P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren’s Belgian Grand Prix dominance drove home what a monster its 2025 car has become – and was key to a victory battle that wasn’t supposed to happen
The meeting room at McLaren’s Woking MTC base in the manufacturing department is named ‘La Source’ by Andrea Stella, with the double meaning signifying that solutions to the car’s weaknesses would originate from discussions in that room, just like at Spa’s La Source corner.
The proposed solutions from these meetings led to a remarkable victory by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at Spa, 20s ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen, which held great significance for McLaren.
The race performance at Spa showcased the McLaren’s strength on a challenging circuit, with Piastri displaying a mix of commitment and control, while Norris faced a disappointed defeat.
Piastri’s strategic lead from the start and managing his tyres were crucial in securing the win, despite the threat posed by Norris on a different tyre strategy.
Norris’ more aggressive driving and small errors ultimately cost him the opportunity to challenge Piastri for the win in the closing laps of the race.
