Piastri reigns in Belgium to extend world title lead

Perth Now

4 hours ago

Oscar Piastri has taken a major step towards a first world championship title by defying wet conditions at the Spa-Francochamps track to win a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix.
Heading home McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who had started on pole, means Australian driver Piastri's lead has jumped from nine to 16 points.
It also halted his English rival's gathering momentum - Norris had won the previous two races to slash Piastri's overall lead to single figures.
The decisive moment came early once the race got underway, Piastri passing Norris on the first racaing lap to power on to finish 3.415 seconds clear of his arch-rival.
Norris reduced Piastri's lead toward the end of the race but the Australian held on with worn tires and Norris could not get close enough to challenge.
"I knew Lap 1 (after the safety car) would probably be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn 1, lifted as little as I dared and yeah, we had it mostly under control," Piastri said after his eighth Formula One career win and sixth of this season.
Piastri had been disappointed to qualify second for the race behind Norris, but it "turns out starting second at Spa is not so bad after all," he said.
The world title initiative has suddenly swung back to Piastri, who heads to Hungary for next Sunday's engagement knowing he won his first race in Budapest last season.
Norris remarked: "Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Oscar deserved it, I'll review my things but still happy for the team, another 1-2 and our first 1-2 here for many, many years."
The race had been red-flagged after an initial formation lap due to standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility.
That resulted in a delay of an hour and 20 minutes as officials waited for conditions at the notoriously weather-prone circuit to improve.
Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari as dominant champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row.
Titleholder Max Verstappen, in his first full race under a new Red Bull chief following the departure of Christian Horner, finished fourth.
George Russell, of Mercedes, who crossed the line first in Spa last year but was disqualified due to his car being underweight, was fifth this time and Williams' Alex Albon came home sixth.
With agencies