Russell storms to stunning Belgian GP victory in Mercedes one-two

One-stopping George Russell resisted a late charge from Mercedes F1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages to win the Belgian Grand Prix for his second victory of the season.

In a 44-lap race that featured high-levels of tyre degradation, Russell opted for the contra-strategy of a single pit-stop compared to the two-stops of the rest of the leading gaggle. 

Hamilton, who had taken the lead from Charles Leclerc on lap 3 after dispatching Sergio Perez on the opening lap, was able to catch Russell, but the younger Briton held firm to earn a second grand prix victory of the year and third overall. 

Hamilton completed the first Mercedes one-two since Sao Paulo 2022 ahead of Oscar Piastri in the McLaren who passed pole-sitter Leclerc late on for the final podium spot. 

Max Verstappen could only take fifth from 11th on the grid for Red Bull, being engaged in a battle with title rival Lando Norris for the majority of the race, with Sergio Perez seventh ahead of Carlos Sainz, who started off-strategy on the hard tyres. 

The points positions were rounded out by Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.

NOTE:  George Russell was promptly disqualified from the race for an underweight car handing the win to Hamilton.

Hamilton leads

At lights out, Leclerc held onto the lead, aided by the fact that Hamilton and Perez battled on the exit of La Source, up the hill and down the Kemmel Straight. 

The Mercedes driver passed Perez under braking to grab second, and at the same spot on lap 3 was able to pass Leclerc with the DRS and quickly broke out of activation for the Monegasque, gapping him at around the two-second mark. 

The lead eight cars then settled down with the order being Hamilton-Leclerc-Perez-Piastri-Russell-Sainz-Norris-Verstappen, before Russell and Verstappen both pitted at the end of lap 10, triggering powerful undercuts. 

Hamilton, Perez and Piastri responded next time by as Leclerc, Sainz and Norris continued, with Leclerc stopping at the end of lap 12, with Sainz and Norris carrying on. 

Norris stopped at the end of lap 16, emerging in P8 behind Verstappen as Sainz had a little off at Stavelot whilst leading, eventually coming in at the end of lap 20. 

As it shook out, Hamilton led from Leclerc and Piastri with Perez, Russell and Verstappen engaged in a DRS train, which ended with Perez pitting at the end of lap 22 for the second time, forcing the leaders back in for their second stops. 

Leclerc tried to undercut Hamilton, pitting on lap 25, but Hamilton covered next time by, as Russell committed to his one-stop strategy. 

Verstappen pitted on lap 28, and was let through by Perez on lap 30 for fifth as Piastri went long in the pit-box at his final stop. 

Hamilton emerged from his stop around seven seconds behind Russell, and whittled the advantage down to be within DRS on lap 41 with three laps to go. 

But Russell stood firm against Hamilton's onslaught to record his first victory at Spa.

Piastri, who was quick in clean-air overtook Leclerc for P3 at Les Coombes on lap 36 with a brave move to complete the podium with Leclerc coming under fire from Verstappen in the closing stages, but holding on.

It is the 60th Mercedes one-two finish, as well as its eighth victory at Spa. 

Leclerc was fourth, ahead of Verstappen, Norris, Sainz, and Perez, as the two Ferrari drivers combined to help the Scuderia become the first team to break the 10,000 point scored barrier, the first team to do so in F1 history.

Zhou the only retiree

Perez pitted for the fastest lap bonus point late on, as Alonso and Ocon rounded out the points scoring positions. 

Daniel Ricciardo missed out in 11th for RB, ahead of Lance Stroll as Alex Albon fell from 10th on the grid to 13th by the flag. 

Pierre Gasly was 14th ahead of Kevin Magnussen, Valtteri Bottas, Yuki Tsunoda, Logan Sargeant and Nico Hulkenberg. 

The only retiree was Zhou Guanyu, who slowed on lap 3, reporting a loss of power, before carrying on as he eventually dropped out on lap 7.