In a thrilling turn of events at the Belgian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton clinched victory after his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who initially finished first, was disqualified due to his car being underweight. This marks Hamilton’s second victory of the season, following his win at Silverstone, and his 105th career Formula One win. Mercedes celebrated their third victory in the last four races, initially believing they had achieved a one-two finish.
Oscar Piastri of McLaren was promoted to second place, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc moving up to third after Russell’s disqualification. Starting from sixth, Russell delivered an outstanding performance, being the only driver to opt for a one-stop strategy and managing his second set of tires for 34 out of 44 laps. He successfully fended off Hamilton and Piastri to cross the finish line first.
However, post-race technical checks revealed that Russell’s car was 1.5kg below the minimum weight limit. “Car 63 is disqualified from the race classification,” the stewards announced, prompting all other drivers to move up a position. Initially, Russell’s car weighed 798kg, meeting the minimum requirement. Upon further inspection and full fuel drainage, the car weighed 796.5kg.
Russell expressed his dismay on social media, saying, “Heartbreaking. We came in 1.5kg underweight and have been disqualified from the race. We left it all on the track today and I take pride in crossing the line first. There will be more to come.”
Leclerc, who started from pole position, ended up in fourth place, followed by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, McLaren’s Lando Norris, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, and Esteban Ocon completed the top ten. The race began in bright, dry conditions, with Leclerc taking an early lead. Hamilton quickly overtook Perez to secure second place and soon passed Leclerc on the Kemmel Straight. From there, Hamilton maintained his lead, with Leclerc, Perez, Piastri, and Russell in pursuit.
Pit stops commenced on lap 10, with Russell and Verstappen switching to hard tires. Hamilton, Perez, and Piastri followed a lap later, while Norris pitted on lap 16. As the race progressed, Russell’s one-stop strategy allowed him to take the lead. Despite Hamilton’s attempts to close the gap, Mercedes permitted the teammates to race each other, adding to the excitement.
Ultimately, Hamilton’s position was confirmed after Russell’s disqualification, securing another victory and further solidifying his legacy. Russell, however, will aim to recover from this setback and continue his impressive form in future races.
Hamilton’s victory at the Belgian Grand Prix demonstrates his enduring skill and determination, as he continues to build on his legendary career. With more races ahead, fans can expect more thrilling performances from the seven-time world champion
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