Max Wins Spa Sprint,McLaren Close Behind
Verstappen Clinches Victory in Spa Sprint, McLaren Duo Completes Podium
The third Sprint event of the 2025 Formula 1 season — and only the second ever held at the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit — took place on Saturday in Belgium.
Oscar Piastri delivered a strong performance on Friday, setting the fastest times in both the sole Free Practice session and Sprint Qualifying, positioning himself as the early favorite heading into the race.
Ahead of the Sprint, Alpine made a technical change to Franco Colapinto’s car, replacing the rear wing. As a result, he was required to start the race from the pit lane. His teammate, Pierre Gasly, encountered a fluid leak on the grid. Despite the team’s efforts to resolve the issue, repairs could not be completed in time, and Gasly was unable to take the start.
During the Sprint, Lando Norris was informed that Piastri’s energy recovery system battery was operating at only 50% capacity. Although Norris made several attempts to mount a challenge, he was unable to close the gap sufficiently to overtake his teammate.
Max Verstappen capitalized on his strong start to take the lead early in the race and maintained control throughout, securing his 12th career Sprint victory and his first of the 2025 season. Oscar Piastri crossed the line in second place, followed by Lando Norris in third, marking another double podium for McLaren and reinforcing the team’s competitive form.
