Max Verstappen increased his lead by a further eight points in the world championship with a calculated and convincing victory ahead of Australian rookie Oscar Piastri in Saturday’s rain-delayed sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix. 

Red Bull’s double defending world champion rode his luck when McLaren’s Piastri snatched the lead by making an early pit-stop to switch from wet to intermediate tyres, to storm back and win by 6.6 seconds. Verstappen’s win extended Red Bull’s record this year to 14 wins from 14 races—11 Grand Prixs and three sprints.