Mercedes wins twice in the brilliant strategy thriller
Mercedes celebrates surprisingly its first double victory of the current Formula-1 season. Russell wins the Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Hamilton, with Silver Arrows taking the first two places for the first time since November 2022.
In the strategy thriller at Spa-Francorchamps, Formula-1 World Champion Max Verstappen couldn't finish his drought. The Red Bull star failed in his comeback after a penalty to finish fifth for the fourth consecutive time in the last Grand Prix before the summer break. Verstappen remains the uncontested WM leader before McLaren's Lando Norris, who finished right behind the Dutch driver born in Belgium.
Russell raced in the Mercedes with a 0.5-second lead over teammate Lewis Hamilton to his third triumph in the motor racing royal class. Norris' stablemate Oscar Piastri finished third, who celebrated his first victory a week ago in Hungary. It was the first double victory for the Silver Arrows since Brazil 2022.
Verstappen couldn't fulfill his dream of a fourth consecutive Spa victory. His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez started from the first row for the first time since the China race in April but couldn't hold on to a lasting engagement with a final position of eighth. Nico Hülkenberg had nothing going on for him this weekend. The Haas veteran started as 16th and ended the 14th season race as 19th.
Red Bull's "Netflix-like" situation
The former dominance of Red Bull is gone, and Red Bull Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko is aware of it. In qualifying, Verstappen showed his class, distancing Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari by 0.595 seconds. However, Verstappen used an illegal engine for the fifth time this year, forcing him to start ten places behind. Leclerc was awarded his 25th career pole position.
"We were used to being in the lead, but it's different now," Marko admitted to Sky TV. "We'll analyze the theoretical case for the dismissal on Monday evening in England." Red Bull reserves Liam Lawson (22), Daniel Ricciardo (35), and Yuki Tsunoda (24) from sister team AlphaTauri as potential replacements.
Verstappen's "race for damage limitation"
"That's not enough," Marko said on Sky. "We'll get together on Monday evening in England and analyze." For Marko's theoretical case of dismissal, Red Bull reserves Liam Lawson (22), Daniel Ricciardo (35), and Yuki Tsunoda (24) from sister team AlphaTauri as potential replacements.
Perez had to let Hamilton pass Hamilton in the Mercedes after a tough fight in the first meters. Verstappen was eighth at the start of the second lap, right behind his title rival Norris. Norris didn't have an optimal start and went wide over the track marking. Hamilton took the lead from Leclerc.
Russell takes a bold approach
Russell opted for a daring strategy, pitting earlier than most of his competitors. He managed to gain a significant advantage over Hamilton and other title contenders, putting pressure on them to respond. The strategy paid off, as Russell took the lead and held it until the end, securing his third victory in the Formula 1 season. Hamilton finished second, while Norris dropped to third after a late pit stop. Verstappen, who started from the back of the grid due to an engine penalty, recovered to finish in a respectable seventh place. The championship standings remain tight, with Russell leading Hamilton by just 18 points and Verstappen only 33 points behind. The next race is in Monza, Italy, where Mercedes has traditionally been strong. The battle for the championship is far from over.
Verstappen found himself in a dilemma. The Dutch driver wanted to put pressure, but at the same time he couldn't wear out his tires. "It's going to be tough", said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner about Verstappen's chase for a podium spot. "I see it as a race for damage limitation", said Verstappen and pulled out of the pits first, only to get stuck in traffic as the 14th place.
The 26-year-old continued to close in on the top three. At the halfway mark, Verstappen only had George Russell in the second Mercedes, McLaren driver Piastri, Leclerc, and the leader Hamilton ahead of him. Leclerc opened the parade of leading drivers, who all put on the next set of hard tires during their second pit stop. Hamilton reacted shortly afterwards. At the front, his teammate Russell was holding on with just one pit stop, pursuing a bold strategy. It seemed spontaneous, but brilliantly changed. Hamilton was very close, but couldn't get past.
Despite Max Verstappen's strategic attempt to overtake Lewis Hamilton in the Belgian Grand Prix, his penalties and Red Bull's recent struggles resulted in a fifth-place finish. Meanwhile, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took advantage of Verstappen's misfortune, securing a pole position and a promising start in the Formula 1 season.
Max Verstappen's Red Bull team, currently experiencing a decline in dominance, is considering potential replacements from sister team AlphaTauri, such as Liam Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo, and Yuki Tsunoda. This move comes after Verstappen's 10-place grid penalty in the Belgian Grand Prix due to an illegal engine use, further complicating Red Bull's pursuit of victories this season.
George Russell's choice of an early pit stop during the Belgian Grand Prix proved to be a game-changer, pushing him ahead of rival Lewis Hamilton and leading him to his third Formula 1 victory of the season. The tight championship standings between Russell, Hamilton, and Verstappen ensure that the battle for the title remains captivating heading into the upcoming race in Monza, Italy.
