The Formula 1 season resumes after its mini-break following the British Grand Prix with Lando Norris back on the front foot in what now almost-certainly appears to be an all-McLaren battle for 2025’s Drivers’ Championship.
This weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix marks the start of the second half of the 24-race campaign with title-leading Oscar Piastri leading team-mate Norris by just eight points at the top of the standings.
While a first home victory at Silverstone landed in Norris’ lap somewhat fortuitously courtesy of a 10-second penalty for the then-race-leading Piastri – a sanction which served to reverse the order of the McLaren drivers in that race – it nonetheless maintained the Briton’s momentum after victory over his team-mate the week before in Austria, while also securing him consecutive wins in the same season for the first time.
So, with two more grands prix to go before the sport pauses for most of August for its annual break, with Spa-Francorchamps and the Sprint format up first before a trip to Budapest for the Hungarian GP next week, which of the McLaren drivers looks more likely to head for summer on top?
Is this Norris’ ‘game-changer moment’ in title race?
Three weeks can be a long time in Formula 1.
Twenty-one days before taking the acclaim of the home crowd from the top of the Silverstone podium, Norris’ title credentials had been thoroughly dissected by the media after a self-admitted error of judgement at the Canadian GP had seen him hit the back of Piastri’s car when battling over fourth place.
While Piastri still finished the race, Norris retired on the sport and fell a season-high 22 points behind his team-mate in the standings. The incident clearly risked further damaging the Brit’s confidence in a season which had already seen him make numerous mistakes at crucial stages of qualifying sessions.
So the subsequent back-to-back wins at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone proved timely tonic for Norris, even with the knowledge that the latter may well not have happened but for Piastri’s penalty. Still, having taken two thirds out of that 22-point deficit in the space of two races, Norris could certainly be pleased with his fortnight’s work.
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Watch the moment McLaren deny Oscar Piastri a position swap with Lando Norris after the Australian deemed his 10-second penalty ‘unfair’ at Silverstone
And speaking on The F1 Show after the dramatic events of Silverstone, Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft suggested that Norris’ championship challenge in particular may benefit from such a period of momentum.
“They are both supremely talented and they are both in the same car, so where are the margins that are going to win you a championship?” pondered Croft.
“Oscar is a cool, calm, level-headed individual, an athlete who keeps a lid on his emotions. Lando can be very different to that. He likes to wear his heart on his sleeve. He likes to talk about his emotions. Sometimes, from the outside, you feel that those emotions can interfere with the process of being an elite athlete at that part.
“I’m not saying that they make him worse or they make him better. But if one of those two drivers were going to thrive on confidence and momentum, you would go with Lando as the answer to that.
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Norris was smiling from ear to ear in his post-race interview after a very special first British Grand Prix win
“When such fine margins are probably going to decide a championship, a bit of luck going your way can make a massive difference. You win championships with consistency, with excellence, but also a little bit of luck. At Silverstone, he got that with Piastri’s penalty.
“When things are going well for him, he has a spring in his step and he drives that much better because he has that confidence. Could this be the game-changing moment?
“As we go to Spa, a track that he absolutely adores and we have seen him be very fast at in the past, if in the next two races, he could get to the summer break and be ahead, that to me makes a massive difference to Lando Norris.”
How important will momentum be in F1 title race?
Montreal remains the only race in the last 11 that the consistent Piastri has not finished on the podium, but it’s also true to say that the championship has won only one of the last six Grands Prix – Spain – whereas Norris has won three of them.
1996 world champion Damon Hill told The F1 Show: “It’s like golf, where the guy is leading the whole way, but gradually the gap is getting smaller.
“When the gap is getting smaller, that gets into your head. Oscar now knows he’s lost an advantage.
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Take a look at why Piastri was given a 10-second penalty at the British Grand Prix
“Luck plays a part and big drops of 25 points can happen. But the momentum psychologically, I think, is now with Lando because he’s beaten Oscar also in Austria.
“Oscar has got the advantage at the moment and Lando is going to have to dig deep and work hard. There’s going to be there’s nothing between them, so it will come down to some luck.”
Recent history shows leading the championship at the summer break, which this year will take place after next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, is insignificant.
In 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021, the championship leader in early August has not gone on to win the title.
However, Croft and Hill think it could be important for Norris’ confidence to be ahead of Piastri after Belgium and Hungary.
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David Croft asks whether Lando Norris’ British GP victory could be the game changer in the title race, as the McLaren driver chases down teammate Oscar Piastri
“We used to talk about this with Lewis Hamilton once upon a time about how strong he was towards the end of a season. Lando was really strong in the last six races last year,” said Croft.
“Knowing that he’s had that bit of luck, the momentum’s with him, he’s got a chance to be leading after the Hungarian Grand Prix, and with some very favourable races to come at the end, this could do no end of good to Lando’s championship challenge.”
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the Belgian Grand Prix
Hill added: “There is such a thing as momentum. Don’t forget coming into the season, Lando had the expectation on his shoulders and Oscar in a way was in the luxurious position of not having all that pressure.
“Lando has come in for a bit of stick because he’s revealed a bit too much about himself and it’s really handed a psychological advantage. He’s recovered from that and he seems more solid now. The confidence is building.”
Sky Sports F1’s live Belgian GP schedule
Thursday July 24
1pm: Drivers’ Press Conference
Friday July 25
7.55am: F3 Practice
9.05am: F2 Practice
11am: Practice One (session starts at 11.30am)
12.55pm: F3 Qualifying
1.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3pm: Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 3.30pm)
Saturday July 26
8.10am: F3 Sprint
10am: Belgian GP Sprint (lights out at 11am)
12.20pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
12.40pm: F2 Sprint
2pm: Belgian GP Qualifying (session starts at 3pm)
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday July 27
7.25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.40am: Porsche Supercup Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Belgian GP build-up*
2pm: THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered flag: Belgian GP reaction*
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
The 2025 Formula 1 season resumes this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix as the Sprint format returns, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.
