F1 returns after a three-week mid-season break for the Belgian Grand Prix at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit - and the third sprint weekend of the 2025 season.
Lando Norris won his home race last time out at the British Grand Prix, capitalising on teammate Oscar Piastri’s penalty to claim his second victory in a row. Piastri’s lead in the world championship is now just eight points at the halfway stage of the season, and the Australian was quickest in FP1 as he laid down a marker at the start of the weekend.
Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, George Russell and Charles Leclerc rounded out the top five in practice.
Nico Hulkenberg secured his first-ever podium in F1 at Silverstone, while Lewis Hamilton once again finished fourth as he continues to chase a first podium in Ferrari red.
Hamilton won last year’s race at Spa-Francorchamps after George Russell was disqualified. This weekend’s race will also be the first since Christian Horner’s dismissal at Red Bull, with Laurent Mekies taking charge for the first time.
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F1 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Round 13 of the 2025 F1 season takes place in Belgium
- Spa-Francorchamps hosts the third sprint weekend of the year; sprint qualifying is at 3:30pm (BST)
- Piastri sets fastest time ahead of Verstappen, Norris and Russell at the end of FP1
- Hamilton bemoans his Ferrari's 'rear locking and instability' during Spa practice
- PREVIEW: What does Red Bull without Christian Horner look like?
- Oscar Piastri has an eight-point lead to Lando Norris in the world championship
Start times at the Belgian Grand Prix:
14:30
,
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 25 July
- Sprint qualifying: 3:30pm
Saturday 26 July
- Sprint race: 11am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 27 July
- Race: 2pm
Laurent Mekies makes Christian Horner admission in first Red Bull press conference
14:44
,
Kieran Jackson
New Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies admitted he does not know why Christian Horner was relieved of his duties a fortnight ago.
French engineer Mekies, previously team principal at Red Bull’s sister F1 team Racing Bulls, has taken over from Horner and is at the helm this weekend for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Mekies previously enjoyed a near-decade stint at Toro Rosso, the old name for Red Bull’s sister team, and also has experience to his name at Ferrari and the FIA.
Yet a brief Red Bull statement announcing Horner’s departure did not spell out the specific reason why the Briton lost his job, with drivers Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda also unable to give a clear cause on Thursday.
Full quotes below:
F1 constructor standings
14:13
,
Lawrence Ostlere
McLaren are dominating the constructor standings thus far.
1. McLaren - 460 points
2. Ferrari - 222 points
3. Mercedes - 210 points
4. Red Bull - 172 points
5. Williams - 59 points
6. Sauber - 41 points
7. Racing Bulls - 36 points
8. Aston Martin - 36 points
9. Haas - 29 points
10. Alpine - 19 points
F1 driver standings
14:01
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Here is how they stand at the halfway point this season, with 12 races completed at 12, including Spa this weekend, to come:
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 234 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 165 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 147 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 119 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 46 points
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points
10. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 23 points
12. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 21 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 20 points
13. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 19 points
14. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 16 points
15. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 13 points
16. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 12 points
17. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 4 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Still to come this weekend
13:46
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Sprint qualifying is coming up this afternoon, ahead of tomorrow’s sprint race. Here’s what’s coming up this weekend at Spa:
All times BST
Friday 25 July
- Sprint qualifying: 3:30pm
Saturday 26 July
- Sprint race: 11am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 27 July
- Race: 2pm
Wolff dismisses Verstappen links: 'That's Prost-Senna'
13:33
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Could Verstappen and Russell be teammates at Mercedes next season?
"This is all a long-shot, far-fetched. I want to stay with Kimi and George as it stands. Everything else is not realistic. If you have a Russell-Verstappen line-up, that's Prost-Senna."
Wolff defends Mercedes' role
13:26
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Did Mercedes’ attempts to woo Verstappen force Red Bull’s hand?
"No. There is much more in the background that we probably don't know with Red Bull.
"Looking after drivers, in my position as team principal of Mercedes, I need to explore what Max is going to do in the next few years, not only next year."
