Mercedes Celebrates Strong Performance Despite Russell's Disqualification at Belgian GP

Mercedes experienced a bittersweet conclusion to the first half of the Formula 1 season, achieving a one-two finish with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton at the Belgian Grand Prix. However, the celebration was marred when Russell was disqualified due to his car being under the weight limit. Despite this setback, the team heads into the summer break in a stronger position than they have been all season, with Hamilton expressing optimism for the upcoming races. Lando Norris, who remains the primary challenger to Max Verstappen for the championship, took the opportunity during the break to reflect on his performance. Starting from fourth, Norris lost ground early in the race, ultimately finishing behind Verstappen, who had started from 11th. With Verstappen now leading by 78 points, Norris recognizes the need to minimize mistakes if he hopes to close the gap when the season resumes. McLaren's chief executive, Zak Brown, indicated that the team would address Norris's grid penalty and performance issues during the summer break. He believes that without the penalty, Norris could have contended for victory in Belgium. Meanwhile, Verstappen acknowledged the challenges of competing with a car that is not currently the fastest, emphasizing the importance of limiting damage in the championship race. Ferrari showed signs of competitiveness at the Belgian GP, with Charles Leclerc finishing just eight seconds behind Russell. However, Leclerc expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance, noting the need for significant improvements in the second half of the season, particularly with two Mercedes and a McLaren ahead of them.