The Red Bull ace held his nerve to win a nail-biting 15-lap battle at Spa, as McLaren’s pace came up inches short.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen delivered yet another masterclass as he fended off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to win a tightly contested sprint at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Although Piastri had stunned on Friday with a commanding pole, Verstappen swiftly capitalised on the long Kemmel Straight, overtaking the Australian into Les Combes on the opening lap.
From there, the reigning champion managed the race like a chess match, maintaining a slim but consistent gap throughout the 15 laps. Piastri stayed glued to Verstappen’s gearbox and kept within DRS range, yet he lacked the straight-line speed to execute a move.
Meanwhile, Norris, who had slipped behind Charles Leclerc early on, recovered well to reclaim third and join the front battle.
However, despite their combined pressure, neither McLaren could break through Verstappen’s calm control. Notably, Red Bull’s top-end speed advantage proved decisive, especially as the Dutchman defended without the DRS advantage.
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Piastri frustrated by speed gap, McLaren faces strategy dilemma
Piastri admitted post-race that although he tried to avoid giving Verstappen a slipstream at the start, he simply “didn’t have enough” on the straights to defend or attack.
Norris echoed similar frustrations, as both McLarens were visibly faster in the corners but struggled to convert it into overtaking opportunities.
Now, McLaren must reassess its setup for Sunday’s main event. Reducing downforce may boost top speed but risks hampering grip if rain hits, as forecasted.
Behind the lead trio, Leclerc settled for fourth, while Esteban Ocon’s strong drive earned Haas fifth. Further down the order, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson also made the points, as Lewis Hamilton endured a nightmare run, finishing 15th after losing pace and tyre grip mid-race.
Verstappen’s triumph, coming under new Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies, signals business as usual – with Spa’s sprint serving up drama, strategy puzzles, and yet another reminder of why he’s the man to beat.
Tags: Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, F1, Gabriel Bortoleto, McLaren, Red Bull, Haas, Kemmel Straight, Lando Norris, Red Bull, Oscar Piastri, Belgian Grand Prix, Formula One, #F1, #BelgianGrandPrix, Belgian GP.
