Max Verstappen Sprint win in Belgium wasn’t just another victory, it was a fierce battle from start to finish. With two hungry McLaren drivers in his mirrors, Verstappen had to dig deep at Spa.
Verstappen Makes His Move Early
At lights out, both Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen launched well. Into the first corner at La Source, Piastri covered off the Red Bull. Lando Norris followed closely in third while Charles Leclerc sat tight in fourth.
Verstappen didn’t wait long. With superior straight-line speed and a cleaner setup for the long Kemmel straight, he reeled in Piastri and pulled off a daring move around the outside at Les Combes. Just moments later, Leclerc copied the move and took third from Norris, though it wouldn’t last long.
McLarens Fight Back
On lap four, Norris responded with pace. He closed in on Leclerc and confidently retook third place, setting up a double-McLaren chase of the Red Bull. Behind them, Esteban Ocon held firm in fifth for Haas, while Carlos Sainz, Oliver Bearman, and Isack Hadjar rounded out the top eight.
Gasly’s race never took off due to a grid water leak, while Bortoleto and Lawson missed out on points.
Power Struggles at the Front
Piastri wasn’t backing off. By lap 11, he was within four tenths of Verstappen and tried an overtake under DRS at Les Combes. Verstappen held firm but radioed his team, he was battling brake issues. The pressure mounted with Norris also closing in fast.
Despite the McLarens closing the gap to just over a second across the final laps, Verstappen used his Red Bull’s straight-line advantage to fend off further attempts. The 15-lap sprint was intense, tight, and full of tension, but Verstappen never gave up the lead once he had it.
Another Sprint Win for Verstappen
This victory marks Verstappen’s 12th career Sprint win and his first since the US Grand Prix last season. It wasn’t a walk in the park, this one was earned wheel-to-wheel, under pressure.
Piastri finished second, Norris third, and Leclerc fourth, albeit 10 seconds off the lead. The remaining points scorers, Ocon, Sainz, Bearman, and Hadjar, maintained their positions to the flag.
Summary
At Spa, Verstappen proved once again why he’s one of the sport’s fiercest racers. Under relentless pressure from both McLarens, he showed calm, skill, and a bit of old-school grit to grab another Sprint win for Red Bull.
Disclaimer: All results are provisional and subject to FIA confirmation. All racing results and technical information in this article reflect official session timing at time of writing.
| Pos | Drivers | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 5 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 6 | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 7 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber |
| 10 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 11 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull |
| 12 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 13 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 15 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 16 | Alexander Albon | Williams |
| 17 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 18 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber |
| 19 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 20 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
