MAX VERSTAPPEN has won the Belgian Grand Prix after starting the race in sixth place.
The Championship runaway leader Verstappen had been hit with a FIVE-place grid penalty for using too many gearbox components this season.
But it didn’t matter as he stormed his way to victory once again.
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Belgium Grand Prix dominated by Red Bull
The team will have no better sight than three of their team on the podium celebrating another successful day.
Sergio Perez will be glad to be back on the podium after what he will have seen as an absence that has been for just too long.
Max Verstappen helps his teammate celebrate as he spends his time most Sundays, covered in champagne.
Credit: Reuters Hamilton gamble pays off
Lewis Hamilton pitted just before his final lap to change his tyres to try and clock the fastest lap of the day.
Having secured fourth spot, and with no chance of catching Charles Leclerc in third, the Mercedes driver decided to try and secure the point.
It paid off as Hamilton managed to clock the fastest lap of the day on his brand new medium compound tyres
Perez’s dad celebrates son’s podium
As Sergio Perez collects his trophy to mark his second placed finish, his dad could not be prouder.
Red Bull gives you wins
While many people point towards the performance of the Red Bull car as something that its competitors just cannot compete with.
That aside, credit has to be given to the driving performances of Max Verstappen as he will live as a legend of the sport.
Even his own teammate struggles to compete with him, driving exactly the same car.
Credit: Reuters Official results of Belgian Grand Prix
Here is the breakdown of who got amongst the points in Spa today.
Credit: @F1 The original deja vu moment in F1
Today marked the eighth consecutive victory by Max Verstappen.
Seeing him cross the finish line in first place is become a regular sight in the Formula One calendar.
You have to wonder who can challenge the Dutch driver as he runs away with another drivers’ championship.
Credit: Reuters Checo builds confidence in Spa
Sergio Perez will be happy to be back on the podium and it was a good drive today by the Mexican.
For the majority of the race, he kept the pressure on his Red Bull teammate but more importantly, he held off the rest of the field.
With the mid-season break coming up, it will give Perez the time to recharge and look to come back hard against Verstappen in the second half of the season.
Max sets new personal record
Max Verstappen wins his first Grand Prix after starting in sixth place on the grid today.
As a result, he wins the vote for driver of the day.
The guy is an absolute machine.
Credit: @F1 Belgian Grand Prix results
Here are how the top five finished at Spa:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Max Verstappen wins the Belgian Grand Prix
Lap 43/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
This could be the perfect result for Red Bull today if drivers Verstappen and Perez occupy the top two positions.
Leclerc has managed to build his lead on Hamilton, trying to book himself a podium finish.
The Mercedes driver is running out of laps to catch third place so he has gone into the pits for some medium tyres to try and clock the fastest lap of the day.
Lap 41/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Lance Stroll is told he is not doing as much ‘lift and coast’ as teammate Fernando Alonso.
That would suggest they have concerns with the amount of fuel Stroll has on board.
As a result, Tsunoda and Ocon are closing the gap on the Aston Martin.
Lap 39/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Logan Sargent and Lewis Hamilton are both shown the black and white flag for exceeding track limits.
Charles Leclerc is trying to close the gap between him and Sergio Perez.
Fernando Alonso is looking to hold off George Russell as the chances of him catching Lewis Hamilton seem remote at best.
Lap 37/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Verstappen suggests an extra pit stop to practice their pitting.
The simple reply from the team is ‘not today Max’.
To give him enough time to do so, he would have to go hard on the softs he is on, which is a risk on some of these fast bends.
Lap 35/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Verstappen makes use of his soft compound tyres and sets the fastest lap of the day, much to the frustrations of Nico Hulkenberg.
The Dutch driver picked up 8 points from his sprint win yesterday and, as it stands, picks up another with that fast lap.
Surely at this late stage of the race, only a mistake by Verstappen would let anybody in now.
Credit: AFP
Lap 33/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Sergio Perez now has a 9.3 second lead over Charles Leclerc in third.
Lewis Hamilton is looking to close the gap on the Ferrari between now and the end of the race.
There is a huge gap between Hamilton and Alonso, now up to a massive 23.6 seconds.
Lap 31/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Verstappen and Alonso are both on medium tyres but everyone else in the top ten are on soft tyres.
Immediately Alonso takes action and heads into the pits to get those soft tyres on.
Verstappen has a 27.6 second lead and his team are instructing him to come into the pits for a tyre change too.
Alonso manages to get back out on the track ahead of sixth placed George Russell.
Lap 29/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Fernando Alonso has taken Lewis Hamilton as a result of his pit stop and moves into fourth place in the race.
The Mercedes driver is only 0.8 seconds behind him though.
It does not take long for Hamilton to get back into fourth on the much fresher tyres.
Lap 27/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
George Russell is putting some fast lap times in right now and takes Lando Norris to move into eighth place.
Norris has done well to work his way back up the field into the points.
Charles Leclerc is trying to build a gap between himself and Lewis Hamilton.
Credit: EPA Lap 25/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
The rain shower seems to have let up already and Verstappen’s lap times suggest that the track is drying up.
Verstappen now has a 6.03 second lead on Perez in second.
There is a big gap between second and third place.
Hamilton has some 13.6 second lead over fifth placed Alonso.
Lap 23/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
The rain we are seeing is already making it tricky out there.
Verstappen almost loses control going through the chicane.
The Dutch driver is immediately on the team radio, ‘I almost lost it’, he tells them.
Lap 21/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
The rain that is due to come in is forecast for ten minutes in duration.
This would mean that drivers would have to pit to go onto intermediate tyres.
It would be music to the ears of Russell and Gasly who have yet to pit in the race.
Everyone else would be taking their second pit stop.
Lap 19/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Some great driving by Verstappen as Perez was helpless to prevent the defending world champion for becoming the new race leader.
After starting sixth on the grid, the Dutch driver now has clear track in front of him.
Fernando Alonso has now moved into fifth place, although there is some gap between him and fourth placed Lewis Hamilton.
Credit: EPA Lap 17/44 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
The two Red Bulls exchange places once again.
Everyone apart from Gasly and Hulkenberg are out on the medium tyres now.
Sergio Perez has a 0.4 second lead on his teammate currently.
Lap 15/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Max Verstappen leads after both Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc pitted.
Their some rain forecast to be coming in so both Perez and Leclerc changed to medium tyres.
Verstappen is given the order to box himself.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
