Formula 1. Verstappen wins the sprint race in Belgium ahead of the two McLarens

Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) won the sprint race of the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix ahead of the two McLarens of Australian Oscar Piastri and Briton Lando Norris on Saturday at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Starting in second position, the four-time reigning world champion took advantage of the slipstream to overtake poleman Piastri on the first lap and then held off the world championship leader magnificently.

In the first race at the helm of the Red Bull team of Frenchman Laurent Mekies, who replaced long-time boss Christian Horner two weeks ago, "Mad Max" secured the ^12th sprint victory of his career after a very solid performance.

Monaco's Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), who had taken third place shortly after the start, was unable to resist Norris and eventually finished fourth, ahead of Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Haas), who managed to hold on to the fifth position from which he had started. The top 8 was completed by Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Williams), Briton Oliver Bearman (Haas) and Frenchman Isack Hadjar , who took the final point in this sprint.

Seven-time British world champion Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), who started ^18th after failing to qualify on Friday, had an anonymous race and finished in ^16th place, just ahead of Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who started ^19th .