LOOK: Max Verstappen seals Red Bull run
NO CONTEST: Max Verstappen.
Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen roared to a crushing eighth win in a row, one short of the all-time record, in a Red Bull one-two with Sergio Perez at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Red Bull’s 13th consecutive victory made the team the first in the sport’s history to win the opening 12 races of a season, one more than McLaren managed in 1988 with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
Verstappen, who started sixth after a five-place grid penalty, extended his championship lead over Perez to 125 points – effectively five races – after taking the chequered flag 22.3 seconds ahead of his Mexican teammate.
More records for Max 🤩
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 30, 2023
Verstappen tied Alonso's record of nine winning grid positions with victory from P6 at Spa 💪#BelgianGP #F1 https://t.co/HrC3ZyJ7h4
He says of his win: “I knew we had a great car, it was just about surviving turn one.
“From there onwards we made the right overtakes and moves.”
Heading for a third title with the hele races to spare, the only real doubt being where he might seal it.
Red Bull's march towards the title continues 💪#BelgianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/ABHityvTju
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 30, 2023
Charles Leclerc, who started on pole for Ferrari, completed the podium with Lewis Hamilton fourth and securing fastest lap for Mercedes.
F1 STANDINGS
1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 314
2 Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 189
3 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 149
4 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 148
5 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 99
BY ALAN BALDWIN