Just when some were wondering if Red Bull had lost its spark after the shock departure of Christian Horner, Max Verstappen delivered the perfect response.
At a sunny Spa-Francorchamps, the Dutch driver reminded everyone exactly why he’s still a force to be reckoned with—swooping in early to snatch the lead and cruise to victory in the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race.
Life Without Horner Begins With a Win
It’s been a chaotic few weeks for Red Bull, following the abrupt sacking of team principal Christian Horner.
Watching from home for the first time in over two decades, Horner saw his team come out swinging.
Leading the charge was Verstappen, who secured Red Bull’s first win in any form since May’s Grand Prix in Imola.
The victory marked a promising start for new team boss Laurent Mekies, who took the reins just two weeks ago.
And although he’s barely had time to settle in, this result hints that the team isn’t spiraling just yet.
“Very, very impressive defence,” Mekies radioed to Verstappen after the race.
“You didn’t leave anything on the table.”
“Thank you, Laurent,” Max replied, calm and composed as ever.
The Winning Move Came Early
Verstappen wasted no time. Using a lighter rear wing setup for more straight-line speed, and helped by a slipstream down the Kemmel Straight, he made a decisive overtake on McLaren’s Oscar Piastri right at Les Combes on lap one.
From there, Verstappen was relentless.
Even when DRS was activated and Piastri tried to reel him in, Max held strong—never flinching as the McLaren driver shadowed him for the remainder of the 15-lap dash.
Piastri and Norris Battle On
Despite being outpaced at the start, Oscar Piastri still had an impressive outing.
He kept on Verstappen’s tail throughout the race and finished just 0.7 seconds behind.
That second-place finish now puts him nine points clear of teammate Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings.
Norris had his own battle to fight. Initially overtaken by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, he clawed back his third-place spot by lap four—making the most of the long run up Kemmel Straight.
Verstappen Says He’s Out of the Title Race—But Is He Really?
Verstappen has said he’s not in the title hunt this season. Given the points gap, it’s a fair assessment.
But let’s be honest—if anyone can pull off the impossible, it’s Max. And with performances like this, it’s hard to count him out completely.
For now, all eyes are on the McLaren duo—Piastri and Norris—as they continue to duel for top honours.
Young Bearman Impresses as Hamilton Struggles
Further down the field, 19-year-old Ollie Bearman made headlines of his own by grabbing seventh place for Haas—a solid result for the rising British star.
Things weren’t quite so sunny for his more experienced countrymen.
George Russell finished 12th in his Mercedes, while Lewis Hamilton had to settle for 15th.
A costly spin during qualifying left Hamilton starting down in 18th, and despite climbing a few spots, it was a sprint to forget.
All Eyes on Tomorrow’s Forecast
While today’s race basked in glorious sunshine, the weather forecast for Sunday’s main event looks much more unpredictable.
Rain is expected—potentially heavy—and as always in the Ardennes, anything can happen.
Just when some were wondering if Red Bull had lost its spark after the shock departure of Christian Horner, Max Verstappen delivered the perfect response.
At a sunny Spa-Francorchamps, the Dutch driver reminded everyone exactly why he’s still a force to be reckoned with—swooping in early to snatch the lead and cruise to victory in the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race.
Life Without Horner Begins With a Win
It’s been a chaotic few weeks for Red Bull, following the abrupt sacking of team principal Christian Horner.
Watching from home for the first time in over two decades, Horner saw his team come out swinging.
Leading the charge was Verstappen, who secured Red Bull’s first win in any form since May’s Grand Prix in Imola.
The victory marked a promising start for new team boss Laurent Mekies, who took the reins just two weeks ago.
And although he’s barely had time to settle in, this result hints that the team isn’t spiraling just yet.
“Very, very impressive defence,” Mekies radioed to Verstappen after the race.
“You didn’t leave anything on the table.”
“Thank you, Laurent,” Max replied, calm and composed as ever.
The Winning Move Came Early
Verstappen wasted no time. Using a lighter rear wing setup for more straight-line speed, and helped by a slipstream down the Kemmel Straight, he made a decisive overtake on McLaren’s Oscar Piastri right at Les Combes on lap one.
From there, Verstappen was relentless. Even when DRS was activated and Piastri tried to reel him in, Max held strong—never flinching as the McLaren driver shadowed him for the remainder of the 15-lap dash.
Piastri and Norris Battle On
Despite being outpaced at the start, Oscar Piastri still had an impressive outing.
He kept on Verstappen’s tail throughout the race and finished just 0.7 seconds behind.
That second-place finish now puts him nine points clear of teammate Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings.
Norris had his own battle to fight. Initially overtaken by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, he clawed back his third-place spot by lap four—making the most of the long run up Kemmel Straight.
Verstappen Says He’s Out of the Title Race—But Is He Really?
Verstappen has said he’s not in the title hunt this season. Given the points gap, it’s a fair assessment.
But let’s be honest—if anyone can pull off the impossible, it’s Max.
And with performances like this, it’s hard to count him out completely.
For now, all eyes are on the McLaren duo—Piastri and Norris—as they continue to duel for top honours.
Young Bearman Impresses as Hamilton Struggles
Further down the field, 19-year-old Ollie Bearman made headlines of his own by grabbing seventh place for Haas—a solid result for the rising British star.
Things weren’t quite so sunny for his more experienced countrymen.
George Russell finished 12th in his Mercedes, while Lewis Hamilton had to settle for 15th.
A costly spin during qualifying left Hamilton starting down in 18th, and despite climbing a few spots, it was a sprint to forget.
All Eyes on Tomorrow’s Forecast
While today’s race basked in glorious sunshine, the weather forecast for Sunday’s main event looks much more unpredictable.
Rain is expected—potentially heavy—and as always in the Ardennes, anything can happen.