P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell was the only frontrunner to commit to a one stop strategy in the Belgian GP. That led to his stunning race – and potentially his post-race downfall as Mark Hughes explains
The Belgian Grand Prix in F1 was not expected to be a one-stop race, yet George Russell found himself leading out of sequence after the pitstops of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and Oscar Piastri. Russell noticed a significant improvement in his car and tires and decided to push for a one-stop strategy while keeping an eye on Hamilton’s catching pace. Piastri also felt the car’s fantastic performance in the lead but had more to lose on a potential win challenge against Hamilton on a two-stop strategy. Ultimately, Russell’s one-stop strategy led to a disqualification for being underweight, giving Hamilton the official victory in a bewildering race where unexpected strategies and tire management played a crucial role in the outcome. Both drivers displayed remarkable skills and tactical judgment throughout the challenging race in Belgium.
