall, Mercedes are struggling mightily, with Spa being possibly one of the worst of the bunch. One thing is for sure, and it is that the summer break could not come soon enough for the silver arrows.
VCARB
VCARB looked strong early on in the weekend, but failed to execute fully when it mattered most. For the Sprint, Isak Hadjar qualified 9th and finished 8th, while Liam Lawson qualified 11th and finished 10th. For the Grand Prix, Hadjar qualified 8th and finished 20th, while Lawson qualified 9th and finished 8th.
Looking back on the weekend, there was no real major concern as a result of it. Lawson looked better than he has all season long, while Hadjar was a pit stop incident away from probably scoring points in the main race. Both drivers kept things clean all weekend long, but, most importantly, showed very similar but strong pace. The biggest issue for VCARB was that Lawson was too far off of Hadjar's pace, but that was far from an issue in Spa. This is twice in three races where Lawson has outperformed Hadjar overall, so the tides may be shifting in the way VCARB, and Red Bull, were hoping they would.
Red Bull
In the team's first race since the firing of former CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner, Red Bull just about met expectations overall. For the Sprint, Yuki Tsunoda qualified 12th and finished 11th, while Max Verstappen qualified 2nd and won the Sprint. For the Grand Prix, Tsunoda qualified 7th and finished 13th, with Verstappen qualifying and finishing 4th.
It looked like both Red Bull drivers would be scoring points for the first time since Imola in May, but it did not come to fruition by race end. With the upgrades finally brought to his car, Yuki Tsunoda's qualifying pace looked extremely promising. He was not far off Verstappen in either qualifying session this weekend, posting his best result so far as a Red Bull driver. Though the main race did not go his way, signs of life flashed this weekend for Tsunoda.
As for Verstappen, it should not be surprising in the slightest that he was able to do what he did in Spa. This car has no business winning any race, yet Max continues to do it time and time again. It may have only been a sprint this time, but Verstappen was right there at the top all weekend long.
Red Bull have a lot of positives to take away from Belgium. The results this past weekend were a step in the right direction in a rebuilding year for the team.
Williams
Williams was a little all over the place this weekend, yet the team was able to come away with a huge amount of points. For the Sprint, Carlos Sainz qualified and finished 6th, while Alex Albon qualified and finished 16th. For the Grand Prix, Sainz qualified 15th (started from the pit lane) and finished 18th, with Albon qualifying 5th and finishing 6th.
The biggest thing for Williams to take away is that their upgrades worked. It has been a tough stretch for Williams as of late (5 total points in the last 4 races prior to Belgium), but 11 points in Spa is a huge bounce back. Not only that, but we saw flashes of brilliance from both Sainz and Albon. As we head later into 2025, Williams' focus should be on two things. One, they need to get Sainz comfortable with the car, and two, they need to get their mechanical issues under control. Did Sainz do terribly in the main race qualifying and the Grand Prix? Yes, but the Sprint result was very promising, as it showed Sainz still has the ability to be quick in the Williams car.
Albon has been fantastic all year long, with Spa being no different, but if Sainz can continue to match him in the main races, Williams will have no problem securing 5th in the Constructors' Championship.
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Until next time!
-Matt Hylen