F1 Belgian GP: Max Verstappen fends off Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris for sprint race win

Max Verstappen has conquered the sprint race at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix to start Red Bull’s new era with a win.

On the first lap of the 15-lap contest, Verstappen used his Red Bull’s superior top speed to draft past polesitter Oscar Piastri at Les Combes, much like the championship leader had feared before the start.

In Verstappen’s wake Charles Leclerc made a similar move to nick third from the second McLaren of Lando Norris, while Esteban Ocon led the midfield battle in fifth ahead of Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Haas team-mate Oliver Bearman.

With Leclerc failing to keep up with the two leaders, Norris reclaimed third on the fourth lap on the Kemmel Straight and soon caught up to the lead battle between Verstappen and Piastri.

Starting on used mediums compared to new tyres for Piastri and Norris, Verstappen couldn’t escape DRS range but used his straightline speed to hold off Piastri, who continued to draft up to the Red Bull’s gearbox towards Les Combes without asking significant questions of the Dutchman’s resolve.

On lap 11 Piastri came closest at Turn 5’s main overtaking opportunity, with McLaren still the quickest car overall and Verstappen starting to report brake issues. But that was as close as he would get, with Verstappen taking the chequered flag to start Red Bull’s new era without Christian Horner with a win.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

Norris too was angling for an opening to attack his championship rival Piastri, but was forced to sit back and watch Verstappen and his team-mate cross the finish line. The result means Piastri adds a single point to his championship lead on Norris, which now amounts to nine points.

Leclerc was a distant fourth as his Ferrari was easily dropped by the leaders, while Ocon and Sainz finished fifth and sixth uncontested. Bearman secured a double points finish for Haas in seventh, with Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar easily defeating Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and his team-mate Liam Lawson or the final point in eighth.

Mercedes’ George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli failed to significantly move up in the DRS train after a poor qualifying session, Russell crossing the line down in 12th and Antonelli in 17th. Lewis Hamilton moved up from 17th to 15th in his Ferrari after an equally difficult race.

Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly lost out on a points-scoring opportunity with Alpine as a water leak meant he couldn’t take up his eighth grid spot. Gasly eventually joined the race two laps down for what turned out to be a test session.

Qualifying for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix is at 16:00 local time.