Max Verstappen clinched victory in the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint, fending off a late charge from Oscar Piastri to extend his championship lead.
Starting from pole at a rain-slicked Spa-Francorchamps, the Red Bull driver built an early gap over the McLaren duo of Piastri and Lando Norris. Piastri, who qualified second, kept the pressure on through the 19-lap dash, closing in during the final stages as tire wear bit hard.
A bold move from Piastri on lap 17 narrowed the margin to under a second, but Verstappen’s defensive driving held firm, crossing the line 1.2 seconds ahead. Norris rounded out the podium in third, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fourth.
The result hands Verstappen eight crucial points, boosting his tally in a season where he’s chasing a fifth straight title. Piastri’s runner-up spot keeps McLaren in the constructors’ hunt, trailing Red Bull by 42 points heading into qualifying.
