Oscar Piastri still in pole position ahead of Formula One summer break

We’re heading towards the final straight of the 2025 Formula One season and team McLaren are still in pole position at the top of the standings. Teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have occupied the top two positions for most of the season and they don’t look like budging any time soon. 

Both drivers are targeting their first Drivers’ Championship as they look to end Max Verstappen’s run of four consecutive titles. The Red Bull maestro is currently in third, but the gap between him and the top two is increasing by the week. 

The McLaren driver took full advantage of teammate Oscar Piastri’s 10-second time penalty to finish ahead of his teammate, who secured second place. Unbelievably, Nico Hülkenberg put in a phenomenal performance to finish third and get his first ever podium. 

This weekend sees the final race before Formula One takes an enforced month-long break to recharge, and the title contenders will be desperate to continue their momentum as they head to Hungaroring for the Hungarian Grand Prix. 

Piastri increases gap on Norris 

Norris secured a triumphant win on home soil in the British Grand Prix earlier this month but Piastri increased his points lead by taking the win in Belgium last weekend. Having won both at Silverstone and the week prior in Austria, Norris was looking to make it three wins on the spin and close the gap at the top. 

But with the gap reduced to eight points, Piastri pulled a triumphant win out of the bag to increase it to 16. Despite Norris gaining pole position in wet conditions, Piastri quickly took the lead during the opening lap in Belgium. 

And the Australian never looked back, timing his pits to perfection as he held the lead throughout and ultimately beat Norris by 3.415 seconds. It was Piastri’s sixth win in 13 races so far this season. Meanwhile, Norris has four and both drivers have failed to podium just twice each in 2025. 

Charles Leclerc also ended the Belgian Grand Prix on the podium, finishing third, while Verstappen could only manage fourth. Having dominated so comfortably in recent years, few were expecting this drop off from Verstappen. However, in the 13 races so far, he’s failed to podium eight times, winning just two races. 

Formula 1 2026 Season

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F1 standings after 13 races 

Who will win the final race before the F1 summer break? 

This weekend sees Formula One head to Hungary and it could be pivotal in the title race. With almost a month’s break following the contest, a win for Norris will have him right back breathing down Piastri’s neck, giving them both a lot to think about until the season resumes. 

But a victory for Piastri will give him some breathing room. A year ago, it was Piastri who triumphed in Hungary, with Norris finishing second, as has been the case so often this season. 

Once the race is over, the drivers will head off on a summer break, giving them the chance to recharge ahead of the season run-in. Drivers and staff alike have worked incredibly hard during the season, so the break gives everybody involved the chance to take a step back. 

As well as the gruelling nature of the work in F1, there’s also a lot of travelling involved – we’ve been across the globe, with races in Australia, China, Bahrain, Canada and Miami, as well as across Europe. 

While teams will no doubt be thinking ahead to the next race, discussing tactics and any improvements that can be made, they won’t be able to work on these for two weeks during the break. 

Formula One enforce a mandatory two-week ‘summer shutdown’, during which any F1 related work is banned. No meetings are allowed, while no car improvements are allowed apart from essential maintenance and servicing. They take this shutdown incredibly seriously and breaking the rules can lead to severe punishments. 

Upcoming F1 races 

Hungarian Grand Prix – Sunday 3rd August 

Dutch Grand Prix – Sunday 31st August 

Italian Grand Prix – Sunday 7th September 

Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Sunday 21st September 

Singapore Grand Prix – Sunday 5th October 

USA Grand Prix – Sunday 19th October 

Mexican Grand Prix – Sunday 26th October 

Brazilian Grand Prix – Sunday 9th November 

Las Vegas Grand Prix – Saturday 22nd November 

Qatar Grand Prix – Sunday 30th November 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday 7th December 

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