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Max Verstappen delivered a measured and commanding victory in Saturday’s Sprint at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, holding off Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to begin Red Bull’s new era on a winning note.
In the first on-track session since Christian Horner’s departure from the paddock, the reigning world champion kept his cool under pressure to secure maximum points in the 15-lap sprint.
The race began with Piastri on pole after an impressive Sprint qualifying on Friday, but Verstappen wasted no time asserting himself. With his Red Bull’s superior straight-line speed, he breezed past the McLaren up the Kemmel Straight on the opening lap, executing a textbook move on the approach to Les Combes.
The Dutchman’s early pass mirrored Piastri’s pre-race concerns, and it set the tone for the rest of the contest.
Behind them, Charles Leclerc muscled past Norris into third using a similar tactic, though the Ferrari couldn’t hold that position for long. Norris quickly regrouped and reclaimed third on lap four with a powerful DRS-assisted move, then set about closing the gap to the leaders.
With Piastri and Norris both on fresh medium tyres compared to Verstappen’s used set, the Red Bull driver found it difficult to shake them from DRS range.
Piastri repeatedly closed in along the straights, coming tantalizingly close to a move on lap 11 at Turn 5. Verstappen, however, absorbed the pressure expertly — even while reporting brake issues — and managed the lead with remarkable composure.
McLaren continued to look like the fastest package around Spa-Francorchamps, but Piastri couldn’t convert that speed into a decisive challenge.
Norris, meanwhile, stayed close but never found the opportunity to join the fray for the win. The result sees Piastri extend his slender championship lead over Norris to nine points, while Verstappen claws back valuable ground.
Leclerc, unable to live with the pace of the top three, settled into a lonely fourth place. Esteban Ocon ran a quietly impressive race to claim fifth for Alpine, followed by Carlos Sainz in sixth for Williams.
Oliver Bearman brought home valuable points for Haas in seventh, making it a double-score for the American team.
The final point went to Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, who comfortably outpaced Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson in a midfield DRS train.
Mercedes endured another difficult session: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli were mired in the pack after poor qualifying runs, finishing 12th and 17th respectively. Lewis Hamilton, driving the second Ferrari, recovered two places from his starting position but could do no better than 15th.
Pierre Gasly was unable to start from eighth on the grid due to a water leak discovered just before the formation lap. Although Alpine got him on track two laps down, his race became little more than a test session.
Verstappen’s Sprint win may not yet redefine the championship picture, but it signals that Red Bull — even in transition — remains a force to be reckoned with.
Focus now turns to Sunday’s main event, with Grand Prix qualifying scheduled for 16:00 local time this afternoon.
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