The 2025 Formula 1 championship returns this weekend with a Sprint event at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, setting the stage for a pivotal phase in the season. The ongoing Lando Norris F1 title battle intensifies as the drivers renew their fight for supremacy amid significant changes at Red Bull following Christian Horner’s unexpected departure.
Red Bull Begins a New Era After Horner’s Departure
Following the British Grand Prix, Red Bull announced the sudden dismissal of Christian Horner, who held the team principal role for more than 20 years. Laurent Mekies has been appointed as his successor, making this the first race weekend in Red Bull’s history without Horner at the helm. This transition marks a crucial shift within the team, with scrutiny focusing on what the future holds for their star driver Max Verstappen.
Thursday’s media sessions are expected to revolve largely around Horner’s exit, drawing attention on remarks from Verstappen, along with other Red Bull drivers including Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, and Liam Lawson. Horner revealed he received no explanation for his removal, while speculation persists that Verstappen’s contract uncertainties may have influenced the decision. Mekies is also scheduled to address the media on Friday, and will likely face questions regarding the timing and reasoning behind Horner’s sacking.
Despite Verstappen securing pole position at Silverstone with a specialized low downforce car set-up, Red Bull still struggle to match McLaren’s outright pace—an issue likely weighing heavily on Verstappen’s considerations about his future with the team. Spa’s unpredictable weather could influence whether Red Bull opts for similar aerodynamic strategies this weekend to improve performance.
Competitive Sprint Weekend Adds Pressure to Norris and Piastri
The championship fight narrows as Lando Norris closes the gap on leader Oscar Piastri to just eight points after securing back-to-back victories for the first time in his career. Belgium hosts the fourth Sprint weekend of the year, which means drivers can score extra points: eight to the Sprint winner on Saturday, followed by the usual 25 points awarded for Sunday’s Grand Prix victory, creating opportunities for position shifts in the standings.
Norris has a strong history at Spa and is poised to challenge Piastri aggressively, especially with the potential for reclaiming the championship lead. The duo has taken differing technical approaches since the Canadian Grand Prix, with Norris adopting McLaren’s new suspension system while Piastri has so far stuck with the older version—a choice that could influence the title outcome.
Norris has openly shared that his confidence with this year’s McLaren was lower than last season, but the new suspension appears to have restored his speed and consistency. After some setbacks in Montreal, including underperforming in qualifying and a collision with Piastri during the race, Norris rebounded with wins in Austria and Great Britain.
“It could be that it’s helping me, and when I say helping, it’s helping me by hundredths, thousandths, I don’t know. It’s impossible to numerically put a number on it,”
said Lando Norris.
“It’s something the team believed might give me more feeling, and I just roll with that. I believe. My faith in the team and my belief in them thinking this might help. Not a guarantee, but it might. And that’s it. Yes, I won two races since [and] I was real quick in Canada.”
“I’m not going to say it’s down to that, obviously. I want to put more of it down to my hard work, my work I’ve been doing away from the track, with my team, with many people that I have around me. I put it way more down to that than some alterations on the suspension.”
Both drivers have had over two weeks of downtime since Silverstone to analyze data and strategize. Piastri’s choice to continue with the older suspension could extend through the season, making it a critical decision that impacts his title chances.
Ferrari Pushes Final Major Upgrades in Fight for Wins
Ferrari recently introduced a new floor at the Austrian Grand Prix, which helped the team secure its best recent results—a third-place finish for Charles Leclerc and fourth for Lewis Hamilton. Their form at Silverstone showed promise in qualifying but faltered in wet race conditions. Over the short summer break, Hamilton and Leclerc tested a new rear suspension at Mugello, Italy, running 200 kilometers using non-race weekend tires.
This new rear suspension has passed initial tests and is expected to be deployed at Spa. It should provide the Ferrari drivers with a larger operating window, allowing them to avoid extreme car set-ups while running the vehicle lower to the ground, potentially enhancing competitiveness.
These enhancements are believed to be Ferrari’s last significant development before focusing fully on 2026’s new technical regulations. Success at Spa and upcoming races will be vital to their ambitions of capturing additional wins this season.
Mercedes and Red Bull also plan to bring minor upgrades to their cars, while McLaren remains uncertain about running the new floor tested at Silverstone, as the team removed it after the first practice session.
Unique Tyre Strategy Could Shake Up Spa Weekend
Pirelli, the official Formula 1 tyre supplier, has chosen an uncommon tyre allocation for the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint event, bringing three non-consecutive compounds: C1 hard, C3 medium, and C4 soft. This is the first time in over three years that non-adjacent tyre compounds have been provided for a race weekend.
“According to the simulations, this trio should make a two-stop strategy even more competitive in Sunday’s race, while adding a greater degree of uncertainty to tyre management over the course of the weekend, especially as it is a Sprint event, with just one hour of free practice and a different dry tyre allocation.”
—Pirelli
The Sprint weekend features only 12 tyre sets per driver instead of the usual 13: six soft, four medium, and two hard sets. Since new mediums must be used in both Sprint Qualifying sessions, teams will face challenges managing tyres with limited practice and data, increasing strategic uncertainty.
Given Spa’s notorious weather, with rain forecasted over multiple days, tyre management is expected to be a decisive factor determining who performs best during the event.
Sky Sports F1’s Detailed Belgian GP Schedule
The official schedule for this high-stakes weekend includes a packed program of practices, qualifying, and races across Formula 3, Formula 2, and Formula 1 categories. Key timings include:
- Thursday, 24 July, 1 pm: Drivers’ Press Conference
- Friday, 25 July: Various practice and qualifying sessions for F3, F2, and F1 from early morning until late afternoon, including Belgian GP Practice One and Sprint Qualifying
- Saturday, 26 July: Sprint races and additional qualifying sessions for all formula classes, with the Belgian GP Sprint race starting at 11 am
- Sunday, 27 July: Feature races for F3 and F2, Porsche Supercup race, followed by the Belgian Grand Prix at 2 pm, with live coverage and post-race analysis
All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming options available through NOW, offering flexibility with no contract required.
Implications of the Belgian GP Sprint on the Championship Battle
This weekend at Spa-Francorchamps presents a critical juncture for the 2025 title fight as Lando Norris looks to capitalize on his recent form to challenge Oscar Piastri’s lead. The Sprint format adds an extra layer of complexity, offering valuable points that could shift the championship standings notably.
Red Bull’s internal changes and current vehicle performance also inject uncertainty into Max Verstappen’s campaign and contract status, while Ferrari’s final upgrades demonstrate their intent to secure victories before turning attention to future regulations.
How teams manage tyre strategy in a restricted allocation environment, together with adapting to Spa’s capricious weather, will play essential roles in determining both individual race outcomes and the trajectory of the drivers’ championship as the season moves into its second half.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Lando Norris a billionaire?
A. Lando Norris: British racing driver Lando Norris, who earns $30 million (£22.6m), first entered Formula 1 in 2019 with the McLaren team.
Q. Is Lando Norris wealthy?
A. Lando Norris came into the world on November 13, 1999, in Bristol, England. His dad, Adam Norris, used to work as a pensions manager and is one of the richest individuals in Bristol. In 2018, he was considered the 501st wealthiest person in the UK. Lando’s mom, Cisca Wauman, is originally from the Flanders area of Belgium.
