Max Verstappen claimed victory in Saturday’s Formula One sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix, marking Red Bull’s first win since Christian Horner’s recent departure as team principal. This triumph comes just eighteen days after Horner ended his two-decade tenure at the helm of Red Bull.
Starting from second on the grid, Verstappen quickly overtook pole-sitter Oscar Piastri on the opening lap and held off the championship leader to cross the finish line at Spa-Francorchamps with a 0.753-second lead. Piastri finished second, increasing his championship advantage over teammate Lando Norris to nine points, as Norris maintained his third-place position from the start.
The sprint race marked the first Formula One event in 406 races without Horner present at the Red Bull pit wall, leaving him to watch from home following his dramatic exit.
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Verstappen, equipped with a low-downforce rear wing for greater straight-line speed, made a decisive move past Piastri at Les Combes after the start, signaling his intent early. Meanwhile, Norris struggled initially, dropping to fourth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, but regained third by lap four and closed the gap to Piastri by the tenth lap. The leading trio remained tightly packed, separated by just over a second.
In the final laps, Piastri pushed hard, forcing Verstappen into defensive lines under braking. However, Verstappen’s experience and composure secured the win, delivering Laurent Mekies’ first victory as Red Bull’s newly appointed team principal. Norris finished less than a second behind Piastri, completing a strong performance for McLaren.
Laurent Mekies praised Verstappen’s skillful and controlled defense, while Verstappen himself highlighted the importance of seizing early opportunities and maintaining focus under pressure. Norris acknowledged the challenge of keeping pace with Red Bull’s speed on the straights and emphasized his focus on Sunday’s main race.
Further down the field, Leclerc finished fourth ahead of Haas driver Esteban Ocon and Williams’ Carlos Sainz in sixth. British rookie Ollie Bearman impressed with a seventh-place finish. Mercedes drivers faced difficulties, with George Russell moving up just one place from 13th to 12th, and Lewis Hamilton recovering to 15th after a challenging qualifying session.