Rain Can’t Stop Max Verstappen and Red Bull in Sprint Race

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 on track during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 29, 2023 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

STAVELOT, Belgium – Mother Nature continued to be the main character of the Formula 1 weekend at the famed Spa Franchonchamps for the Belgium Grand Prix weekend. Both of Saturday’s Sprint Weekend sessions, the Sprint Shootout and the Sprint, were met with some rain. However, not even a bit of rain could stop Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, even with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri shining as he did on Friday.

Sprint Race Qualifying

Like the previous Sprint Weekends for F1, Saturday’s sessions were reserved solely for the Sprint Race. First up, the Sprint Shootout qualifying with similar conditions to the day prior. Teams were met with even more rain that pushed the start of round one back by 35 minutes. After that delay, the sun shone, and the teams were sent out.

From the moment the first cars started to set times, the battle for who could have the better track position and warm up their tires to put optimum lap times began. Verstappen set the early fastest time, but immediately, the times started to fall more and more with Carlos Sainz taking his Ferrari to the top of the timing sheets, just for Verstappen to take back the fastest lap.

However, later in the session, to get a lap in at the last possible minute, teams up and down the grid were dealing with the possibility of not making it to the line fast enough. That happened to Haas with Nico Hulkenberg, who did not even set a time during the session. Joining him out of SQ1 was his teammate Kevin Magnussen, the Alfa Romeos of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu and the Alpha Tauri of Yuki Tsunoda.

The second round of the Sprint Shootout came with questions about the gamble to make it to the dry tires. While everyone started on the Intermediate compound tires, with Verstappen setting the fastest time, it became a question about when and who would be the first team to try the dry tires.

The first team that did that was Aston Martin sending Lance Stroll out on a set of Medium compound tires. With a dry line forming, he set out to show other teams it would work out. However, while heading into Turn 9, Stroll lost traction and found himself wrecked into the barrier, causing the red flag. With less than 30 seconds remaining, the session was completed effectively early.

The Williams teammates of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant could not set a time along with the Aston Martin pair of Stroll and Alonso. The AlphaTauri of Daniel Ricciardo was able to set a time, but he fell just short of making it to the next round.

Finally, to the third round, this one for all the marbles. Quickly, teams set out to start setting times, with Lewis Hamilton setting the benchmark in his Mercedes. Times continued to fall in the final minutes as both car and driver of each of the ten remaining out there got more and more comfortable with how quickly they could go in the conditions on the track.

SPA, BELGIUM – JULY 29: Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 on track during the Sprint Shootout ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 29, 2023 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202307290221 // Usage for editorial use only //

In the remaining seconds before each driver could set their fastest time, it became a gaggle of cars trying to set flying laps while waiting for the last second to arrange a time. The Red Bull of Sergio Perez came flying through a pack of cars to set a fast time in the final seconds and to get a second flying lap while further back, Red Bull called to Verstappen to get going so he could make it in time so he could get one last chance. To which he did.

All drivers set off for their final laps, and the times looked faster than before. Pierre Gasly looked quick as he passed the line to set a new benchmark before the sensational rookie from McLaren, Piastri, set what looked like a time to beat with the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz behind. But it was, as it has been the story through the year, Verstappen stormed through with his Red Bull to take the Sprint Race pole by 0.011 seconds.

Following the top three was the other Ferrari by Charles Leclerc, the other Mclaren by Lando Norris, and the Alpine by Gasly, with the Mercedes of Hamilton unable to improve as much as they wanted. Rounding out the top 10 was the Red Bull of Perez, the other Alpine of Esteban Ocon, and finally, the other Mercedes of George Russell, who was unable to set a time in SQ3.

Sprint Race

With the grid set, it was time to wait for the Sprint Race, and there was a bit of an extra wait due to rain. The Sprint Race was pushed back due to a rain storm that had practically sat atop the track, delaying the start. But finally, after a 30-minute delay, the grid set off on formation laps behind the pace car on the whole Wet tires. And after a handful of laps, with the sun shining, the field was finally released to race, with Verstappen leading the charge.

While the cars were making their way through the final chicane before the green flag was waved, Piastri led half of the field down pit lane to immediately switch from the Wet tires to the Intermediate tires, which would handle the conditions better. With that, Piastri set off trying to make up as much time as possible.

A lap later, Verstappen made it to the pits with the second half of the field to make their swaps from the Wet tires to Intermediates. But by switching to the better tires for the conditions at hand, Piastri was making time and passed Verstappen to take the lead of the Sprint race, his first F1 lap led.

The field was soon neutralized due to the Aston Martin of Alonso spitting off at Pouhon behind a Haas car and beaching it into the gravel, leading to a Safety Car. Shortly after that, the SC was brought back into the pits, and Piastri set off to try to hold off the mighty Red Bull of Verstappen.

But the McLaren could only hold off the Red Bull for so long, as Verstappen got a run through Eau Rouge, got alongside, and passed the rookie up the Kemmel Straight. Further down the field, behind the Alpine of Gasly, drama occurred as Hamilton and Perez touched, causing a hole in the side of the Red Bull and later giving Hamilton a five-second time penalty due to collision.

Due to the contact and the subsequent damage to the Red Bull, Perez started dropping down the order, getting passed by the Ferrari pair of Sainz and Leclerc. Shortly afterward, Perez went into the gravel, losing positions to Norris and promoting Ricciardo to the points. Soon, due to the damage, Red Bull called Perez into the pits to retire the car, ending his race early along with Alonso.

While Verstappen stretched his legs on Piastri and Gasly, the race was on to close out the remaining points-paying positions. In the closing stages, Russell got his Mercedes past Ricciardo. Once the checkered flag flew, Verstappen picked up another eight points for his World Drivers Championship effort, ahead of first-time podium finisher, Piastri, with Gasly holding firm in third. Hamilton’s penalty dropped him from fourth to seventh, promoting up the Ferrari pair of Sainz and Leclerc and Norris.

With the Sprint Saturday completed, all eyes turn to Sunday for the Grand Prix. Will Verstappen be able to fight his way up the order to pick up another win, or will Mclaren or someone else break Red Bull’s stranglehold on this season? Those questions, and more, will have to be answered once the lights go out and the checkered flag flies in the Belgium Grand Prix on Sunday.