Status: 08/28/2022 4:39 p.m
Max Verstappen does it (almost) like Michael Schumacher – and removes the last question marks as to whether someone can still stop him on the way to his second world title.
Starting 13th, the Dutchman won the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday (08/28/2022) in demoralizing dominance. Formula 1 record world champion Schumacher triumphed from 16th place in Spa in 1995, but had to fight a lot more. “Great Sunday guys,” Verstappen said over the radio.
He analyzed the race as follows: “It was a hectic first lap. After that, the car ran like it was on rails. This whole weekend was incredible. I couldn’t have imagined it better beforehand.”
Colleagues demoted to extras
With his ninth win of the season, Verstappen demoted his fellow drivers to extras and is almost decisively leading the World Championship with 284 points. The new “pursuer” after 14 of 22 races is his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez (191), who started second and also finished this place. Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz (Spain) was third. Ferrari’s hope Charles Leclerc started directly behind Verstappen, he only moved up to fifth place.
None of the 20 drivers started from the position for which they qualified. The reason for this was the relegation of eight drivers whose racing cars had engine parts and gearboxes changed. These included Verstappen, Leclerc and also Mick Schumacher. The Haas driver had no chance of scoring points from the very back and finished 17th. Sebastian Vettel (Heppenheim/Aston Martin) fared much better, finishing eighth in an uneventful race.
Russell guessed it
“Max will probably win fairly easily,” said Mercedes driver George Russell before the race after the Dutchman had been in a class of his own in qualifying. Verstappen is “in super shape. It will be difficult for the others,” predicted Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko before the classic in Spa-Francorchamps, which will also be on the racing calendar in 2023.
Alonso scolds Hamilton
This year’s race in Spa started spectacularly: Pole setter Sainz got the best start, behind him record world champion Lewis Hamilton attacked his old rival Fernando Alonso, passed the Alpine but didn’t give the Spaniard enough space. There was a collision, Hamilton was out. “What an idiot. He only knows how to drive when he starts first,” Alonso scolded on the radio.
Hamilton admitted his mistake: “When I look at the pictures: he was in my blind spot, I didn’t see him, I’m so sorry for the team,” said the Brit and said to the insult to the Spaniard: “What he says I don’t care. It was my fault, he was in a blind spot. That sort of thing happens.”
Verstappen had already made up five places after the first lap before a safety car phase played into his hands. It was triggered by a spin by Williams driver Nicholas Latifi on lap two, which sent Valtteri Bottas’ Alfa Romeo out of bounds.
Leclerc falls far behind
At Leclerc, a part got caught in the brake ventilation, the Monegasse had to make an unscheduled stop after four laps and fell far behind – while Verstappen took fifth place from Vettel in the sixth lap. After a quarter of the race distance of 44 laps, Verstappen was finally at the front. Helmut Marko probably didn’t expect it to be so easy either.
Although Verstappen fell back behind Sainz after his first tire change, he was only able to celebrate first place for a few minutes: Verstappen was sometimes more than two seconds per lap faster than the Spaniard. In the final phase, Verstappen controlled events as he pleased, but the gap to the competition was still clear. Despite bad omens: Verstappen’s 29th Grand Prix victory was one of his easier ones.
Source: sportschau.de