BREAKING: FIA confirms McLaren stars Penalty Twice As W…Read more
Chaos in Belgium: McLaren Youngster Penalized as Race Winner Changes Twice
What started as a thrilling victory for McLaren junior Gabriel Bortoleto at the Formula 2 race in Belgium quickly turned into a whirlwind of confusion, controversy, and two dramatic changes to the race winner.
The young Brazilian crossed the line first at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit after a tense and strategic race that had fans on the edge of their seats. It looked like Bortoleto had earned a career-defining win — until the stewards got involved.
Not long after the celebrations, the FIA announced Bortoleto was under investigation for overtaking under the safety car — a serious violation in racing. After reviewing the footage and data, stewards handed him a five-second time penalty, stripping him of the win and dropping him out of the top three.
That decision handed the victory to DAMS driver Jak Crawford. For a moment, it seemed like the dust had settled — Crawford gave interviews, the team celebrated, and the result looked final.
But then, another twist.
Later in the day, the FIA reopened an investigation into a separate incident involving Crawford’s team. It turned out DAMS had fitted the wrong set of tires during a pit stop — a breach of the technical rules. The penalty? Disqualification.
With both front-runners out of the picture, the win eventually landed in the hands of PREMA Racing’s Ollie Bearman, who had originally finished third. It was his second win of the season — but not one he expected. Isack Hadjar moved up to second, and Dennis Hauger took third.
Understandably, the mood in the paddock was mixed. Bortoleto, who had driven one of the most impressive races of his season, was visibly disappointed. McLaren voiced their support, saying, “We respect the FIA’s ruling but stand behind Gabriel. His performance was outstanding.”
Fans were left stunned, many expressing frustration over the delayed rulings and how they overshadowed what had been an exciting race.
In motorsport, victory can be taken in a split second — and Spa proved that twice in one afternoon. Now, with emotions running high and the championship table shaken, the grid heads to Zandvoort with plenty of scores to settle and reputations to defend.
