2025 Belgian Grand Prix Preview

Guide to 2025 Belgian Grand Prix as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris continue their duel for the title.

McLaren come into this race with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris separated by just eight points in their title battle, whilst Red Bull begin life after Christian Horner following his sacking as the Austrian team look to impress at Max Verstappen’s home birth race.

Spa Francorchamps however isn’t an easy track given its twisty nature and unpredictable weather, which lays the potential for a thrilling end to the first-half of the season.

Now, here is a full guide to everything that you need to know ahead of 2025 Belgian GP weekend.

 

Track Guide 

Laps: 44

Race Distance: 308.052km

Tyre Compounds: C1, C3 & C4

 

Schedule

Date	Session	Time (BST)
Friday 25 July	Practice	11:30am
Friday 25 July	Sprint Qualifying	3:30pm
Saturday 26 July	Sprint	11:00am
Saturday 26 July	Qualifying	3:00pm
Sunday 27 July	Race	2:00pm

 

Five Key Pointers

• Straight-line speed will be key around Spa Francorchamps given the many straights spread across the circuit, although cornering and braking will just be as crucial to nailing the perfect lap.
• Teams will need to be wary of potential for mixed track conditions if rain sweeps in because there is potential for parts of the circuit to be wet, yet other parts completely dry and affect strategy calls.
• One-stop strategies have often been favoured in dry races around Spa Francorchamps in recent years, but pit stop timing could well be crucial if safety car is deployed at any point.
• Now under leadership of Mekies, Red Bull face a period of adaption to his leadership style and a sprint weekend at Verstappen’s home birth race will add extra pressure to immediately deliver.
• Pirelli’s decision to bring the C1 rather than C2 tyre to this year’s event alongside C3 and C4 tyres could see a mixture of race strategies play out if dry.

Last Time Out

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc led from pole position following a grid penalty for Verstappen in 2024 but lost position to Lewis Hamilton on lap 3, whilst Russell gambled on a one-stop strategy which saw him fend off Hamilton until the checkered flag in a Mercedes one-two finish.

Russell however was disqualified from the post-race result due to his car having failed to meet the minimum weight requirement, which gifted Hamilton what proved to be his last win at Mercedes.

 

2025 Season Recaps

• Australia
• Chinese Sprint
• Chinese GP
• Japan
• Bahrain
• Saudi Arabia
• Miami Sprint
• Miami GP
• Emilia Romagna
• Monaco
• Spain
• Canada
• Austria
• Great Britain