Oscar Piastri wins rain-hit Belgian GP in McLaren one-two finish

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: Oscar Piastri defeated teammate and title rival Lando Norris in a McLaren one-two finish to clinch the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix and extend his Formula One championship lead to 16 points on Sunday.

Charles Leclerc finished a distant third for Ferrari while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fourth as reigning champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row.

The race was red-flagged after an initial formation lap and delayed by an hour and 20 minutes due to bad weather, with standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility.

When the race got going, Piastri was unstoppable, winning it by a comfortable 3.41 seconds. Victory marks his eighth overall and sixth of the ongoing season.

Oscar Piastri reflected on his victory, saying he knew lap one would be his best chance to win. He also admitted that he struggled at the end.

"I knew lap one would be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn One, lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge," he said.

"The rest of the race we managed really well. I struggled at the end. Maybe the mediums were not the best for the last five or six laps. We had it mostly under control."

George Russell ended in fifth position for Mercedes, Williams' Alex Albon held off Ferrari's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton to secure sixth.

Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls finished eighth, with Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly securing the final point for Alpine.