max verstappen has taken the victory janhe Belgian GP, after climbing from sixth place (gearbox penalty) without apparent effort, in just 16 laps, a quarter of the scheduled distance. The Dutchman achieves his tenth win of 2023, the eighth in a row, to take a plenary session at the Sprint weekend at the mythical Spa circuit.
Checo Pérez and Charles Leclerc, accompany him on the podium, but at a sidereal distance, 22 seconds and 31, respectively. Fernando Alonso has finished fifth and Carlos Sainz left with a hole in the side of his car.
“It gets further and further away, it’s the truth”, the Mexican was right to say after being second. “I have to analyze where he has gone and where I can recover,” he added on DAZN F1.
As expected, it was a redbull recital, who took the first with Prez in the first lap. At the exit, Sainz crossed from outside to inside, at La Source, to try to pass to piastri and placed third. Ferrari’s touch with the McLaren pressed it against the metal fence. The Australian said goodbye on lap 2 and Sainz after half the race, with a destroyed SF-23 on one of his sidepods. Norris also went off on that lap 1 and the McLarens said goodbye to their podium options.
Leclerc has completed a great career, bested only by the two Red Bulls and holding off a Lewis hamilton very comfortable in fourth and who took the fastest lap of the race at the end. The Monegasque already surpasses Sainz in the Drivers’ World Championship after his zero today, after a very commendable weekend for him.
Alonso fifth, from nothing
Fernando Alonso has finished fifth, well above the possibilities of his car. Outperforms Russell already norris, with two much faster cars, in such a demanding scenario. A true miracle on a layout, like the one in Las Ardennes, which does not forgive weaknesses of any kind in the engine and chassis. He passed five rivals on the outside at the start to pull one of his impossible tricks out of the hat.
The 10 points that he scores serve to continue third in the Drivers’ Championship, only points ahead of Hamilton, after 12 tests disputed. There are 149 for the Asturian compared to 148 for the British, something unthinkable at the start of the season and also now, seeing the difference in benefits that Ferrari, Mercedes and even McLaren have, with respect to their AMR23. Better times will come after the three-week break that F1 is now taking to Zandvoort.
Belgian GP 2023
1 M. Verstappen (B) Red Bull 44/44
2 S. Perez (B) Red Bull + 15″9
3 C. Leclerc (B) Ferrari + 19″2
4 L. Hamilton (M) Mercedes + 47″4
5 Fernando Alonso (B) Aston Martin + 48″8
6 G. Russell (B) Mercedes + 50″8
7 L. Norris (B) McLaren + 57″2
8 L. Stroll (B) Aston Martin + 61″0
9 E. Ocon (B) Alpine + 63″4
10 Y. Tsunoda (B) AlphaTauri + 64″1
11 P. Gasly (M) Alpine + 68″0
12 V. Bottas (M) Alfa Romeo + 70″3
13 K. Magnussen (M) Haas + 77″0
14 G. Zhou (B) Alfa Romeo + 81″6
15 N. Hulkenberg (B) Haas + 79″5
16 A. Albon (B) Williams + 82″4
17 Mr. Ricciardo (M) AlphaTauri + 80″6
18L Sargeant (B) Williams + 93″8
19 Carlos Sainz (M) Ferrari Retired
20 O. Piastri (M) McLaren Retired
Salidón de Alonso, Czech leader
Leclerc held first and Sainz collided with Piastri at La Source. Alonso was placed sixth, after climbing six places in one go and Verstappen was fourth, behind Hamilton.
Piastri left on lap 2, after touching Carlos. He left no room for him in Spanish and touched the inside wall of the first corner.
Checo took the first, passing without opposition to the Monegasque.
Alonso passed Carlos (V4) and was fifth
Sainz had damage to his car and after two laps of defense, he had to give up fifth place to Fernando.
The SF-23 had a hole in the right side. It was losing positions without remission.
Verstappen passed Hamilton
The champion was third after overtaking the Mercedes with DRS. Carlos stopped on lap 8 and fell to 18.
Verstappen passed Leclerc on lap 9
The Dutchman was second, after his partner, and was 2.5 seconds behind the head.
Alonso stopped on lap 11
He placed half again and returned 9 behind Hulkenberg, to cover Albon’s attack. Fernando passed Haas on lap 12 and was eighth. On lap 14 Checo and Leclerc stopped and Verstappen was first, but stopped on lap 15 to leave almost glued to the Mexican.
Alonso passed Russell and Stroll, and Max went first
The Asturian climbed to fifth again and Verstappen, on lap 17, passed Checo without any opposition and was on his way to another victory.
Withdrawal of Sainz (V24)
It didn’t make sense to continue on the track with a leaky and very slow car. Carlos entered the garage.
The rain appeared timidly on lap 18, but never broke enough to place the intermediates.
Alonso’s second stop (V31)
He placed soft and started fifth again, with 1.6 seconds over Russell. Max had 9 seconds on Checo and 14 on Leclerc and everything was decided with 13 laps to go in the race.
