Max Verstappen wins Belgian GP
Baku, July 31, AZERTAC
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the Belgian Grand Prix, the 13th round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, from sixth on the grid at Spa-Francorchamps, according to motorsport.com.
Despite starting from the third row, due to a grid penalty for a new gearbox, Verstappen worked his way to the front by lap 16 - taking the lead from team-mate Sergio Perez (Red Bull), who’d led since passing poleman Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) on the opening lap.
Leclerc held his pole position advantage on the run to Turn 1 to lead from Perez and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). Behind them, Oscar Piastri damaged his McLaren at the opening corner against Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and the wall on the inside of the La Source hairpin and was forced out on the opening lap.
Perez soon blasted past Leclerc for the lead on the Kemmel Straight. From sixth, Verstappen quickly vaulted to fourth after the Sainz/Piastri clash.
Perez scampered clear by 3s, as Verstappen initially got caught in a DRS train behind Leclerc and Hamilton. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) passed a hobbled Sainz - who had a hole in his sidepod - at Les Combes on lap four, and the Ferrari then tumbled down the order and he retired just after half distance.
Verstappen passed Hamilton down the inside at Les Combes on lap six and drove around the outside of Leclerc three tours later, putting him up to second inside the first quarter of the race.
Hamilton was the first of the leaders to stop on lap 14, before leader Perez and Leclerc stopped a lap later and Verstappen a tour after that.
Verstappen carved into Perez’s lead and caught him by lap 16, DRS-ing past him on the following tour to hit the front well before half distance.
Further back, George Russell (Mercedes) passed Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) for sixth on lap 17, Stroll losing further spots to Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) before pitting for fresh softs. Tsunoda then overtook Gasly.
Light rain began to fall from lap 18, Verstappen almost losing control of his car just after Eau Rouge as it began to intensify. But it proved to be a passing shower, so the intermediate tyres remained in the garages.
Hamilton pitted for softs with 16 laps to go, causing Leclerc to react a tour later - but Lewis was hindered in his undercut attempt by having to pass Alonso.
The Red Bulls rattled off their final pitstops without incident, Verstappen rejoining with a 9s advantage, which he extended to 22s at the finish.
Behind Perez, Leclerc held off Hamilton’s challenge, ahead of Alonso, Russell and Norris. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) passed Tsunoda for ninth with a smart move at Les Combes with five laps to go and then got Stroll at the same place for eighth two laps later.
Hamilton pitted for new medium tyres near the end, and snatched fastest lap from Verstappen on the final lap.
Other news in this section
