Max Verstappen once again showcased his prowess by clinching victory in a thrilling and rain-soaked sprint race at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, outperforming early leader Oscar Piastri in a nail-biting battle.
The scene was set as spots of rain started falling intermittently when the cars lined up on the grid, with just 20 minutes left until the scheduled start time. However, the weather took a dramatic turn, and heavy rain poured down ten minutes later, leading to a delayed race start at 17:35 behind the safety car. All cars were mandated to start the race on full wet tires.
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Amidst the wet conditions, the cars were sent around for five formation laps, an extra one added in an attempt to clear more water from the track. Consequently, the race distance was reduced from 15 to 11 laps, prompting several drivers, including polesitter Max Verstappen, to report that conditions were already suitable for intermediate tires during the initial formation laps.
As the safety car finally returned to the pits, many drivers opted to pit, including Oscar Piastri, who was behind Verstappen. Piastri's decision to pit was shared by Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, and Lewis Hamilton, with the Alpine driver emerging just behind Piastri. The pitlane became a frenzy as some teams had to hold their cars due to others pitting around them.
Verstappen, along with Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, also pitted, but the timing proved challenging for Leclerc and Norris, who were running behind their respective teammates. A potentially long double-stack stop loomed for them, but Ferrari managed to hold Leclerc for several cars in the pitlane, slightly delaying Verstappen, who waited for Norris to pass before rejoining the track.
At the start of lap two, Piastri had gained a 1.5-second lead over Verstappen. However, the race was interrupted by a safety car period after Fernando Alonso spun while following Nico Hulkenberg. The incident was flagged as a possible "impeding" infraction and would be investigated later.
Racing resumed on lap six, with Verstappen staying close to Piastri as they accelerated back to speed. Then, in a breathtaking move, Verstappen surged ahead on the Kemmel Straight, shooting through the Eau Rouge/Raidillon sequence with McLaren just slightly ahead.
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From there, Verstappen dominated the race, comfortably securing a 6.6-second margin of victory over Piastri.
Behind the leaders, Gasly emerged from his final formation lap pit stop for intermediates ahead of Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton, with Sainz trailing behind them. Leclerc's elongated stop meant he fell behind Sainz, while Norris trailed Leclerc.
Hamilton made a daring move on Perez, but contact between their cars resulted in a five-second penalty for Hamilton. He couldn't regain positions, ultimately finishing seventh behind Sainz, Leclerc, and Norris.
George Russell demonstrated his drive and determination by claiming the final point on lap 10, overtaking Daniel Ricciardo at La Source and fending off Esteban Ocon after the restart.
The race was a rollercoaster of action and drama, providing F1 fans with an exhilarating showcase of skill and determination from the drivers as they battled the elements and each other on the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, providing a glimpse into the action we can hope to see during the main race.
