The F1 teams shared their experiences from a dynamic race day at Spa-Francorchamps. Mercedes celebrated a win with Antonelli, while Ferrari and Red Bull also put in strong performances.
The drivers and teams have wrapped up their race day at Spa-Francorchamps, offering insights into the highs and lows of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Mercedes experienced a mixed bag at Spa. For George Russell, the race was short-lived, as he spun out after a tangle with his teammate Hamilton, ending his day prematurely. Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli showcased his skills, securing his sixth win of the season despite losing the lead temporarily to Leclerc due to a Virtual Safety Car. Antonelli's maturity shone through as he reclaimed the lead, emphasizing the team's need to maintain their competitive edge.
**Kimi Antonelli, 1st**
"Back on the podium feels great. It was a challenging race, losing the lead at times, but we kept calm and capitalized on our opportunities. We must keep pushing hard as it's going to be a long season."
**George Russell, DNF**
"A disappointing weekend with no points. We faced boost issues, which affected our start, and then a collision with Lewis. We'll regroup for Hungary, aiming for a positive end to this stint."
**Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport**
"Bittersweet day. Kimi was brilliant, but George faced unfortunate technical issues. Our reliability needs improvement; we aim to go into the break with momentum."
Ferrari had its hands full with strategic calls. Leclerc briefly led the race but couldn't hold off Antonelli, finishing second. Hamilton, despite a penalty and some damage, managed to recover to fourth, though a pit stop mishap added to the team's challenges.
**Lewis Hamilton, 4th**
"Grateful for some points despite a tough weekend. The team executed well, and we'll keep striving for stronger weekends."
**Charles Leclerc, 2nd**
"I believed in the win until the end. Great start and strategy put us in contention, and we had good pace. Thanks to everyone pushing hard."
**Fred Vasseur, Team Principal**
"Good result, though Lewis' penalty was harsh. We fought well, and the team is performing above expectations. Looking forward to Budapest."
Verstappen had a solid start but couldn't maintain his lead due to strategy timing and tyre issues, finishing third. Hadjar impressed by climbing from the back to sixth, showcasing strategic prowess and strong pace.
**Max Verstappen, 3rd**
"A good race but unlucky with the VSC. We struggled a bit on the Hard tyres but overall, a solid weekend with a podium finish."
**Isack Hadjar, 6th**
"Happy with our strategy and pace. From P21 to P6 was no easy feat. The team did a fantastic job, and I'm looking forward to Hungary."
McLaren showed potential but faced setbacks. Norris had a promising start, but a slow pit stop and VSC timing hindered his progress, leaving him seventh. Piastri's race was marred by damage from contact, finishing fifth.
**Lando Norris, 7th**
"Mixed feelings. The car had podium potential, but factors like pit stop delays and VSC timing held us back. We'll analyze and improve."
**Oscar Piastri, 5th**
"Good pace initially, but damage from contact made it tough. We're close to the front, and upgrades should help in Hungary."
Audi's Bortoleto secured another points finish with a strategic drive to eighth, while Hulkenberg just missed out on points, finishing 13th.
**Gabriel Bortoleto, 8th**
"Happy with the result and the team's efforts. Consecutive points finishes boost our confidence. Looking forward to Budapest."
**Nico Hulkenberg, 13th**
"Competitive race pace but starting far back hurt us. We'll build on this for Hungary."
Racing Bulls showed promise but were hampered by strategic misfortune. Lindblad scored points, finishing ninth, while Lawson ended 12th.
**Arvid Lindblad, 9th**
"Scoring points was rewarding. We had strong pace, and the team is working well together. Confident for Hungary."
**Liam Lawson, 12th**
"Strong start but we lacked race pace. Looking forward to upgrades in Hungary."
Alpine secured a point with Colapinto's tenth-place finish, while Gasly finished 11th after a challenging race.
**Pierre Gasly, 11th**
"Frustrating race, just outside points. Need to review and improve before Hungary."
**Franco Colapinto, 10th**
"Happy with a point today. Enjoyed the battles and overtakes. We know where to improve."
Haas had a challenging day with early incidents. Bearman and Ocon both faced setbacks, finishing 14th and 17th respectively.
**Oliver Bearman, 14th**
"Tough race with a puncture, but the car felt good. We'll regroup for the next race."
**Esteban Ocon, 17th**
"Unfortunate start, but we'll aim to bounce back in Budapest."
Williams had a tough race, with Sainz's early contact and Albon's pace issues leaving them outside the points.
**Carlos Sainz, 16th**
"Challenging race with early damage. We'll take learnings to Hungary."
**Alex Albon, 15th**
"Frustrating day with pace dropping off. We'll work to find more performance."
Cadillac saw Perez retire due to a suspension issue, while Bottas completed the race, finishing 18th.
**Sergio Perez, DNF**
"Suspension failure ended our race. We'll sort it out for Hungary."
**Valtteri Bottas, 18th**
"Challenging race, but finishing gives us data to improve."
Aston Martin faced a tough race with Stroll retiring and Alonso finishing 19th.
**Fernando Alonso, 19th**
"Collected data for the team. Focused on Budapest and new upgrades."
**Lance Stroll, DNF**
"Gearbox issue ended the race. Hope for more competitiveness in Hungary."
Pirelli noted that all three tyre compounds were used, with strategies largely as anticipated. Cooler track temperatures allowed for extended stints, and while Ferrari took a different approach with their Mediums, the race was straightforward strategically.