Formula 1: Russell races to thrilling win as Mercedes claim 1-2 in Belgian GP

Stavelot, July 28 (IANS) Mercedes driver George Russell secured a stunning victory after a daring strategy and a fierce battle with teammate Lewis Hamilton in the race's closing stages at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday. Charles Leclerc, who started from pole position, had an impressive initial lead. However, within two laps, Hamilton overtook him, demonstrating his prowess at Spa-Francorchamps, a track where he had previously won four times.

While the majority of the field opted for a two-stop strategy, Russell made a bold decision to pit only once on Lap 10 of 44. This move required him to manage his aging hard tires as the race progressed, adding an element of suspense to the final laps.

Hamilton, closing in on his teammate, launched a thrilling chase but ultimately fell just short. Russell crossed the finish line a mere half-second ahead, securing the third F1 victory of his career and leading a Mercedes one-two.

Behind the Mercedes duo, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri made an impressive charge to finish third while Leclerc ended up fourth in his Ferrari. Max Verstappen, who began from P11, recovered to place his Red Bull in fifth.

Lando Norris, despite his efforts, finished sixth, followed by former teammate Carlos Sainz in seventh for Ferrari. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, under pressure to keep his position in the team, ended up eighth after being overtaken by Sainz in the final laps.

Fernando Alonso secured valuable points for Aston Martin with a ninth-place finish, while Alpine’s Esteban Ocon completed the top ten.

Daniel Ricciardo narrowly missed out on points, finishing 11th for RB, followed by Lance Stroll in P12 for Aston Martin and Alex Albon in P13 for Williams. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly finished 14th on a weekend marked by Bruno Famin’s departure as Team Principal.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen crossed the line in 15th, with Valtteri Bottas in 16th for Kick Sauber. RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, Williams’ Logan Sargeant, and Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the finishers in P17, P18, and P19, respectively.

The sole retirement of the race was Zhou Guanyu, who suffered a hydraulic issue with his Kick Sauber, concluding a challenging day for the team.

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