This is what happened in the 2023 Belgium Grand Prix

The 2023 Belgium Grand Prix played host to one of six sprint races, but this year the event will return to the traditional format. 

Qualifying

In Friday's normal qualifying session to set the grid for Sunday, Max Verstappen stormed to pole position by nearly a second from Charles Leclerc. Sergio Perez will be hoping to repeat his P3 in qualifying this year, he was joined by Lewis Hamilton on the second row. Behind them came Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri. Norris qualified 7th, with George Russell, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll behind. 

Sprint Qualifying and Race

Despite only qualifying 6th for the main race last year, F1's most recent race winner Oscar Piastri started the sprint race in P2 behind Max Verstappen. The two Ferrari's separated Piastri from his teammate Lando Norris, with Sainz ahead of Leclerc in P3. The formation lap started behind the safety car with the grid on full wet tyres, and plenty of drivers dove straight into the pitlane to change to the inters. Piastri took the lead after pitting straight away due to Verstappen staying out. 

The safety car came out on lap three, as Fernando Alonso beached his Aston Martin in the gravel at Pouhon. The restart allowed Verstappen to close up to the McLaren of Piastri, and he was very quickly past the Australian. Behind them, the battle for fourth was between Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz. Hamilton and Perez made contact on Lap 6 before Hamilton got past the Mexican at the start of Lap 7. As a result, Hamilton received a five-second time penalty with Perez retiring as a result of the contact. 

Verstappen won the sprint by a comfortable margin, with Piastri finishing second. The surprise of the weekend was Pierre Gasly claiming third in the sprint after starting 6th. Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Hamilton and Russell rounded out the top eight. 

Sunday's race

Despite taking pole, Verstappen started the race 6th as a result of a grid penalty for additional gearbox units. Leclerc led the grid away from the front cleanly, with Perez and Hamilton tucking in behind the Ferrari. Behind them, contact between Piastri and Sainz at the apex of turn 1, quickly ending the McLaren's race. At the front though, Perez quickly took the lead from Leclerc, in what was then a superior Red Bull. By Lap 4, Verstappen was up to fourth, behind his old rival Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren of Lando Norris struggled across the whole weekend, and by Lap 5 had dropped outside of the points. 

It only took 6 laps for Verstappen to get onto the podium, getting past Hamilton into the chicane at the end of the Kemmel straight. 3 laps later, Verstappen was second, soaring past Charles Leclerc in the same corner. On Lap 17, Verstappen flew past Perez on the same straight, to take the lead as he charged towards his eighth win in a row. 

There was plenty of close racing behind the leaders, with Albon and Tsunoda having a great battle, whilst Russell fought with the Aston Martins. Despite the start being dry, the rain arrived on Lap 20. This caused Verstappen to have a moment heading up the famous Eau Rouge hill, almost losing the car. However the rain didn't last long, and all the drivers managed to stay on slick tyres. 

Esteban Ocon was on a charge during the late stages of the Grand Prix, superbly passing Tsunoda (who was having a super race himself) in Les Combes, before flying past the Aston Martin of Stroll just a few laps later. 

It was Max Verstappen who comfortably took the victory, by over 22 seconds to his teammate Perez. Leclerc joined the Red Bull's on the podium. Hamilton finished fourth, with Alonso, Russell, Norris, Ocon, Stroll and Tsunoda rounding out the top 10.