Belgian GP 2022 - Race: Triumphant victory for Verstappen, messy race for Ferrari
Max Verstappen took yet another victory, this time around Spa-Francorchamps as his teammate, Sergio Perez finished in P2, with Carlos Sainz in P3.
It was announced, a while before the race, that the Spa-Francorchamps circuit will remain in the 2023 calendar, despite recent talks regarding the track's removal from the World Championship.
Pre Race: Pierre Gasly didn't make it to the grid in time, so he had to start his race from the pitlane.
Race Start: Carlos Sainz had a magnificent start, leaving Sergio Perez behind, with the Mexican falling out to P5, after being overtaken by Fernando Alonso and both Mercedes. In a battle of their own, Alonso and Hamilton collided at Les Combes, leaving Hamilton out of the race.
Lap 1: Max Verstappen, who started 14th, had already made up 9 places at that point.
Lap 2: Nicholas Latifi collected Valtteri Bottas during an attempt to stay in track, resulting in the Finn's retirement, triggering a Safety Car.
Lap 5: Race resumed, with Verstappen up to P7.
Lap 10: 1 SAI, 2 PER, 3 VER, 4 RUS, 5 ALO, 6 VET, 7 RIC, 8 STR, 9 OCO, 10 NOR
Lap 12: Carlos Sainz was the first of the frontrunners to pit, switching to a fresh set of softs. Meanwhile, Verstappen passed teammate, Perez, for the lead of the race.
Lap 15: Perez pit, rejoining in P3, with Verstappen doing so, a lap later.
Lap 18: Verstappen got the lead back from Sainz, with his teammate following, 3 laps later, and Red Bull leading the race.
Lap 26: Both Sainz and Leclerc came in the pits for a second stop, with Sainz rejoining in P5 and Leclerc in P7.
Lap 31: Verstappen got summoned by Red Bull in the pits for his second stop of the day, without losing any positions
Lap 42: Lewis Hamilton received a warning for "refusing to visit the Event Medical Service following his crash on Lap 1 where the Medical Warning Light threshold was exceeded and only did so after the Race Director informed the team that further action could be taken if he did not."
Lap 43: Ferrari pit Leclerc out of fifth position for the Monegasque to switch to a fresh set of softs and chase for the fastest lap.
Lap 44: Max Verstappen saw the chequered flag first, 17.8 sec ahead of his teammate, Sergio Perez, who finished second.
Post Race: Charles Leclerc didn't set the fastest lap of the race, and therefore didn't "steal" the fl point off Verstappen, and received a 5 sec penalty for "speeding in the pitlane", dropping behind Fernando Alonso, in P6.
Max Verstappen got the fans' vote for Driver Of The Day, making up a total of 13 places in the race.
Max Verstappen took an iconic win in Belgium, to extend his lead in the Drivers' Championship standings, with Sergio Perez in P2 and Carlos Sainz in P3.
George Russell finished in 4th, ahead of Fernando Alonso in P5, and Charles Leclerc in P6, who gave up 5th, due to a 5 sec penalty he received for speeding in the pitlane.
It was an overall positive afternoon for Alpine, as Esteban Ocon placed his car in P7, followed by Sebastian Vettel in P8, with Pierre Gasly in P9 and Alexander Albon in P10, completing the top 10.