Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen emphatically won the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday for an eighth straight win and 10th overall of a crushingly dominant season.
He finished 22.3 seconds ahead of teammate Sergio Perez to give Red Bull and easy 1-2. It moved Verstappen ominously closer to a third straight world title and his own F1 record of 15 wins from last year.
Verstappen is 125 points ahead of Perez after just 12 races, and his next target is matching Sebastian Vettel's F1 record of nine straight wins with a victory at the Dutch GP when the lopsided season resumes on Aug. 27.Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished in third spot for a third podium of the season, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth for Mercedes ahead of Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.
George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, with Lando Norris , Esteban Ocon , Lance Stroll , and Yuki Tsunoda completing the top 10. Leclerc started on pole ahead of Perez, with Hamilton and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. behind them. McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri was on the next row alongside Verstappen -- who was fastest in Friday's qualifying but took a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change.
Last year Verstappen won from 14th here so it felt easy from sixth, and once he overtook Perez on Lap 17 of 44 his 45th career win was seemingly inevitable.Hamilton came in on the penultimate lap for a tire change and the move paid off as he took the bonus point for fastest lap from Verstappen -- a very minor blip for the dominant Dutchman.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen gets five-place grid penalty at Belgian Grand Prix | TSNMax Verstappen took pole in qualifying on Friday at the Belgian Grand Prix., but will start sixth due to a a five-place grid penalty. Charles Leclerc will start on pole, joined on the front row by Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez.
Read more »
Leclerc starts on pole for Belgian GP after Verstappen gets grid penaltyRunaway F1 championship leader Max Verstappen had the fastest time in qualifying for the rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix on Friday, but Charles Leclerc will start the race from pole position because of Verstappen's five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change.
Read more »
Charles Leclerc starts on pole for Belgian GP after Max Verstappen gets grid penaltyRunaway F1 championship leader Max Verstappen had the fastest time in qualifying for the rain\u002Dhit Belgian Grand Prix on Friday.
Read more »
F1 leader Verstappen takes pole for Belgian GP sprint race ahead of PiastriMax Verstappen won the rain\u002Dhit sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.
Read more »
F1 leader Verstappen wins rain-hit Belgian GP sprint race. Piastri is secondTwo-time reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen won the rain-hit sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday to extend his huge lead over Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to 118 points.
Read more »
Formula 1 team Alpine parts ways with team prinicipal Otmar SzafnauerThe Alpine Formula One team will part ways with team principal Otmar Szafnauer by mutual agreement after this weekend\u0027s Belgian Grand Prix.
Read more »