Verstappen edges out McLaren to win Belgian GP sprint

Saturday 26 July 2025 - 16:00

Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) claimed a spectacular victory in the sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix, outmaneuvering the McLaren cars on Saturday at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Under an unusually sunny sky for the Ardennes region, the four-time reigning world champion seized a rare overtaking opportunity and held firm against relentless pressure from the papaya-colored McLaren duo.

Starting from second on the grid, “Mad Max” took advantage of the slipstream from pole-sitter Oscar Piastri and passed the Australian into Turn 5. Despite Piastri’s use of DRS, Verstappen skillfully defended his lead through the remaining laps.

“I’m thrilled! Everything went perfectly. That was our only chance to beat McLaren, and we took it,” Verstappen said. “I couldn’t afford a single mistake. Holding them off was incredibly tough. To keep the fastest cars behind you, you have to push flat out—I drove 15 qualifying laps!”

The win also marked a successful debut for Red Bull’s new French team principal, Laurent Mekies, who recently replaced long-time boss Christian Horner after two decades at the helm.

“The team did a fantastic job. Max was under immense pressure for 15 laps but showed great tire management and defensive driving. What he did today was incredibly difficult—he was simply outstanding,” Mekies told Canal+.

McLaren's internal duel continued as Oscar Piastri managed to finish ahead of teammate Lando Norris, gaining one more point in the championship. Piastri now leads the Briton by nine points.

Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc briefly overtook Norris early in the race but was eventually overtaken by him again and settled for fourth place, far from the podium battle. His teammate Lewis Hamilton, who started 18th after a poor qualifying session, finished 16th without any major recovery.