Toto Wolff: 'I will miss Horner... in a way'
13:14
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Toto Wolff speaks to Sky Sports after practice, and he is asked whether he will miss his old rival Christian Horner following his sacking by Red Bull.
"In a way, yes. He was one of the main cast. I don't think he's gone forever, he could pop up in some other function – I need to be careful, he could rock up in the FIA then I'm really in the s***!
"He was someone that was controversial, polarising and not soft-washed. That was good from the entertainment factor and from that perspective he will be missed. His track record speaks for itself."
FP1 report
13:03
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Formula One leader Oscar Piastri showed impressive speed in sole practice for the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday with Max Verstappen starting Red Bull's new era by denying champions McLaren the one-two.
Piastri was a hefty 0.404 quicker than four-times world champion Verstappen, whose team are racing without Christian Horner in charge for the first time since they entered the sport in 2005.
McLaren's Lando Norris was third on the timesheets, 0.504 off the pace and with work to do if he is to reduce Piastri's eight point lead.
With Belgium running to the sprint format, qualifying for Saturday's 100km race replaces the usual second Friday practice session.
Mercedes George Russell, who won last year before being stripped of victory for an underweight car, was fourth fastest with teammate Kimi Antonelli sixth and separating the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Canadian Lance Stroll was eighth for Aston Martin with teammate Fernando Alonso ninth and Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar completing the top 10 as his former boss Laurent Mekies started work as Horner's replacement.
Horner was dismissed after this month's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Fastest sector times in FP1
12:52
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Piastri may have quickest in the winding, technical sector 2, but Red Bull and Mercedes had serious straight-line speed in sectors 1 and 3:
FASTEST SECTORS IN FP1 ⤵️
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 25, 2025
Verstappen
Piastri
Antonelli#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/TUMPRWjYyR
FP1 Standings - Belgian Grand Prix 2025
12:42
,
Jack Rathborn
1. Oscar Piastri - 1:42.022
2. Max Verstappen - +0.404
3. Lando Norris - +0.504
4. George Russell - +0.576
5. Charles Leclerc - +0.906
6. Kimi Antonelli - +0.957
7. Lewis Hamilton - +1.063
8. Lance Stroll - +1.090
9. Fernando Alonso - +1.098
10. Isack Hadjar +1.100
End of FP1
12:36
,
Lawrence Ostlere
The chequered flag comes down on practice at Spa, as Piastri improves his fastest time to 1:42.022.
END OF FP1
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 25, 2025
TOP 10
Piastri
Verstappen
Norris
Russell
Leclerc
Antonelli
Hamilton
Stroll
Alonso
Hadjar #F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/4E3BnN0oFE
Norris and Verstappen struggling for control
12:30
,
Lawrence Ostlere
A number of drivers are struggling for grip out there. Norris has just run two wheels into the gravel at Stabalo, and meanwhile:
"A bit weird for me mid corner,” complains Max Verstappen. “I just can't really get good rotation. It's almost like I'm three wheeling as well."
Piastri goes fastest!
12:25
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Oscar Piastri goes a second quicker than Lance Stroll and takes top spot. Seven minutes remaining...
FP1 – Belgian Grand Prix
12:27
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Hadjar in action at Spa:
Hadjar almost spins out through Eau Rouge
12:12
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Isack Hadjar almost just lost control through Eau Rouge, his Racing Bull twitching worringly before steadying on its way out of the turn.
“I nearly lost it!” he shouts over radio. “There’s something broken.”
Belgian Grand Prix 2025 - FP1 latest updates
12:06
,
Jack Rathborn
Max Verstappen on Laurent Mekies succeeding Christian Horner as Red Bull Team Principal
12:03
,
Jack Rathborn
Max Verstappen on Laurent Mekies: "He is very motivated, it's of course a big jump, but the meetings we've had, we've discussed technical stuff.
