Despite being quickest in qualifying, the particular Red Bull drivers started towards the back again because of a grid penalty for using a lot of engine parts.
Nevertheless , Verstappen produced a few excellent, attacking driving to weave his way through the pack, showing the velocity and quality traveling to win the race for the 2nd year in a row.
The Dutch motorist finished 17. 8 seconds ahead of their Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, with the Mexican driver comfortably finishing second in front of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in third.
The win is Verstappen’s ninth grand tarifs victory of the period, meaning the reigning champion stretches their lead atop the particular Formula One driver’s championship to 92 points. Perez moved to second in the table, surpassing Charles Leclerc, who could only finish fifth.
After the race, Verstappen praised the work of the whole Reddish colored Bull team, as well as looking ahead to his home race, the Nederlander Grand Prix, which takes place next week.
“It was a really busy first lap, to stay out of trouble, yet after the safety vehicle, the car was on rails, ” Verstappen explained.
“After that, once we were in the lead, it was pretty much just managing almost everything. The whole weekend had been incredible. It’s been the weekend I couldn’t imagine — I’ll enjoy today and then next week, let’s find what we can do. inch
No lack of confidence
Starting fourteenth was no problem for Verstappen.
Even before the particular race, despite so many cars ahead of your pet, the 24-year-old certainly not lost confidence in his chances of finishing around the podium. “I think with the pace we now have in the car, I wish to move forward, and I want to be at least on the podium, ” he said ahead of the race.
Under the sunny Belgian skies, from your first lap, he showed why their confidence wasn’t missing. From the seventh panel, he was already as much as fifth.
And after the first round of pit stops, Verstappen got the lead plus looked comfortable from then on, barely having to fend off any challengers throughout.
“Amazing Sunday guys, car was a rocket ship all weekend, ” Verstappen said on his team radio having crossed the finish line.
Elsewhere, it was another afternoon of struggles for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who damaged out of the race during the first lap getting collided with Fernando Alonso.
Speaking to Sky Sports during the race, Hamilton stated he took obligation for the crash.
“Looking back, he was in my blind place, I didn’t provide him enough space. It is my fault, inch the 37-year-old mentioned.
“I could not see him. I am sorry towards the team and I need to recuperate and get back on the treadmill. ”