Tydd driver secures fifth place in chaotic Belgian Grand Prix race at Spa-Francorchamps

George Russell secured a modest fifth-place finish in a chaotic Belgian Grand Prix race at Spa-Francorchamps.

Despite strong early practice, the Tydd St Giles driver struggled when qualification and race came under pressure.

In Sprint Qualifying, he was eliminated in SQ2 - his worst sprint grid of the year - slipping back to 13th and ultimately finishing 12th in the sprint, aided only by a no-start from Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.

He improved to sixth in Sunday’s Grand Prix qualifying, but the team were clearly struggling due to a lack of pace.

In the Grand Prix itself, Russell climbed to fifth and held position when rain-delayed conditions disrupted the field.

He finished more than 30 seconds behind winner Oscar Piastri, lamenting that the result was “probably flattering the real pace of the car”.

Russell attributed Mercedes’ decline to a recent technical directive altering front‑wing flexibility.