Max Verstappen clinches Belgian Grand Prix

The Red Bull driver has extended his domination the world championships this season with his success at the Belgian GP despite starting in P14 on Sunday.

Verstappen, who started 14th after being hit with a grid penalty for using too many engine parts, cruised to his ninth win of the season ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

The result leaves Verstappen with a 93-point championship lead over Perez with eight races to go until the end of the season, with the 24-year-old Dutchman edging closer to a second world title.

It took Verstappen just 12 laps to assume the lead after overtaking Perez in Spa.

Verstappen briefly dropped to second behind Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, but that was only when he came in for his first pitstop.

However, it took the outstanding Dutchman but just three laps to breeze back past the Ferrari driver and once again take the lead.

Verstappen who looked a class apart was then on his way to sealing the 29th victory of his F1 career.

The win for Verstappen now also means that Red Bull now holds a 118 point lead over Ferrari with eight races remaining.

Carlos Sainz finished third, struggling for pace to drop away from the race leaders, hanging on to see off George Russell in the closing laps.

Lewis Hamilton crashed out of the Belgian Grand Prix

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton made his first retirement of the season following a first-lap collision with Alpine driver Fernando Alonso as they fought for second place.

Hamilton later accepted responsibility for the incident, with Alonso describing him as an id**t over team radio, as the Spaniard claimed that the seven-time world champion only knows how to drive and start in first.

2022 Belgian Grand Prix Results

1 Max Verstappen Red Bull

2 Sergio Perez Red Bull 17.841

3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 27.055

4 George Russell Mercedes 29.707

5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 72.007

6 Fernando Alonso Alpine 73.860

7 Esteban Ocon Alpine 76.169

8 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 78.631

9 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 92.655

10 Alex Albon Williams 102.326

11 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 103.078

12 Lando Norris McLaren 104.896

13 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 105.217

14 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo Racing 106.252

15 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 107.163

16 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1 LAP

17 Mick Schumacher Haas 1 LAP

18 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1 LAP

Did not finish

Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo spin – lap 2

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes damage – lap 2

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