Verstappen Wins Belgium F1 Sprint, Beats Piastri Norris

Max Verstappen secured a hard-fought victory in the 15-lap sprint race at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, overtaking polesitter Oscar Piastri on the opening lap and fending off relentless pressure from the McLaren duo, Piastri and Lando Norris. Despite McLaren showcasing the fastest car in qualifying with a high-downforce setup, Verstappen's Red Bull, equipped with a low-drag rear wing, gave him superior straight-line speed, which was key to his decisive pass and ability to defend under intense pursuit. Verstappen admitted to driving over the limit and abandoning tire management to maintain his lead, describing the race as a cat-and-mouse battle with constant DRS and battery management. Piastri, while frustrated at being unable to retake the lead, extended his championship advantage over Norris, with Verstappen remaining third in the standings. This victory marked Verstappen's first sprint win since the 2024 United States Grand Prix and the first under new Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies. The race highlighted strategic contrasts between teams and Verstappen's defensive prowess on his favored Spa-Francorchamps circuit.