Max Verstappen Wins First Race Under Laurent Mekies at Spa

Max Verstappen secured a victory in the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps, marking Red Bull's first win since Christian Horner's recent dismissal as team principal. Verstappen overtook polesitter Oscar Piastri on the opening lap using a low-downforce rear wing setup that enhanced straight-line speed, maintaining the lead despite Piastri's persistent challenges. This win was a strong start for Laurent Mekies, Horner's successor, and ended a turbulent period for Red Bull. Piastri, who extended his championship lead over teammate Lando Norris to nine points, finished closely behind Verstappen, with Norris third. The top three drivers finished within 1.4 seconds of each other, highlighting the intense competition. Verstappen acknowledged the difficulty of holding off the McLaren drivers but emphasized the importance of the sprint win as it still counts towards the championship.