Red Bull's Verstappen Takes Belgium F1 Sprint, McLaren's Norris on Pole for Main Event at Spa

Date:2025-07-27 00:12:20 Category:tech Views:3 Comment:0

Max Verstappen claimed victory in Formula 1’s Sprint Race at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday, while Lando Norris scored pole position for Sunday’s main event.

Verstappen started alongside Sprint qualifying pole sitter Oscar Piastri on the front row of the grid and held position, before using the slipstream and superior straight-line speed of his Red Bull to slingshot past along the Kemmel Straight.

Piastri remained within touching distance of Verstappen across the remainder of the race but was never close enough to seriously make a move, as Verstappen executed another of his improbable triumphs.

Piastri was followed home by McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who re-passed fast-starting Charles Leclerc, to increase his title lead to nine points, in a race that had limited action.

“Yeah, I'm just happy that I was able to hang on to it,” Verstappen. “I knew of course in the start there were possibilities up to turn five. We took it and then from there onwards I knew also they had new mediums—I knew it was going to be even more difficult—so I was just trying to hang in there with the top speed that we had.

“I knew the middle sector was going to be the weaker area for us and just trying not to make any mistakes there basically. And it worked very well.

“Of course, very pleased to win here. I mean, it's my favorite track, home crowd, home feeling. So just very nice always to be here.”

It was a strong Sprint Race for Haas, as Esteban Ocon converted fifth on the grid, while Oliver Bearman captured seventh, moving Haas to within just two points of Racing Bulls in a closely-fought battle for seventh in the standings.

auto prix f1 bel qualifying — Lando Norris of McLaren will be the driver to beat on Sunday. Manon Cruz - Getty Images

Qualifying for Sunday's Main Event

Norris rebounded during qualifying on Saturday afternoon as he beat Piastri to top spot by just 0.085s around the glorious seven-kilometer circuit that rises and falls its way through the Ardennes Forest.

Leclerc grabbed third place by just 0.003 second, at the expense of Verstappen, who will take the start from fourth place, having moved to a higher downforce set-up after his Sprint victory.

Williams’ Alex Albon was a striking fifth while Yuki Tsunoda had his strongest qualifying session since joining Red Bull by taking seventh.

Hamilton Strikes Out

It was a miserable day for Lewis Hamilton.

Having had a low-key Sprint Race, finishing only 15th, having been eliminated from SQ1 on Friday following a spin.

Hamilton then went on to narrowly cut the track at Raidillon on his flying lap in Q1, meaning it got deleted, leaving him down in 16th on the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

“It’s turning out to be a pretty bad weekend so far,” Hamilton surmised.

While Saturday’s activity took place in dry conditions, wet weather is forecasted through Sunday afternoon, though the capricious nature of the climate in the Ardennes makes exact forecasting extremely difficult.