Max Verstappen goes from 14th to top of podium

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS (Belgium), August 28

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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen went from 14th to first to take a dominant one-two win in Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix and accelerate his run towards a second Formula One title.

The Dutch driver took the chequered flag 17.8 seconds ahead of his Mexican teammate Sergio Perez, with Spaniard Carlos Sainz a distant third in his Ferrari after starting on pole position.

The win was Verstappen’s ninth from 14 races so far this season and put him a massive 93 points clear of Perez.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who started one place behind Verstappen in 15th, finished fifth but was demoted to sixth after a penalty for speeding in the pitlane. He is now third overall, 98 points behind Verstappen.

Alpine’s Fernando Alonso and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton made contact as seven-time world champion Hamilton tried to overtake around the outsides into the Les Combes chicane. Hamilton, who drew a rebuke from Alonso, accepted responsibility for the collision and retired due to damage from the incident. — Reuters