Belgian Grand Prix fuels safety‑car controversy, driver penalties and McLaren rumours

The Spa‑Francorchamps round produced several headline incidents. George Russell retired after a first‑lap collision with teammate Lewis Hamilton, prompting a five‑second penalty for Hamilton and sparking criticism from Alpine boss Frédéric Vasseur, who called the sanction excessive.

McLaren driver Lando Norris, who started 13th after a grid‑penalty, finished seventh and said the team had the pace for a podium but was hampered by an untimely Virtual Safety Car and a delayed pit stop.

Former Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, commenting after the race, warned the FIA against hasty safety‑car rule changes, citing a software glitch that displayed an erroneous “Safety Car In This Lap” message during the British Grand Prix and urging stability in the regulations.

Separately, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella dismissed rumours of Max Verstappen joining the squad, joking that a third car would be required before any such move could be considered.