Bulldozer Max: launched from an unusual 7th row after a penalty for an engine change, Verstappen crushed the competition to put his Red Bull back at the top of the classification, his usual place.

In front of his crowd, as often in Europe, the Dutchman born in Belgium to a Belgian mother had a lot to do to win a third victory in a row, a ninth success this season and the 29th of his career. Only 24 years old.

But he and his boosted Red Bull are decidedly too strong for the competition.

The defending champion now has a seemingly insurmountable lead of 93 points over his first pursuer. Especially since he is now none other than his teammate at Red Bull, the Mexican Sergio Pérez.

“It was incredible, I wasn’t hoping for such a good weekend but it’s good to be pleasantly surprised,” smiled Verstappen, who expects the last eight “tighter” races against Ferrari. .

– Leclerc at 98 points –

Pérez, 2nd Sunday, doubles in the championship a Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) who finished 6th. Leclerc, who started just behind Verstappen in 15th place, penalized for the same reasons, is now 98 points behind.

Logically judging the performance gap with Red Bull “worrying”, the Monegasque was stunned after the race: “the championship undoubtedly seems extremely difficult now, with the pace they have displayed”.

After a great start, avoiding the dangers in the heart of the peloton, “Mad Max” gradually swallowed up all his competitors. From the 12th lap of 7.004 km, out of 44, the Dutchman took the lead for the first time.

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), started from pole position, stopped in the same 12th lap in the pits. The Spaniard then took control when Verstappen also stopped to change his tyres, three laps later.

But he could only delude himself in the face of the frantic pace of the Dutchman, again first in the 18th lap.

“They were on another planet, very good in all areas, and unfortunately we weren’t fast enough,” Carlos Sainz noted somewhat, speaking of “the biggest level difference since the start of the season. “.

– Hamilton adrift –

Nothing could indeed stop Verstappen. Not in any case his former 2021 rival Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). On the first lap, the Briton crashed into Fernando Alonso (Alpine), then in the battle for second place, and had to retire.

The Spaniard did not fail to gut the seven-time world champion: “What an idiot, closing the door like that from the outside… we had a great start, but this guy only knows how to drive from the first place!”.

“It was definitely my fault today,” admitted Hamilton afterwards, quipping on the pike of his Iberian rival: “It’s nice to hear. I know what it can feel like in the heat of the game. action, but it’s good to know how he feels”.

In Zandvoort, the party promises to be as good as last year for the Batavian hero, who had won from pole in front of his mad “Orange army” and is aiming for a 30th victory in F1 this year.

His fans already formed a majority of the approximately 120,000 spectators under the blue skies of Spa, enjoying a much better spectacle than the fiasco of 2021. In the deluge, Verstappen had won a non-Grand Prix, after two laps behind the car of security.

In 2023, the Dutchman will have the opportunity to win a third time in a row at Spa: the Belgian Grand Prix has just been confirmed for next year’s calendar. Unlike France, which will no longer be there.

On the French side, Esteban Ocon (Alpine) took a good 7th place, moving up from 16th on the grid. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) finished 9th, also in the points.