Oscar Piastri secured a dominant pole position for Saturday’s sprint race in Belgium as Lewis Hamilton qualified only 18th.
McLaren’s Piastri, who holds an eight-point lead over championship rival Lando Norris at the midway stage of the season, saw off Red Bull driver Max Verstappen at Spa-Francorchamps to take top spot.
Norris could manage only third – a distant six tenths behind team-mate Piastri – while Hamilton’s troubled spell at Ferrari took another sour twist when he spun out of Q1. Norris arrived in the Ardennes with back-to-back victories but it was Piastri who was in a different league in qualifying for Saturday’s 15-lap dash to the chequered flag.
The Australian will start as the overwhelming favourite to convert his pole into victory on Saturday, and in this form would appear unstoppable for Sunday’s main event, too.
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F1 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- The sprint race in Belgium is at 11am (BST); qualifying is at 3pm
- Oscar Piastri starts on pole for Belgian GP sprint; Verstappen 2nd; Norris 3rd
- Lewis Hamilton down in 18th after late spin in qualifying
- Oscar Piastri has an eight-point lead to Lando Norris in the world championship
- PREVIEW: What does Red Bull without Christian Horner look like?
Start times at the Belgian GP this weekend:
Friday 25 July 2025 16:43
,
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Saturday 26 July
- Sprint race: 11am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 27 July
- Race: 2pm
Max Verstappen without his engineer this weekend:
10:25
,
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.
Lewis Hamilton reacts to Christian Horner’s Red Bull exit: ‘It was remarkable what he did’
10:20
,
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:
Full starting grid for the sprint race:
09:00
,
Kieran Jackson
1. Oscar Piastri
2. Max Verstappen
3. Lando Norris
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Esteban Ocon
6. Carlos Sainz
7. Ollie Bearman
8. Pierre Gasly
9. Isack Hadjar
10. Gabriel Bortoleto
11. Liam Lawson
12. Yuki Tsunoda
13. George Russell
14. Fernando Alonso
15. Lance Stroll
16. Alex Albon
17. Nico Hulkenberg
18. Lewis Hamilton
19. Franco Colapinto
20. Kimi Antonelli
EXCLUSIVE - Nico Hulkenberg: ‘F1 podium talk was cold coffee – but I’m not done yet’
08:00
,
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:
Laurent Mekies makes Christian Horner admission in first Red Bull press conference
07:00
,
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:
Toto Wolff: 'I will miss Horner... in a way'
06:00
,
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."
VIDEO: Verstappen has spoken to Horner
04:00
,
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
Hamilton determined to deliver for Ferrari
03:00
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Lewis Hamilton said he will refuse to join the list of champions who have failed to win the world title at Ferrari after claiming his new team is not firing on all cylinders.
Speaking ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton, 40, said: “I see a huge amount of potential within this team.
“But it’s a huge organisation, and there are a lot of moving parts. And not all of them are firing on all the cylinders that they need to be.
“That’s ultimately why the team has not had the success that I think it deserves. So, I feel that it’s my job to challenge absolutely every area, to challenge everybody in the team, particularly the guys that are at the top who are making the decisions.
“If you look at the team over the last 20 years, they’ve had amazing drivers. Kimi (Raikkonen), Fernando (Alonso), Sebastian (Vettel) — all world champions. However, they didn’t win a world championship. (Raikkonen did in 2007).
“I refuse for that to be the case with me. So, I’m going the extra mile. If you take the same path all the time, you get the same results. So I’m just challenging certain things. There’s still a lot of improvements to be made, but they’ve been very responsive.”
George Russell on his Mercedes future:
02:00
,
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.”
REPORT: Oscar Piastri on pole for Belgium GP sprint race on day to forget for Lewis Hamilton
Friday 25 July 2025 22:00
,
Kieran Jackson
Oscar Piastri laid down the first marker on a hectic weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix, claiming pole position for the sprint race on Saturday morning.
The Australian, who leads the world championship by eight points to McLaren teammate Lando Norris, is without a win in three races but was on the money from the get-go at Spa-Francorchamps, a circuit he has repeatedly labelled his favourite on the calendar.
After going quickest in practice, Piastri secured pole by more than five-tenths of a second to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who split the McLarens with Norris a notable six-tenths off his fellow papaya driver.