“Me being part of the team for a longer time, we share opinions, what we can work on. His technical background, it's good to have him on the team. Hopefully we can work strongly together."
Lewis Hamilton angers fellow drivers with 'dangerous' move
11:59
,
Jack Rathborn
Lewis Hamilton in the middle of the track and forcing others to get out of the way.
Bortoleto: “Mate, what the f*** is Hamilton doing? He’s always in the middle of the track.”
Charles Leclerc adds: “Ah, come on, this is dangerous!”
Carlos Sainz to make belated start to FP1 with Williams issue solved
11:55
,
Jack Rathborn
No time yet for Carlos Sainz, but Williams appear to be on top of the issue.
The car is now in a better spot, the team says “We have identified the issue with the fuel system and Carlos should be going out shortly.”
Belgian Grand Prix 2025 - FP1 latest updates
11:48
,
Jack Rathborn
The C1 tyres not quite performing well enough yet, taking a little while to heat up.
The drivers are about a second off where they want to be.
Colapinto, the only driver on the grid yet to score this year, is seen sliding off the track there, a snap of oversteer.
“I have a lot of rear locking and instability,” says Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, currently down in 16th.
Verstappen posts encouraging lap in FP1
11:38
,
Jack Rathborn
Max Verstappen is out and he goes quickest by -0.537, it’s a very competitive start from the Red Bull star, posting 1:45.545.
The Dutch driver is on the mediums, Norris and Antonelli using the hard tyres.
FP1 underway!
11:33
,
Kieran Jackson
A big queue at the end of the pit-lane as we get underway with the one and only practice session at Spa!
A critical hour for the drivers to get up to speed ahead of sprint qualifying later on...
Max Verstappen without his engineer this weekend:
11:24
,
Kieran Jackson
For the second time in three races, Max Verstappen will be without his usual race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.
Lambiase is absent from the Belgian GP this weekend due to personal reasons.
Simon Rennie takes his place as the man in Verstappen’s ear in Spa.
Quick little exchange backstage between team McLaren and team Ferrari:
11:20
,
Kieran Jackson
Lando & Oscar Lewis & Charles #McLaren | #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/HF5EQ5qFg7
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) July 25, 2025
EXCLUSIVE - Nico Hulkenberg: ‘F1 podium talk was cold coffee – but I’m not done yet’
11:15
,
Kieran Jackson
In modern-day Formula One, there aren’t too many narratives which could have compensated for Lewis Hamilton missing out on a Silverstone podium for the first time. Nor one which sparked more acclaim than Lando Norris winning his home grand prix. Yet Nico Hulkenberg’s tense and glorious third-place finish last time out – ending the sport’s longest podium-less streak, 239 races and no more – was just that.
From last on the starting grid in P19, the German driver and his Sauber team, now pivotally led by ex-Red Bull guru Jonathan Wheatley, executed every call and nailed every pit-stop in the dry-wet chaos to leapfrog 16 cars and finish on the podium, staving off Hamilton in the process.
A podium for Hulkenberg in a Sauber before Hamilton claims a podium for Ferrari? Nobody had that on their 2025 F1 bingo card.
Full interview below:
George Russell on his Mercedes future:
11:08
,
Kieran Jackson
“It just comes down to yourself. You’re in control of your own destiny.
“It’s a bit of a unique situation that I managed by the team who I’m racing for, but that’s the same for Kimi as well, and that’s a position we find ourselves in both.
“It’s not just the short term future of next year. There’s conversations already going on for drivers for ’27, ’28, ’29. People have always looked many years in advance.
“When I was at Williams when I signed in 2019, 2022 was always the projection for me to join [Mercedes], if that makes sense. So the situation we find ourselves in now is, I don’t think it’s abnormal, and from my side, there is no tension, because there’s two cars to every team. I’m performing the best I’ve ever performed. I have the majority of the points for the team.
“So if you look at the facts, you would argue my job is safe. That’s why I’m not concerned at all.”
