Piastri Just Schooled Norris in the Rain – And Hamilton's Comeback Almost Made Me Forget This Nightmare Weekend

By Lewis Barnett 27 July, 2025 6 mins read 315 Views

God, what a mess.

So here I am, soaked to the bone at Spa (because of course it rained), watching Oscar Piastri absolutely demolish Lando Norris' pole position dreams in about 30 seconds flat. The kid didn't even hesitate – just swept past his teammate like Norris was standing still and cruised to victory while the rest of us waited around for 80 minutes wondering if we'd even get a race.

Listen, I've been covering F1 since 2019, and I've never seen someone look so calm while basically stealing candy from their teammate. Piastri's now sitting pretty with a 16-point championship lead, up from just 8 points before this weekend. Meanwhile, poor Norris is probably wondering how the hell he went from pole to "also ran" in the span of one corner.

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That Turn 1 Move Was Absolutely Ruthless

The safety car finally peeled off after what felt like forever, and for about four laps, everything looked normal. Norris held the lead, Piastri was lurking behind like a shark, and then – boom. Lap five happened.

I swear Piastri nearly rear-ended Norris before making his move. My heart stopped for a second there. But then he just... glided past. No drama, no contact, just pure racing instinct. The Aussie looked like he'd been planning that move since qualifying yesterday.

Charles Leclerc managed to snag third after scrapping with Max Verstappen (who looked genuinely frustrated finishing P4), while George Russell rounded out the top five. Pretty standard stuff, honestly.

Hamilton's Redemption Arc Was Chef's Kiss

Okay, here's where things got interesting for me personally.

Lewis started dead last – 18th on the grid, actually in the pit lane because Ferrari slapped a new power unit in his car. I texted my buddy Mike (who's been a Hamilton fan since 2008) saying "RIP Lewis's weekend" before the race even started. Boy, was I wrong.

The man went absolutely mental in those opening laps. Charging from 18th to 13th in ten laps, then becoming teh first driver to gamble on slicks when everyone else was still tip-toeing around on intermediates. That move on lap 12? Pure genius. Jumped straight to P8, then immediately passed Liam Lawson (who looked like he was driving on ice) to grab P7.

His radio message at the end broke my heart a little: "Sorry about this weekend and losing you points." Like, dude, you just pulled off one of the drives of the season!

Why McLaren's Tire Strategy Made Zero Sense

This is where I started getting genuinely confused.

Piastri was running mediums while Norris had the harder compound, and for about 15 laps (the most boring 15 laps of my life, if I'm being honest), we all just... waited. McLaren kept asking Piastri if he wanted another pit stop, and I'm sitting there thinking "just make a decision already!"

Then Norris locked up at Turn 1 – completely unforced error – and lost half a second just like that. Game over. Or so I thought, because the kid actually started closing the gap in those final laps. Still finished 5 seconds behind, but at least he tried.

Piastri's radio message after crossing the line was perfect: "Nicely f***ing done." No filter, just pure emotion. That's what I love about this sport.

The Rain Delay That Nearly Killed My Deadline

Can we talk about that 80-minute delay for a second?

I'm standing in the media center, deadline looming, watching cars parade around behind the safety car like some weird water ballet. The spray coming off those cars looked like someone had turned on industrial sprinklers across the entire track. Reminded me of 2021 when they basically canceled the whole race here.

My editor kept texting me asking for updates, and all I could say was "still raining, still waiting." Felt like the longest hour and twenty minutes of my career. At least the rolling start when it finally happened was worth the wait – even if it only lasted about 30 seconds before Piastri made his move.

Verstappen looked genuinely annoyed finishing fourth, Russell did his usual solid job in fifth, and Hamilton... well, Hamilton reminded everyone why he's still one of the best drivers on the grid, even at 40.

Sometimes F1 gives you exactly what you expect. Other times, it gives you Oscar Piastri schooling his teammate in the rain while Lewis Hamilton pulls off a miracle drive from last place. Today was definitely the latter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What costs do not count towards the Formula 1 budget cap limit?

Formula 1 teams are allowed some flexibility by excluding certain expenses from their budget caps. These exclusions typically include marketing costs, driver salaries, the salaries of the top three executives or personnel, and any costs associated with non-F1 racing activities. Capital expenditures as well as expenses related corporate income tax or employee bonuses or benefits, are excluded.

What is a Formula 1 motor's price?

A Formula 1 motor is one of most sophisticated machines in the sport. Teams may spend anywhere from $7 million to $10 million on the engine alone, which accounts for the advanced technology and performance characteristics necessary to compete at the highest level.

How much does Formula 1 tire cost?

Pirelli provides Formula 1 tires. These tires cost approximately $2,700 each, which translates to a set of tires costing around $10 800. The cost is covered by the teams through sponsorships and agreements with tire manufacturers.

How much is it to build a Formula 1 Car?

Costs to build a Formula 1 vehicle can vary greatly. Teams are known to spend between $10 and $15 million for a single chassis. The total cost, including components and technology, could reach up to $400,000,000 when you factor in the research, development and production of several cars during a season.

What are the annual operational costs of a Formula 1 team?

Operating a Formula 1 squad involves significant operational costs. These can include salaries, travel, logistics and maintenance. A mid-tier team spends an average of $120 million - $220million per season. Leading teams, however, can spend up to $400million annually.

Statistics

Since the introduction of hybrid power units in 2014, Formula 1 teams have seen a significant increase in costs related to engine development and maintenance.
Racing suits worn by Formula 1 drivers can cost from $2,000 to $5,000, integrating high levels of safety and performance features.
A Formula 1 team's pit stop equipment can cost between $100,000 to $500,000 for high precision and speed during the race.
Sponsorship deals are critical in Formula 1, with major title sponsorships sometimes contributing tens of millions of dollars to a team's budget.
An advanced Formula 1 steering wheel can cost between $50,000 to $100,000 given its multifunctionality and custom design.
Pirelli F1 tires cost around $2,700 each, resulting in a set of four tires costing approximately $10,800.
The cost of a full-scale Formula 1 simulator can reach several million dollars, with annual maintenance adding to the financial impact.
The average cost to construct a Formula 1 car chassis is estimated to be between $10 million and $15 million.

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How To

How to Calculate Formula 1 Cars Construction Costs

Calculate the cost of building a Formula 1 vehicle by first considering the initial investment in the chassis, which is usually between $10 and $15 million. Add the cost of an engine that can reach $10 million and gearboxes that can be more than $1 million to your calculations. Account for the hybrid power unit, complex electronics, aero development, and safety innovations. Include factors like materials, wind-tunnel testing times, and labor costs for highly skilled engineers. The total is likely to range into several hundred million dollars over the course of a development cycle.