Max Verstappen Triumphs over Oscar Piastri in Wet Sprint Race at Belgian Grand Prix

The Belgian Grand Prix witnessed an exciting finale with Max Verstappen surpassing Oscar Piastri to secure victory in a thrilling, rain-soaked sprint race. The top three drivers, including Pierre Gasly, were honoured with their trophies by Belgian ex-Grand Prix champion Jacky Ickx.

The adrenaline-filled wet sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix ended with Verstappen overtaking McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to clinch the title. Initially, Piastri, who was trailing Verstappen, moved to the lead by opting for intermediate tyres right after the race began post a five-lap safety car interval.

Despite sticking with the compulsory full wet tyres for an additional lap before switching, Verstappen managed to navigate a safety car episode before taking the lead from Piastri on the Kemmel straight. Piastri, a rookie, held onto second place, his top finish in F1, preceding Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes secured fourth but was penalised with a five-second penalty for colliding with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, resulting in Perez’s withdrawal and Hamilton’s fall to the seventh place, right ahead of George Russell, his teammate.

Hamilton was at the heart of the most gripping moments in the shortened 11-lap race when he challenged Perez at the two right-hand Stavelot corners. However, Hamilton lost ground, fell behind the Red Bull for the rest of the lap, and found himself under pressure from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Hamilton overtook Perez at the La Source hairpin, followed by Sainz taking advantage of Perez at Eau Rouge, eventually leading the pack. Charles Leclerc, Sainz’s teammate, capitalized on the Red Bull’s decreasing momentum to overtake Perez towards the Les Combes chicane. Under pressure from McLaren’s Lando Norris at Stavelot, Perez lost control, veered off the track, and was ultimately forced to retire his car.

Verstappen led the race after overtaking Piastri, managing to secure a more than six-second lead. The changing weather conditions, with a downpour leading to a delayed start, defined the race dynamics. After an initial delay and five laps behind the safety car, the race began on a track ready for intermediate tyres, with the drivers split between pitting immediately or completing an initial lap on the extreme wet tyres.

Verstappen had to bide his time for a safety car period, triggered by Fernando Alonso’s crash, but took the lead from Piastri after the race resumed. Verstappen was content with his strategy, acknowledging it was a “safer call.” Piastri expressed satisfaction with his performance, praising McLaren’s progress since an upgrade earlier in the month.

Meanwhile, it was a stirring day for Gasly, who secured his first podium finish for Alpine, a team recently experiencing a crisis following a series of management changes. After a pit-stop delay, Sainz led Leclerc, followed by Norris and Hamilton. Despite an initial setback, Russell managed to finish eighth and earn the final point.

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