Verstappen Triumphs in Spa Sprint as Red Bull Begins New Era
Max Verstappen marked the start of a new chapter for Red Bull Racing with a thrilling victory in the Belgian Grand Prix sprint on Saturday. This win comes under the newly appointed leadership of Laurent Mekies, following the dismissal of Christian Horner.
Starting from second, Verstappen showcased his strategic prowess and straight-line speed, slipping into the lead at Les Combes on the opening lap. He held off fierce competition from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who finished second after a commanding pole position, extending his championship lead over teammate Lando Norris to nine points.
Norris maintained his position in third, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crossed the line fourth. Haas’s Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz of Williams rounded out the top six, with Oliver Bearman and Isack Hadjar also scoring points.
“Very, very impressive defense, very well controlled,” Mekies praised Verstappen over the team radio after the race. “You didn’t leave anything on the table there.”
The sprint race, filled with tension and tactical maneuvers, saw Verstappen manage a narrow lead, finishing just 0.753 seconds ahead of Piastri. “It was like cat and mouse,” Verstappen noted. “I knew it would be tough to keep them behind. I had to drive over the limit and manage my tires, which was challenging on this track.”
This victory marked Verstappen’s first win since the Imola Grand Prix in May, reinvigorating his campaign as he sits 68 points behind Piastri in the championship standings.
Piastri expressed frustration despite his strong performance, acknowledging the difficulty of overtaking. “I tried my best to snake my way through the straights but didn’t have enough speed,” he said. “It’s only a sprint, so the main points are tomorrow. I’m happy with it but a bit frustrated I couldn’t get past.”
Norris, who briefly lost third to Leclerc before reclaiming it, reflected on the race, stating, “I wasn’t going to get past anyone unless Oscar got past Max. The Red Bull was too quick for us to catch up.”
The sprint was a challenging outing for Mercedes, with George Russell finishing 12th and Kimi Antonelli in 17th. Lewis Hamilton, last year’s grand prix winner, struggled to a disappointing 15th after starting in 18th.
