Hello everyone and welcome back to another race weekend after an excruciatingly long 3 weeks without the sport we all know and hold dear. Unlike the previous Grand Prix weekends on the calendar, Spa is gracious enough to gift us with a Sprint Race before the big Grand Prix!
the grid
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Esteban Ocon (Haas)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
the race
With 15 laps on the clock, the drivers prepare for the five red lights. Before the Sprint can even officially start, we get the call that Pierre Gasly can’t start this race due to an oil leak. Pierre is mourning the 6-year anniversary of losing his fellow racer, Anthoine Hubert, who tragically passed away in 2019 during a F2 race. He receives a DNS. With Franco Colapinto starting the race from last position in the pit lane, today is not Alpine’s day.
It’s lights out and away we go for the mini Grand Prix! Oscar Piastri has a good launch but so does Max Verstappen! Within the first turn, Max tries to go the long way round and pass Oscar. He almost has him, but Oscar isn’t about to let go of first place so quickly! He maintains. Oscar continues to lead and every driver behind him follows closely, but Max is sick of looking at the back of the Papaya colored McLaren! He creeps up alongside the lead and takes first by going around the outside! Max Verstappen becomes our new race leader! At the same time Max overtakes Oscar, Lando Norris gets overtaken by fourth position, Charles Leclerc! Almost in perfect unison, both Max and Charles improve one position.
For a few more laps, Lando tries time and time again to regain his original position, but Charles is unwavering in his third position driving abilities. It’s not until lap 4 that Lando makes the move yet again and rightfully reclaims third place!
Max Verstappen holds onto first! Even with Oscar hot on his tail, Max is able to stay calm and race on! In lap 11, Oscar finds himself within less than a second to the race lead, which is the closest he’s been this race! Now driving on a long straight, Oscar goes around the outside to pass Max but is unsuccessful. Max complains to his race engineer that he isn’t able to brake on the peak, but with much complaining coming out of the four-time world champion’s mouth every race weekend, his engineer is used to it and decides to answer with “understood”. But, despite braking issues, Max is able to hold onto first!
Now in the 15th and final lap of the Belgium Sprint Race, Max Verstappen still leads the 20-driver pack! Oscar is within a half-second window, so it’s now or never to reclaim the coveted first position! Oscar gets close but not nearly close enough! Knowing Max Verstappen, once he gets into first, there’s little to no hope of being able to pass him, and that is the case for this final lap! Max sees the white line first! Max Verstappen wins the Belgium Sprint Race! This marks the Dutch’s twelfth sprint win!
Rumor after rumor has been spread about the future of Red Bull and the future of their number 1 driver. Many changes have been made in the past weeks, but one thing that is unwavering and a given is that Max Verstappen is a winner!
results
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Esteban Ocon (Haas)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
I’ll catch you at qualifying! xx
The Formula 1 edit 
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