MAX VERSTAPPEN has fought back from a penalty to LEAD at the F1 Belgian Grand Prix.
The Championship runaway leader Verstappen had been hit with a FIVE-place grid penalty for using too many gearbox components this season.
- Start time: 2pm
- TV channel/ live stream: Sky Sports F1
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- By Kieran Davies
Belgian Grand Prix results
Here are how the top five finished at Spa:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- By Kieran Davies
Max Verstappen wins the Belgian Grand Prix
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 43/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
This could be the perfect result for Red Bull today if drivers Verstappen and Perez occupy the top two positions.
Leclerc has managed to build his lead on Hamilton, trying to book himself a podium finish.
The Mercedes driver is running out of laps to catch third place so he has gone into the pits for some medium tyres to try and clock the fastest lap of the day.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 41/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Lance Stroll is told he is not doing as much 'lift and coast' as teammate Fernando Alonso.
That would suggest they have concerns with the amount of fuel Stroll has on board.
As a result, Tsunoda and Ocon are closing the gap on the Aston Martin.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 39/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Logan Sargent and Lewis Hamilton are both shown the black and white flag for exceeding track limits.
Charles Leclerc is trying to close the gap between him and Sergio Perez.
Fernando Alonso is looking to hold off George Russell as the chances of him catching Lewis Hamilton seem remote at best.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 37/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Verstappen suggests an extra pit stop to practice their pitting.
The simple reply from the team is 'not today Max'.
To give him enough time to do so, he would have to go hard on the softs he is on, which is a risk on some of these fast bends.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 35/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Verstappen makes use of his soft compound tyres and sets the fastest lap of the day, much to the frustrations of Nico Hulkenberg.
The Dutch driver picked up 8 points from his sprint win yesterday and, as it stands, picks up another with that fast lap.
Surely at this late stage of the race, only a mistake by Verstappen would let anybody in now.
Credit: AFP - By Kieran Davies
Lap 33/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Sergio Perez now has a 9.3 second lead over Charles Leclerc in third.
Lewis Hamilton is looking to close the gap on the Ferrari between now and the end of the race.
There is a huge gap between Hamilton and Alonso, now up to a massive 23.6 seconds.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 31/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Verstappen and Alonso are both on medium tyres but everyone else in the top ten are on soft tyres.
Immediately Alonso takes action and heads into the pits to get those soft tyres on.
Verstappen has a 27.6 second lead and his team are instructing him to come into the pits for a tyre change too.
Alonso manages to get back out on the track ahead of sixth placed George Russell.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 29/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Fernando Alonso has taken Lewis Hamilton as a result of his pit stop and moves into fourth place in the race.
The Mercedes driver is only 0.8 seconds behind him though.
It does not take long for Hamilton to get back into fourth on the much fresher tyres.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 27/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
George Russell is putting some fast lap times in right now and takes Lando Norris to move into eighth place.
Norris has done well to work his way back up the field into the points.
Charles Leclerc is trying to build a gap between himself and Lewis Hamilton.
Credit: EPA - By Kieran Davies
Lap 25/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
The rain shower seems to have let up already and Verstappen's lap times suggest that the track is drying up.
Verstappen now has a 6.03 second lead on Perez in second.
There is a big gap between second and third place.
Hamilton has some 13.6 second lead over fifth placed Alonso.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 23/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
The rain we are seeing is already making it tricky out there.
Verstappen almost loses control going through the chicane.
The Dutch driver is immediately on the team radio, 'I almost lost it', he tells them.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 21/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
The rain that is due to come in is forecast for ten minutes in duration.
This would mean that drivers would have to pit to go onto intermediate tyres.
It would be music to the ears of Russell and Gasly who have yet to pit in the race.
Everyone else would be taking their second pit stop.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 19/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Some great driving by Verstappen as Perez was helpless to prevent the defending world champion for becoming the new race leader.
After starting sixth on the grid, the Dutch driver now has clear track in front of him.
Fernando Alonso has now moved into fifth place, although there is some gap between him and fourth placed Lewis Hamilton.
Credit: EPA
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 17/44 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
The two Red Bulls exchange places once again.
Everyone apart from Gasly and Hulkenberg are out on the medium tyres now.
Sergio Perez has a 0.4 second lead on his teammate currently.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 15/44 – Verstappen leads, Perez second
Max Verstappen leads after both Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc pitted.
Their some rain forecast to be coming in so both Perez and Leclerc changed to medium tyres.
Verstappen is given the order to box himself.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 13/44 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
The front four drivers are all out on soft tyres.
Verstappen is taking time off Perez's lead but it still stands at 2.7 seconds.
Leclerc is 3 seconds behind the Dutch driver, with Hamilton 4.2 seconds behind the Ferrari.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 11/44 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
It is a Red Bull one and two now.
Verstappen made it look so easy as he overtook Leclerc.
Checo Perez will be more than aware that his teammate is behind him now, 3.06 seconds back as it stands.
Credit: AFP - By Kieran Davies
Lap 9/44 – Perez leads, Leclerc second
Lando Norris is down in fifteenth place, making this a nightmare race for McLaren.
Oscar Piastri is the first retirement of the race.
Max Verstappen is looking to catch the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc now.
Only 0.7 seconds between the two cars currently.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 7/44 – Perez leads, Leclerc second
Albon started the race in fifteenth place but has already moved into eighth place.
Tsunoda took his chance to get ahead of Sainz into sixth spot.
Verstappen pounces and takes Hamilton with ease.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 5/44 – Perez leads, Leclerc second
Alonso manages to utilise DRS to take Sainz and move into fifth place.
Sainz has some damage to his wing from the coming together with Piastri where his wheel came into contact with the side of his car.
Meanwhile, Perez leads Leclerc by two seconds.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 3/44 – Perez leads, Leclerc second
Piastri is off the track and we will no doubt see a safety car as stewards try to get his car onto the service road.
It is in a dangerous position on the corner, off the track but still an obstacle for anyone who has trouble on that turn.
It was a very aggressive start to the race by Perez, who was focussed on trying to get the lead from Leclerc.
- By Kieran Davies
Lap 1/44 – Perez leads, Verstappen fourth
What a start to the Belgian Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz locked up on the first turn and had a coming together with Oscar Piastri.
There seems to be damage to Piastri's front wing.
Leclerc remains in second place, with Hamilton in third.
- By Kieran Davies
Lights out in Belgian Grand Prix
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