Belgian Grand Prix 2023: Max Verstappen Wins

Race Summary

The 2023 Belgian Grand Prix saw Red Bull's Max Verstappen emerge victorious from sixth on the grid. This marks Verstappen's 8th consecutive race win, extending his lead in the Formula 1 World Championship standings.

Race Highlights

Verstappen made a strong start, quickly moving up the field and into the top four. By the end of the first lap, he had overtaken both Mercedes drivers and was closing in on Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. Verstappen eventually passed Sainz on Lap 12, taking the lead of the race. Behind Verstappen, a fierce battle for second place ensued between Sainz, Sergio Perez of Red Bull, and Fernando Alonso of Alpine. Sainz managed to hold off Perez to secure the spot, while Alonso retired from the race later on due to an engine issue. By the halfway point of the race, Verstappen had built up a comfortable lead of over six seconds. He continued to push hard, setting multiple fastest laps of the race. Sainz was unable to match Verstappen's pace, eventually falling over 10 seconds behind. In the closing laps, Verstappen continued to dominate, crossing the finish line over 17 seconds ahead of Sainz. Perez finished third, ahead of George Russell of Mercedes and Lando Norris of McLaren.