F1 Belgian Grand Prix LIVE: Race results as Max Verstappen wins again at Spa-Francorchamps
Formula 1 live updates at Spa-Francorchamps as Max Verstappen cruises to another victory at Spa
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Max Verstappen’s invincible streak continued at the Belgian Grand Prix with another crushing win.
The double world champion started sixth but took the lead at Spa Francorchamps on lap 17 of 44 before taking the chequered flag 22.3 seconds clear of his forlorn Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
Verstappen’s triumph was his eighth in a row – one shy of Sebastian Vettel’s record – and 10th from the 12 rounds so far. He leads Perez by a mammoth 125 points in the standings – the equivalent of five victories – heading into Formula 1’s summer break.
Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc took the final spot on the podium with Lewis Hamilton, who denied Verstappen a bonus point by setting the fastest lap, fourth.
Follow live reaction from the Belgian Grand Prix with The Independent
What is the starting grid for the Belgian Grand Prix?
1) Charles Leclerc
2) Sergio Perez
3) Lewis Hamilton
4) Carlos Sainz
5) Oscar Piastri
6) Max Verstappen*
7) Lando Norris
8) George Russell
9) Fernando Alonso
10) Lance Stroll
11) Yuki Tsunoda
12) Pierre Gasly
13) Pierre Gasly
14) Valtteri Bottas
15) Esteban Ocon
16) Alex Albon
17) Zhou Guanyu
18) Logan Sargeant
19) Daniel Ricciardo
20) Nico Hulkenberg (pit lane start)
*Max Verstappen receives a five-place grid drop for exceeding his gearbox allocation
Drivers Parade has just finished at Spa-Francorchamps!
And a dry Spa-Francorchamps, we should point out.
Max Verstappen fastest in Belgian GP qualifying despite X-rated row with race engineer
Qualifying report
Max Verstappen took pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix despite an X-rated radio row with his race engineer.
Verstappen was embroiled in a squabble with Gianpiero Lambiase after he only just made it through to Q3 during a wet-dry session at Spa-Francorchamps.
But the championship leader regained his composure at the business end of qualifying to demolish the opposition, finishing eight tenths clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with Sergio Perez third in the other Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth.
However, Verstappen will only start Sunday’s race from sixth position as he serves a five-place grid drop for exceeding his gearbox allocation.
Full report below:
Verstappen launches X-rated rant as Leclerc takes Belgian GP pole
Verstappen was embroiled in a squabble with Gianpiero Lambiase after he only just made it through to Q3
Constructors’ Championship (updated after sprint race)
1) Red Bull - 460 points
2) Mercedes - 226 points
3) Aston Martin - 184 points
4) Ferrari - 176 points
5) McLaren - 97 points
6) Alpine - 53 points
7) Williams - 11 points
8) Haas - 11 points
9) Alfa Romeo - 9 points
10) AlphaTauri - 2 points
Carlos Sainz interview: ‘All of us at Ferrari expected more – we haven’t done the best job’
Exclusive interview by Kieran Jackson
Silverstone, 2022. That was the moment a goal within touching distance for so long was finally grasped by Carlos Sainz. Fittingly, his first pole position of his career was duly followed by a first Formula 1 race win, in his 150th grand prix. Ferrari were back among the top contenders and Sainz, this time, was the leading man ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc. The Scuderia were a force at the front once more. Or so we thought.
Despite producing a race-winning car, Ferrari failed to capitalise last year amid strategy and reliability clangers. Red Bull leapfrogged the calamitous prancing horse – and have not looked back. Now, Ferrari have not won since Austria last year, just a week after Sainz’s inaugural triumph. They are fourth in the Constructors’ Championship at the halfway stage this season. Sainz has not even finished on the podium.
“I thought we’d be fighting for more podiums and wins but unfortunately it’s a very competitive team called Red Bull who are dominating,” Sainz tells The Independent.
Carlos Sainz interview: ‘All of us expected more – we haven’t done the best job’
Exclusive: The Spanish driver speaks to The Independent about a disappointing 2023 campaign so far, his journey to Formula 1 and his target of becoming a world champion one day
Driver Standings (updated after sprint race)
1) Max Verstappen - 289 points
2) Sergio Perez - 171 points
3) Fernando Alonso - 139 points
4) Lewis Hamilton - 135 points
5) Carlos Sainz - 92 points
6) George Russell - 91 points
7) Charles Leclerc - 84 points
8) Lando Norris - 63 points
9) Lance Stroll - 45 points
10) Oscar Piastri - 34 points
11) Esteban Ocon - 31 points
12) Pierre Gasly - 22 points
13) Alex Albon - 11 points
14) Nico Hulkenberg - 9 points
15) Valtteri Bottas - 5 points
16) Zhou Guanyu - 4 points
17) Yuki Tsunoda - 2 points
18) Kevin Magnussen - 2 points
19) Logan Sargeant - 0 points
20) Nyck de Vries - 0 points
21) Daniel Ricciardo - 0 points
Max Verstappen sees off Oscar Piastri to win thrilling sprint race in Belgium
Sprint race report
Max Verstappen overcame Oscar Piastri to win Formula One’s sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Pole-sitter Verstappen fell behind Piastri after the Australian moved from wet tyres to intermediate rubber a lap earlier before blasting back into the lead at the midway stage of a frantic rain-hit dash at Spa-Francorchamps.
Rookie Piastri finished runner-up with Pierre Gasly a surprise third for Alpine. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth but was hit with a five-second penalty for colliding with Sergio Perez, dropping him to seventh.
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were promoted to fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari with McLaren’s Lando Norris sixth. George Russell took the final point in eighth.
Max Verstappen sees off Oscar Piastri to win thrilling sprint race in Belgium
Verstappen extended his championship lead from 110 points to 118 ahead of tomorrow’s 44-lap grand prix
What is the starting grid for the Belgian Grand Prix?
1) Charles Leclerc
2) Sergio Perez
3) Lewis Hamilton
4) Carlos Sainz
5) Oscar Piastri
6) Max Verstappen*
7) Lando Norris
8) George Russell
9) Fernando Alonso
10) Lance Stroll
11) Yuki Tsunoda
12) Pierre Gasly
13) Pierre Gasly
14) Valtteri Bottas
15) Esteban Ocon
16) Alex Albon
17) Zhou Guanyu
18) Logan Sargeant
19) Daniel Ricciardo
20) Nico Hulkenberg
*Max Verstappen receives a five-place grid drop for exceeding his gearbox allocation
F1 Belgian Grand Prix LIVE
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Belgian Grand Prix!
It’s the last race before the F1 summer break and Max Verstappen is looking to make it eight grand prix victories in a row as he continues his cruise to a third world championship.
The Dutchman starts in sixth place today after a five-place grid drop from first in qualifying due to exceeding his gearbox allocation. Charles Leclerc is on pole with Sergio Perez alongside him on the front row.
The race at Spa-Francorchamps is set to start at 2pm (BST). Stay right here for all the build-up!
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