Verstappen Victorious at Belgian Grand Prix Sprint

STAVELOT: Max Verstappen, the current Formula One champion, secured a win for Red Bull in the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday, with Laurent Mekies overseeing the team.

Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who is leading in the championship standings, achieved second place, closely followed by his teammate Lando Norris, who trails Piastri by nine points, in third.

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finished fourth, with Esteban Ocon of Haas and Carlos Sainz of Williams taking fifth and sixth positions, respectively.

Reflecting on his victory, Verstappen described it as ‘tough’ to hold off his rivals in a ‘cat and mouse’ style competition. He highlighted that it was a significant achievement for his team, despite a minor lockup in the final corner.

“I anticipated it would be challenging to keep them behind. It became a game of cat and mouse, managing DRS and battery usage,” Verstappen commented.

“The entire race remained within a close margin, so I couldn’t afford any significant errors. I had a slight lockup in the last corner, but overall, it was a fantastic outcome for us to maintain our lead,” he added.

Verstappen also mentioned pushing the limits on the track, emphasizing the importance of tire management after completing 15 laps without changing tires.

“You have to push beyond the perceived limits. Tire management becomes less of a factor. I essentially did 15 qualifying laps to stay ahead on a circuit where tire management is crucial.”

Verstappen’s triumph marks a successful start for Red Bull under their new team principal, Laurent Mekies.