The just-concluded Belgium Grand Prix delivered a mix of excitement and history. Dutch driver Max Verstappen, starting from the 5th grid, secured a historic victory in Belgium.
Red Bull showcased their prowess by claiming the first two spots on the podium, with Sergio Perez finishing perfectly to take second place.
The race entered the history books as Red Bull broke McLaren’s record of 11 consecutive wins from 1988, now achieving an impressive 12 straight victories. This was just one of the many highlights that made the Belgium GP a special event.
For Max Verstappen, it was yet another good day at the office, despite the heavy downpour and penalties during the race. “Today was a good day,” said Verstappen after his victory.
He later took to Twitter to express his gratitude to the fans and the team for their support throughout the weekend. “A perfect weekend in Spa. We’ve been on it from start to finish. The car was great. Thank you, Orange Army, your support is real.”
Red Bull’s dominance continued as they conquered Bahrain, Saudi, Australia, Baku, Miami, Monaco, Spain, Canada, Austria, Britain, Hungary, and now Belgium – an astonishing 12 races in a row in the same season. Max Verstappen’s outstanding performance earned him 8 consecutive victories, and Red Bull has now doubled the number of points of their arch-rival, Mercedes, with 503 points after 12 races compared to Mercedes’ 247 points.
Another noteworthy moment in the race was Verstappen’s eighth consecutive championship, leaving him just one victory shy of breaking Sebastien Vettel’s record set in 2013. It is also worth mentioning that before this championship, Verstappen had never won from sixth on the grid.
With 314 points so far, Verstappen has already surpassed Vettel’s championship-winning points of 256 in 2010 and 281 in 2012. Additionally, Verstappen secured his 13th consecutive podium finish, making it the fourth-longest streak in Formula One history.
While Red Bull continued to dominate with Sergio Perez securing second place, Ferrari’s Charles Lerclec failed to win his last nine starts from pole position, despite claiming the top spot on Saturday. Mercedes, on the other hand, missed the podium finish in Belgium, with Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth overall, but he set the fastest lap of the race.
Alpha Tauri’s driver Yuki Tsunoda also crafted another historic moment and partnered with Daniel Ricciardo. Tsunoda became the only man to score for Alpha Tauri in 2023. Overall, the Belgium GP was a history-making race.
