F1: Lewis Hamilton wins the Belgian Grand Prix to stretch title lead

Lewis Hamilton secured his 89th career win in the Belgian Grand Prix and  with a supreme drive, ended Mercedes’ three-year wait for another victory at Spa-Francorchamps.

Hamilton led from start to finish to edge past team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen as he stretched his championship lead to a massive 47 points – nearly the equivalent of two race wins.

Belgian GP Result: Top 10

1.  Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
3. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Renault
5. Esteban Ocon, Renault
6. Alexander Albon, Red Bull
7. Lando Norris, McLaren
8. Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri
9. Lance Stroll, Racing Point
10. Sergio Perez, Racing Point

The six-time champion is now only two wins shy of Michael Schumacher’s all-time victory record. He he could equal it in two races’ time at the 1,000th-anniversary race for Ferrari, the team who the German great set the landmark with

But Ferrari have far greater worries than losing a prestigious record right now.

They had won the previous two Belgian GPs but failed to even get the consolation of a point this time on a humbling weekend for F1’s fast-falling giants.

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Sebastian Vettel finished 13th while Charles Leclerc took 14th, with the team-mates even banging wheels as they fought for position out of the points.

But it was a big race and Renault earned themselves a big result.

Daniel Ricciardo who drives for Renault finished in fourth and even took the bonus point for the fastest lap with a fantastic charging effort on the 44th and final tour.

Esteban Ocon finished in fifth after passing Red Bull’s Alex Albon in the last-lap.

Lando Norris of McLaren took the seventh finish in what proved the sole McLaren in the race after Carlos Sainz was ruled out before the start with an exhaust problem on his car.

The leading runners were forced to manage their tyres to the end after the sole pit stops were triggered earlier than planned following a big crash involving Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Williams’ George Russell.

Giovinazzi collided into the outside barriers at the fast Fagnes corner, and oncoming Russell was powerless and couldn’t avoid Giovinazzi’s car’s rear-wheel, which was working loose on the tracks and took his car out of the race too.

But the in-form Pierre Gasly surged well passing both Racing Points late on to secure a fine eighth place.

Driver’s Standing 2020

#	Driver	Nat	Team	Pts
1	Lewis Hamilton	GBR	Mercedes	157
2	Max Verstappen	NED	Red Bull	110
3	Valtteri Bottas	FIN	Mercedes	107
4	Alexander Albon	THA	Red Bull	48
5	Charles Leclerc	MON	Ferrari	45
6	Lando Norris	GBR	McLaren	45
7	Lance Stroll	CAN	Racing Point	42
8	Daniel Ricciardo	AUS	Renault	33
9	Sergio Perez	MEX	Racing Point	33
10	Esteban Ocon	FRA	Renault	26
11	Carlos Sainz	ESP	McLaren	23
12	Pierre Gasly	FRA	AlphaTauri	18
13	Sebastian Vettel	GER	Ferrari	16
14	Nico Hulkenberg	GER	Racing Point	6
15	Antonio Giovinazzi	ITA	Alfa Romeo	2
16	Daniil Kvyat	RUS	AlphaTauri	2
17	Kevin Magnussen	DEN	Haas	1
18	Kimi Raikkonen	FIN	Alfa Romeo	0
19	Nicholas Latifi	CAN	Williams	0
20	George Russell	GBR	Williams	0
21	Romain Grosjean	FRA	Haas	0