Full report below:
Sprint race grid:
Friday 25 July 2025 20:00
,
Kieran Jackson
1. Oscar Piastri
2. Max Verstappen
3. Lando Norris
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Esteban Ocon
6. Carlos Sainz
7. Ollie Bearman
8. Pierre Gasly
9. Isack Hadjar
10. Gabriel Bortoleto
11. Liam Lawson
12. Yuki Tsunoda
13. George Russell
14. Fernando Alonso
15. Lance Stroll
16. Alex Albon
17. Nico Hulkenberg
18. Lewis Hamilton
19. Franco Colapinto
20. Kimi Antonelli
Lando Norris after qualifying P3:
Friday 25 July 2025 19:07
,
Kieran Jackson
“Not quick enough, I guess. It wasn’t the cleanest of laps but still quite a big gap to the top, not too disappointed or worry, just the sprint.
“I’m not too fussed, not the happiest of course, it is the way it is, just got to do some more work tonight - that’s all.”
Lewis Hamilton after his spin:
Friday 25 July 2025 18:44
,
Kieran Jackson
“I spun, there’s not much to say.”
“Tomorrow’s a new day. Obviously I’m massively frustrated. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.”
Yuki Tsunoda, who starts P12:
Friday 25 July 2025 18:17
,
Kieran Jackson
“Still probably struggling to drive, missed out by six-hundredths. Very tight. Tried my best.
“It’s getting there.”
Max Verstappen, after qualifying P2:
Friday 25 July 2025 17:56
,
Kieran Jackson
“Being P2 between them is a good result for us, we maximised that, I enjoyed it out there. The gap is very big but it’s not a big surprise.
“When you’re five-tenths off, we have to do our own race and see what we can do.”
Oscar Piastri after claiming pole:
Friday 25 July 2025 17:40
,
Kieran Jackson
“That was a good lap, a little scare in SQ2 with the lap deletion, but the car has been mega all day. This is a track I love, it’s my favourite one of the year, maybe that gave me a few extra tenths.
“The car has been in a good window from lap one. I feel like the last few weekends have been good from a performance perspective but not a result perspective, nice to get a result.”
CONFIRMATION: Sprint qualifying positions
Friday 25 July 2025 16:59
,
Kieran Jackson
Lap record for Piastri!
Friday 25 July 2025 16:44
,
Kieran Jackson
Piastri’s pole-setting lap time in SQ3 of a 1:40:510 is a new lap record around Spa-Francorchamps.
That’s 0.7 seconds quicker than Lewis Hamilton’s 2020 lap.
Some statement that!
Piastri:
Friday 25 July 2025 16:32
,
Kieran Jackson
“Let’s go baby. Big up, that was mega!”
Oscar Piastri on pole for the sprint!
Friday 25 July 2025 16:27
,
Kieran Jackson
It’s Piastri’s pole!
By more than four-tenths, Piastri takes top spot over Max Verstappen in second!
Lando Norris is only third, six-tenths behind Piastri.
4-10: Leclerc, Ocon, Sainz, Bearman, Gasly, Hadjar, Bortoleto
SQ3:
Friday 25 July 2025 16:22
,
Kieran Jackson
It’s not until four minutes to go that we have cars on track.
It’s going to be a one-lap shootout here - no margin for error!
SQ3 underway!
Friday 25 July 2025 16:19
,
Kieran Jackson
Eight minutes then as we decide the top-10 for the sprint race. All on soft tyres this time, compared to mediums before.
10 drivers involved: Norris, Verstappen, Leclerc, Ocon, Bortoleto, Gasly, Bearman, Sainz, Hadjar, Piastri
FIA:
Friday 25 July 2025 16:16
,
Kieran Jackson
“SQ3 will start at 4:18pm (BST).”
George Russell, after qualifying 13th:
Friday 25 July 2025 16:14
,
Kieran Jackson
“My laps felt terrible. We saw some damage in the car, we need to see if that’s the reason.
“As soon as I went through the gravel, the car didn’t feel the same. It’s only the sprint race, can make some progress tomorrow.”
George Russell out in SQ2!
