P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell executed a one-stop race and resisted a late charge from team-mate Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes took a shock 1-2 in Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix. Russell’s strategic gamble paid dividends as it shot him up the order and he nursed his rubber to pip both Hamilton and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to the chequered […]
Russell’s strategic move paid off, propelling him up the order to beat Hamilton and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at the finish. The rain cleared, giving way to sunny skies and rising temperatures right before the race. Some drivers opted for different tire strategies, with Ricciardo on Softs and Sainz and Zhou choosing the durable Hard compound. Leclerc had a strong start, with Hamilton and Perez battling closely for position behind him. Norris struggled at the start, dropping to seventh as Verstappen and others made their moves. Hamilton eventually overtook Leclerc for the lead, while Russell and Verstappen made early pit stops to shake up the order. Hamilton, Perez, and Piastri followed suit with their own pit stops as the race settled into a strategic procession. Leclerc, Sainz, and Norris made their stops at different times, with varying results. Russell’s aggressive overtaking maneuvers allowed him to climb to fourth, while Perez had difficulties defending his position. Verstappen’s release from Red Bull set up an interesting dynamic as the race unfolded smoothly.
