Oscar Piastri ultimately secured second place in Belgium, finishing just behind Lewis Hamilton after George Russell’s disqualification.
Piastri admitted that he lost the 2024 Belgian GP due to a delay in overtaking Charles Leclerc. Despite his best efforts, he finished half a second behind Hamilton at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 28.
During the first stint of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, McLaren struggled to make an impact on the leading Ferrari and Mercedes cars. However, their performance improved significantly in the final stint.
The 23-year-old Australian driver had to make two attempts to pass Leclerc after a slow pit-stop. Once he succeeded, he quickly closed the gap on Hamilton and Russell. Although he closed in rapidly, he was unable to engage in a battle with the two drivers. He finished one second behind Russell and half a second behind Hamilton. Piastri believed that those two laps cost him the time he needed to secure a better position.
Piastri expressed his frustration, stating, “It took me a couple of laps to get past Charles [Leclerc], and I really overheated the tires in the process.” He acknowledged that Russell’s decision to stay out on one set of Hards was the right strategy. Piastri concluded by saying that he was pleased with the results and believed that there was little more they could have done.
In a lighthearted remark, Piastri mentioned, “I think that’s the second or third time this year we’ve tried to run over the front jack, so I’ll try not to do that next time.”
Piastri initially finished third on the track but was promoted to second place in parc ferme after Russell’s Mercedes was disqualified for failing to meet the minimum weight requirement. McLaren’s strong performance continued, with 10 consecutive podium finishes, including two race wins and seven third-place finishes. They are now only 42 points behind Red Bull in the battle for the constructors’ championship title.
Since the conclusion of the 2024 Japanese GP on April 7, Andrea Stella’s team has accumulated 297 points, the highest among all teams during that period. Red Bull has gained 267 points, Mercedes has gained 232 points, and Ferrari has gained 225 points. The competition in the current F1 season continues to intensify.