Friday 25 July 2025 16:07
,
Kieran Jackson
Another elimination for Mercedes. George Russell only 13th fastest!
Bottom-five (11-15) and out in SQ2: Lawson, Tsunoda, Russell, Alonso, Stroll
Lando Norris was quickest, but was heading out in P11 until his final lap! And Oscar Piastri escapes in P10...
Oscar Piastri's lap time deleted!
Friday 25 July 2025 16:02
,
Kieran Jackson
The Australian has his table-topping time wiped - his whole car was over the white line at the top of Eau Rouge!
Piastri under pressure now...
3:00 left in SQ2.
McLarens only cars out on track!
Friday 25 July 2025 16:00
,
Kieran Jackson
Interesting approach here.
Norris and Piastri have a clear lap with no other cars out on track, and the Australian is four-tenths quicker than his teammate.
5 minutes to go. And here come the other 13 cars! Most will only have time for one lap...
SQ2 underway!
Friday 25 July 2025 15:56
,
Kieran Jackson
Five different teams had a driver knocked out in SQ1 - what will SQ2 bring?!
10 minutes long this session, as we build towards the top-10 shootout.
VIDEO: Lewis Hamilton's spin at the final chicane
Friday 25 July 2025 15:52
,
Kieran Jackson
Hamilton knocked out in SQ1! pic.twitter.com/tKhkXDiLTL
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) July 25, 2025
FIA:
Friday 25 July 2025 15:49
,
Kieran Jackson
“Start of SQ2 is delayed by a few minutes in order to allow marshals to sweep gravel on track in a couple of areas.”
Kimi Antonelli on team radio:
Friday 25 July 2025 15:45
,
Kieran Jackson
“Yeah, sorry I had no grip.”
Lewis Hamilton is out in SQ1!
Friday 25 July 2025 15:45
,
Kieran JacksonK
Oh wow.
Hamilton is on course to get into the top-15 but makes a mistake at the final bus-stop chicane and spins off-track!
A shocker for Hamilton, who will start the sprint in P18. Kimi Antonelli will also start in dead-last.
Bottom-five and out in SQ1 (16-20): Albon, Hulkenberg, Hamilton, Colapinto, Antonelli
Lewis Hamilton in the bottom-five!
Friday 25 July 2025 15:39
,
Kieran Jackson
Work to do for Hamilton, who is currently P16 with just three minutes left on the clock. He desperately needs to find some time!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Hamilton, Gasly, Colapinto, Antonelli, Bearman
3:00 to go in SQ1...
Kimi Antonelli spins
Friday 25 July 2025 15:38
,
Kieran Jackson
The Italian teenager - who admitted yesterday he is not happy with his current form - goes in too hot and spins into the gravel!
Fortunately, he keeps his Mercedes out of the wall and continues on...
6:00 left in SQ1.
Sprint qualifying underway!
Friday 25 July 2025 15:37
,
Kieran Jackson
They keep us waiting a few minutes into this quickfire 12-minute session but all the cars have now headed out of the pit lane for SQ1!
Five minutes until sprint qualifying!
Friday 25 July 2025 15:25
,
Kieran Jackson
The first part of five competitive sessions this weekend in Spa is about to start with sprint qualifying!
Sprint qualifying will follow the same Q1-Q2-Q3 format as qualifying, but the session times will be shorter than traditional qualifying: SQ1 (medium tyres) will be 12 minutes, SQ2 (medium tyres) will be 10 minutes and SQ3 (soft tyres) will be eight minutes.
Can anyone stop a McLaren pole?
BELGIAN GP PREVIEW: What will Red Bull without Christian Horner look like?
Friday 25 July 2025 15:15
,
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:
F1 constructor standings
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 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'
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 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."
FP1 report
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 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
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 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!
Friday 25 July 2025 12:25
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Oscar Piastri goes a second quicker than Lance Stroll and takes top spot. Seven minutes remaining...
FP1 – Belgian Grand Prix
Friday 25 July 2025 12:27
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Hadjar in action at Spa:
Hadjar almost spins out through Eau Rouge
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 12:06
,
Jack Rathborn
Max Verstappen on Laurent Mekies succeeding Christian Horner as Red Bull Team Principal
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 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
Friday 25 July 2025 11:48
,
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