
A recap of the Belgian Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen continued to showcase his top form. With this victory, Verstappen secured his tenth win of the season and marked his eighth consecutive triumph, an extraordinary achievement.
His performance was masterful from the start. Despite starting from the sixth position, Verstappen employed a patient strategy, avoiding risks and gradually gaining positions. By the sixth lap, he had overtaken Lewis Hamilton for fourth place, and by the ninth lap, he did the same with Charles Leclerc, taking the second position. All these maneuvers were executed with great confidence on the Kemmel straight.
By the twelfth lap, Sergio Perez was leading the race with a 2.5-second gap over Verstappen. Both drivers entered the pits on the 14th lap, switching from soft to medium tires. From that point onward, the race was completely dominated by Verstappen. He quickly closed in on Perez, who seemed to be losing ground, and on the 18th lap, he passed him on the Kemmel straight. From there on, Verstappen maintained an unstoppable pace, extending his lead over Perez to a remarkable 22 seconds. This gap was surprising, considering that both were driving the same car.
While it's becoming increasingly difficult to find words to describe Verstappen's superiority, it's worth noting that Perez secured his second consecutive podium this season, showcasing a notable improvement compared to a challenging period between May and mid-July.
A shout-out also goes to Charles Leclerc, who drove a Ferrari that was finally competitive. It was the first Ferrari to cross the finish line after the Red Bull, marking a significant improvement from the Budapest race. Leclerc managed his race impeccably, successfully defending against Lewis Hamilton, especially after the second pit stop. This is the Ferrari team's third podium in the 2023 season, with a third-place finish in Baku and a second-place finish in Spielberg, both with Leclerc behind the wheel.
Carlos Sainz, starting from the second row, had an incident at the first corner, cutting across the track and colliding with Oscar Piastri. Unfortunately, Piastri was forced to retire, while Sainz continued with damage to his car, losing positions and eventually retiring.
Lewis Hamilton gave his all during the race, desperately trying to reach the podium, but he couldn't make it. Although Mercedes had improved compared to the early season, it wasn't enough to meet Toto Wolff's expectations. George Russell finished sixth, with Fernando Alonso sandwiched between the two Mercedes, driving his Aston Martin-Mercedes. Lance Stroll secured points with a ninth-place finish.
McLaren-Mercedes opted for a wet track setup and faced the consequences. Lando Norris struggled during the race but managed to secure seventh place, which seems modest compared to the podiums achieved in the two previous races.
The solid performance of Esteban Ocon, who finished eighth with his Alpine-Renault, should also be mentioned, as well as Yuki Tsunoda, who appeared particularly lively and secured the tenth place with the Alpha Tauri-Honda. Unfortunately, Daniel Ricciardo, who had shone in the Sprint race, remained at the back of the pack during the Grand Prix.

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