Lewis Hamilton reacts to Christian Horner’s Red Bull exit: ‘It was remarkable what he did’
10:59
,
Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton has paid tribute to Christian Horner after his exit from Red Bull a fortnight ago.
Horner, 51, was relieved of his duties as Red Bull team principal after 20 years in charge, in a shock announcement which sent shockwaves through the paddock.
Horner won 14 world championships in total across his two decades at the team and has been a fierce rival for Hamilton, both during his time at McLaren and at Mercedes.
Full quotes below:
F1 constructor standings heading into Belgian GP:
10:40
,
Kieran Jackson
1. McLaren - 460 points
2. Ferrari - 222 points
3. Mercedes - 210 points
4. Red Bull - 172 points
5. Williams - 59 points
6. Sauber - 41 points
7. Racing Bulls - 36 points
8. Aston Martin - 36 points
9. Haas - 29 points
10. Alpine - 19 points
VIDEO: Verstappen has spoken to Horner
10:25
,
Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen reveals that he has been in contact with Christian Horner ahead of the Belgian GP pic.twitter.com/MWI8gCelLl
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 24, 2025
BELGIAN GP PREVIEW:
10:14
,
Kieran Jackson at Spa-Francorchamps
On a typically sodden media day at Spa-Francorchamps, a rip-roaring old-school racetrack nestled exquisitely in the vast hills and trees of the Ardennes Forest, a new era begins in earnest for Red Bull Racing. For the first time in two decades, Christian Horner is not a presence in the “Energy Station” motorhome on a race weekend.
The British executive’s dismissal a fortnight ago, amid a divisive, chaotic and controversial 18 months, sent shockwaves up and down the paddock. F1 has not known Red Bull without Horner. He famously did not miss any of the team’s 405 races and, as such, was present for all 14 world championships, 124 grand prix victories and 287 podiums. Quite the set of accolades, consigned now to a past epoch.
But the era of the team boss juggernaut – casting a dominant shadow over all facets of a racing team – is fading in Formula One.
Full preview below:
Racing for Anthoine
10:03
,
Kieran Jackson at Spa-Francorchamps
The annual run in memory of Anthoine Hubert (2019) and Dilano van ‘t Hoff (2023), who both passed away while racing at Spa, took place on Thursday evening.
Around 200 people across the paddock ran (or cycled) a lap of the 7km track, pausing at the spots where Hubert and van ‘t Hoff crashed.
It was one of the most touching moments I’ve experienced in the sport.
F1 driver standings heading into Belgian GP:
09:55
,
Kieran Jackson
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 234 points
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 165 points
4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 147 points
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 119 points
7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points
8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 46 points
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points
10. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 23 points
12. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 21 points
12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 20 points
13. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 19 points
14. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 16 points
15. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 13 points
16. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 12 points
17. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 4 points
20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points
21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points
Belgian Grand Prix:
09:50
,
Kieran Jackson at Spa-Francorchamps
A foggy drive on the way in, through the wonders of the Ardennes forest, has now made way for sunshine at Spa-Francorchamps.
Fog suspended the F3 practice session this morning, given the medical helicopter couldn’t fly in, but the F2 practice session is in full swing as we speak.
A few hours until FP1, at 11:30am BST.
F1 Belgian GP LIVE:
09:44
,
Kieran Jackson
F1 returns after a three-week mid-season break for the Belgian Grand Prix at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit - and the third sprint weekend of the 2025 season.
Lando Norris won his home race last time out at the British Grand Prix, capitalising on teammate Oscar Piastri’s penalty to claim his second victory in a row. Piastri’s lead in the world championship is now just eight points at the halfway stage of the season.
Nico Hulkenberg secured his first-ever podium in F1 at Silverstone, while Lewis Hamilton once again finished fourth as he continues to chase a first podium in Ferrari red.
Hamilton won last year’s race at Spa-Francorchamps after George Russell was disqualified. This weekend’s race will also be the first since Christian Horner’s dismissal at Red Bull, with Laurent Mekies taking charge for the first time.