Verstappen hails Belgian weekend as his most dominant yet

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen hailed the Belgian Grand Prix weekend as his most dominant yet in the sport.

The Red Bull driver ended Friday practice nearly a second clear of his rivals, was comfortably quickest in Saturday’s qualifying and overcame engine- and gearbox-related penalties to win from 14th on the grid on Sunday.

“I think if you look at the whole weekend, yes,” said the Dutch 24-year-old when asked if this had been his most dominant display.

“The car has been incredible from first practice. I don’t think we expected it to be like this, but sometimes it’s nice when things positively surprise you.”

Team boss Christian Horner told Verstappen he was in a class of his own.

Mexican teammate Sergio Pérez, who finished 17.8 seconds behind Verstappen in second place despite having started on the front row, said he was “untouchable”.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who started one place behind Verstappen after collecting similar engine and gearbox penalties but finished fifth, said Red Bull and his rival were “on another planet completely”.

Race winner Max Verstappen and second-placed Sergio Pérez celebrate with their team after the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on 28 August 2022. (Photo: Dan Mullan / Getty Images)

Verstappen said he had not even thought on Saturday that he might be leading the race as soon as the 12th of 44 laps around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

“I just wanted to have a good race and I knew that as soon as I was out of trouble after lap one, we could have a good race, but I never really think about what lap I’m going to lead,” he said. “It’s impossible to imagine.”

Verstappen, who also set the fastest lap and was voted “Driver of the Day” by fans, recognised that his imperious display in the country of his birth was special.

“It was just that this track seemed to be perfect for the car,” he said, with a home race at Zandvoort next weekend.

“I know that some tracks which are coming up might be a little bit more difficult and I expect again a good battle with Ferrari.”

Ferrari blame Verstappen for penalty

Leclerc’s pit-lane speeding penalty was due to a sensor failure caused by a tear-off visor strip discarded by Red Bull rival Verstappen, Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said.

Max Verstappen and third-placed Carlos Sainz celebrate on the podium after the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa on 28 August 2022. (Photo: Dan Mullan / Getty Images)

The 24-year-old Monégasque had started 15th, one place behind runaway championship leader Verstappen, after both were hit with engine- and gearbox-related penalties.

Leclerc pitted on lap three after complaining of overheating problems, with Ferrari then finding a tear-off strip lodged in his front right brake duct.

Binotto said the overheating had caused a sensor to fail which meant they could not measure Leclerc’s speed accurately when he made his final stop.

The five-second penalty for exceeding the speed limit dropped Leclerc one place to sixth.

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“We were not using our normal sensors measuring the speed because they failed during the overheating... due to the (tear-off) of Max,” Binotto told reporters at Spa-Francorchamps.

Leclerc made the late stop for fresh tyres so he could try to take a bonus point for fastest lap.

Instead, the stop briefly dropped him behind Alpine’s Fernando Alonso.

Max Verstappen during the Belgian Grand Prix on 28 August 2022. (Photo: ANP via Getty Images)

Binotto said it had been worth the risk, even if Verstappen ultimately claimed the point.

“I think overall it has been an unlucky situation and we should not stop deciding to be brave to go for a fast lap when conditions are there to go for it,” he said.

Leclerc, whose championship challenge has unravelled after reliability woes, driver errors and strategic missteps, is now 98 points behind Verstappen with eight races to go.

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Drivers have layers of transparent “tear-off” strips on their helmet visors that they peel off through the race to improve their visibility once dirty.

Verstappen had described Leclerc’s misfortune as “super-unlucky”.

“I hope it’s not mine,” he said.

Hamilton takes responsibility for crash

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton took the blame for a first-lap collision of champions with Alonso that ended the Briton’s race on Sunday, and was also given a warning for refusing to go to the medical centre.

Alonso had called the most successful F1 driver of all time an “idiot” who “only knows how to drive and start in first (place)”, after the pair made contact while fighting for second.

Hamilton told Sky Sports television he did not care what the Spaniard had said.

“Looking back at the footage, he was in my blind spot and I didn’t leave him enough space so it was my fault today,” he said, apologising to the team.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands in action during the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on 28 August 2022. (Photo: Dan Mullan / Getty Images)

Double world champion Alonso had lined up third on the grid, with seven-times champion Hamilton alongside.

Alonso made a great start to seize second from Red Bull’s Pérez while Hamilton moved up to third and tried to overtake.

They collided, Hamilton’s Mercedes lifting high into the air and clattering across the kerbs before parking up beside the track – ending his record of finishing every race this year.

“What an idiot, closing the door from the outside,” exclaimed Alonso over the radio. “We had a mega start but this guy only knows how to drive and start in first.”

Stewards investigated the incident and decided to take no further action. They said video evidence showed Alonso was on the inside at turn five but Hamilton’s front wheels were ahead of the Spaniard’s at the entry to the corner.

“At no point did Alonso appear to lose control or understeer,” they added. “Hamilton turned in towards the apex of the corner with Alonso still alongside and the collision occurred.”

Max Verstappen passes his team celebrating on the pitwall during the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on 28 August 2022. (Photo: Mark Thompson / Getty Images)

Hamilton, winner of a record 103 races, continued for half a lap before slowing and pulling over with smoke coming from the back of his Mercedes.

Alonso finished fifth, the best he had hoped for before the race, and struck a more conciliatory tone: “He now saw the incident and he takes the responsibility, which is obviously very nice from him.

“It was a lap-one incident, nothing really to say there… these things happen, especially in that corner. It happened in the past. I remember also with Lewis and (Nico) Rosberg, the same thing. It’s a tricky corner.

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“Luckily my car was very strong and nothing happened and I could continue. I felt the car was okay for the rest of the race.”

The stewards said the accident triggered medical warning lights in the car but Hamilton went to the medical centre only after Mercedes were warned they could face further action if he did not do so.

“This is not the first time this season that drivers (not Hamilton) have initially refused to go for a medical check,” they added. “The stewards issue a warning in this case, with a reminder to all drivers that stronger action may be taken in the future.” Reuters/DM