With its typical weather chaos, Spa-Francorchamps welcomed Formula 1 for a Sprint weekend that tested teams and drivers alike. While Saturday’s action remained mostly under control, Sunday turned into a strategy gamble under ever-changing conditions – with McLaren emerging as the big winner. In the Sprint race, Max Verstappen made quick work of Oscar Piastri on the Kemmel Straight and controlled the remainder of what turned out to be a relatively uneventful race. Piastri had to settle for second, while Lando Norris completed the podium. Charles Leclerc, a surprisingly strong Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz, Oliver Bearman, and Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar scored points in positions 4 through 8 – Hadjar earning his first-ever F1 points. Sunday’s Grand Prix turned into a patience game. Just as the race was scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m., heavy rain drenched the Ardennes circuit, delaying the start by over an hour, with the field finally rolling off behind the Safety Car. Once the race was underway, Oscar Piastri stunned the field with a bold move: using the momentum through Eau Rouge and Raidillon, he slipped past polesitter Norris in a breathtaking overtake. From that point forward, the young Australian controlled the race and delivered McLaren a sensational and unchallenged 1-2 finish, with Norris holding on to second place. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, miscalculated his wet-weather setup and struggled throughout. The Dutchman couldn’t find a way past Leclerc and had to settle for fourth place in a rare off-day for the reigning champion. George Russell, Alexander Albon, and a charging Lewis Hamilton – who had started from 18th on the grid – also picked up valuable points. Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten in a race that once again highlighted Spa’s unpredictability in wet weather. However, despite the exciting start, the event left a bittersweet aftertaste. Without the rain, Spa once again failed to deliver much overtaking action – fueling ongoing criticism of “old-school circuits” that struggle to produce drama in dry conditions. Spa remains iconic, but this year, the excitement clearly came from the sky. Next up is the classic at the tight and twisty Hungaroring – a track where rain has often been the great equalizer in the past. Whether McLaren can carry the momentum forward or Red Bull strikes back remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the championship battle is heating up.