Piastri gears up for Spa: “I feel like I’m in a really good place”

As the grid prepares to take on the second half of the season, Oscar Piastri is “excited” to return to one of his favourite circuits, arriving in Belgium with renewed focus and a clear goal of extending his narrow championship lead.

Just three years into his McLaren tenure, Piastri has firmly established himself as a frontrunner in Formula 1, topping the drivers’ championship and building on his total of seven career victories — five of which have come during his standout 2025 campaign.

The Australian earned a solid record of eight consecutive podium finishes, standing on the podium in all races except those in Australia and Canada, to accumulate 234 points in the WDC as he arrives in Belgium. 

Piastri’s previous outings around the Circuit de Spa Francorchamps have given him a dose of both the highs and lows of Formula 1, with the #81 taking home a second-place finish in 2024 (promoted by George Russell’s post-race disqualification) and DNFing in 2023 due to Turn 1 contact with Carlos Sainz. 

This weekend, running as a Sprint format, is a double points-scoring opportunity for the Australian to reclaim the top step and boost his championship margin come the chequered flag on Sunday afternoon. 

“I’m looking forward to the rest of the year, and especially this weekend,” Piastri said.

“It’s my favourite track of the year, so yeah, it’s always fun to get out on track in Spa. 

“But no, the first half of the year has gone well, I think, in some ways, better than any of us could have hoped for, so I’m excited for the second half of the year.”

McLaren’s first 1–2 finish at the British Grand Prix in 25 years was a milestone worth celebrating, but Piastri could hardly share in the joy as he accepted second place after his shot at victory came undone by a 10-second penalty for a Safety Car infringement. 

Left visibly deflated, Piastri was unusually candid in the wake of Silverstone, venting his frustration in post-race discussions with the media, however, with two weeks to reset, the Australian arrived at Spa with his emotions in check and his focus firmly back on track.

The past two rounds of racing have seen Piastri’s championship lead over his teammate reduced to just eight points as the season ticks over the halfway mark, with Lando Norris hailing victorious in both Austria and Silverstone after putting his costly slip-up at the Canadian Grand Prix behind him. 

Undeterred by Norris’ upward trajectory, Piastri is confident in his ability to convert his personal momentum into a sixth victory of the season around his favourite track on the calendar.

“I had plenty of time to analyse [Silverstone] with the team and we went through everything and, you know, I feel like I understand where things are at with that,” he said.

“And, I think, in terms of momentum, I feel like I’m in a good place.

“I think, you know, whilst I have lost points the last two weekends, I think, ultimately, the pace has been very strong.

“I think Austria, the pace on Sunday was very strong — it was a tight battle.

“Silverstone, you know, apart from the penalty, I felt like it was a very strong weekend and a very strong race.

“So, ultimately, from that side of things, you know, I’d be more concerned if I was struggling with pace, but I feel like I’m in a really good place with the car, with the team and how I’m driving.”

Along with fierce competition on track, the weather surrounding this weekend’s Sprint action could throw a spanner in the works, with the latest forecasts reflecting a wet Belgian Grand Prix. 

Friday’s running, including the sole practice session of the weekend and Sprint Qualifying, has a 60% chance of rain looming over the circuit, with both Saturday and Sunday sharing a 20% chance of rain — expected to hit in the afternoon. 

The first and only hour of practice will kick off at 20:30 AEST tonight, followed by Sprint Qualifying at 00:30 AEST. 

Image: McLaren

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