Max Verstappen sees off Oscar Piastri to win sprint race at Belgian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen overcame Oscar Piastri to win Formula One’s sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix. Pole-sitter Verstappen fell behind Piastri after the Australian moved from wet tyres to intermediate rubber a lap earlier before blasting back into the lead at the midway stage of a frantic rain-hit dash at Spa-Francorchamps. Rookie Piastri finished runner-up with Pierre Gasly a surprise third for Alpine. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth but was hit with a five-second penalty for colliding with Sergio Perez, dropping him to seventh. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were promoted to fourth and fifth respectively for Ferrari with McLaren’s Lando Norris sixth. George Russell took the final point in eighth. Perez was forced to retire from the race allowing Verstappen to extend his championship lead from 110 points to 118 ahead of tomorrow’s 44-lap Grand Prix. Six minutes before the race was due to get under way, the FIA announced the start would be postponed following heavy rainfall in the area. A 30-minute delay followed before a rainbow emerged over Spa-Francorchamps and the weather improved. At 5:35pm local time, the Safety Car led Verstappen et al on five formation laps in an attempt to clear the spray and aid the drivers with visibility. FIA race director Niels Wittich’s decision over when to enable the start of the race was heightened following the death of 18-year-old Dilano Van ‘t Hoff at a rain-hit Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) race four weeks ago. The safety car peeled in, paving the way for a rolling start and a shortened 11-lap dash to the chequered flag. But, before a proper racing lap had even taken place, half of the 20-strong field came into the pits to change from the full wets to the intermediate tyre. Among them was Piastri, Perez and Hamilton with Verstappen staying out on track. Verstappen immediately knew he was on the wrong rubber, calling on his team to change him to the intermediate tyres. In Verstappen came at the end of the opening lap, but by the time he emerged, Piastri had done enough to leapfrog him and lead a Formula One race for the first time in his career. Gasly, Perez and Hamilton benefited from their early stops to move up the pecking order. On lap three, the Safety Car was back out after Fernando Alonso crashed. The double world champion, who turned 42 on Saturday, lost control of his Aston Martin through the left-hander Turn 11, pirouetting through the gravel and nudging the barrier. Piastri headed the field when the race restarted on lap six, but his defence lasted only a handful of corners. Verstappen tracked Piastri through the fearsome Eau Rouge-Raidillon section and then blasted by on the Kemmel Straight. We tried our best and led a few laps but we were no match for Max Oscar Piastri Asked if it was a mistake not to stop for inters at the very start of the race, Verstappen said: “No, it was just a safer call. “I could have come in first and be blocked by other cars in the pits. We lost one position but we knew we were quick and when we put the inter tyres on we were flying.” Piastri, 22, said: “I feel very happy. We tried our best and led a few laps but we were no match for Max. “I thought the safety car would play in my favour with less laps to try and hold him behind. I got a good restart but by the top of Eau Rouge he was on top of me already. I could not keep him behind on the straight.” Further back in the battle for fourth, Hamilton attempted to muscle his way past Perez but the Mercedes man made contact with his Red Bull rival. Perez briefly remained ahead before Hamilton drove round the outside of the Mexican at La Source. Perez sustained damage in the accident and fell down the field, sliding through the gravel and then being ordered by his Red Bull team to retire the car. The stewards investigated the flashpoint and slapped Hamilton with a penalty, demoting him down the order. Verstappen remained in control of the race, taking the chequered flag 6.6 sec clear of Piastri to rack up yet another win in a one-sided campaign. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen beats Oscar Piastri to sprint race pole in Belgium How Max Verstappen and record-breaking Red Bull compare to Formula One greats I held my breath – Lewis Hamilton enjoys ‘extraordinary’ run to pole in Budapest
1970-01-01 08:00
Wagner troops moving towards Polish border and could try sneaking across, PM says
More than 100 troops from the Russian mercenary group Wagner are moving towards a thin strip of land between Poland and Lithuania, Poland's prime minister says, who warned they could pose as migrants to cross the border.
1970-01-01 08:00
Plaintiffs in high-profile redistricting case urge judges to toss out Alabama's controversial congressional map
Civil rights groups representing plaintiffs in a high-profile congressional redistricting case are urging a federal court in Alabama to reject a controversial new map crafted by the Republican-dominated legislature, saying it perpetuates a violation of the nation's landmark voting rights law.
1970-01-01 08:00
'Madonna' at 40: An oral history of the Queen of Pop's debut album
Madonna's self-titled first album was released 40 years ago this week.
1970-01-01 08:00
3 free agents Packers could still sign in training camp
The Green Bay Packers could be better than people expect in the first year without Aaron Rodgers, but these three free agents could help ensure that further.Even with Jordan Love taking over from Aaron Rodgers at quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, the fact of the matter is that the offense s...
1970-01-01 08:00
Sean Payton has a horrible excuse for his blasting of Nathaniel Hackett
Sean Payton's excuse for why he blasted Nathaniel Hackett earlier this week was a weak one.The October 8th matchup between the Denver Broncos and New York Jets is already gaining incredible amounts of hype. It would have been a hot game on the schedule even without added controversy, but Se...
1970-01-01 08:00
The 'Few and the Proud' aren't so few: Marines recruiting surges while other services struggle
Marine Corps leaders say they'll make their recruiting goal this year, at a time when the active-duty Army, Navy and Air Force expect to fall short
1970-01-01 08:00
Blinken snubs Australian call to end Assange case saying he’s accused of ‘very serious’ crime
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday pushed back against Australian demands for an end to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s prosecution, saying the Australian citizen was accused of “very serious criminal conduct” in publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago. Australia’s centre-left Labor Party government has been arguing since winning the elections last year that the United States should end its pursuit of the 52-year-old, who has spent four years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States. Mr Assange’s freedom is widely seen as a test of Australia’s leverage with President Joe Biden’s administration. Mr Blinken confirmed on Saturday that Mr Assange had been discussed in annual talks with Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Australia. “I understand the concerns and views of Australians. I think it’s very important that our friends here understand our concerns about this matter,” Mr Blinken told reporters. “Mr Assange was charged with very serious criminal conduct in the United States in connection with his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of our country,” he added. Ms Wong said Mr Assange’s prosecution had “dragged for too long” and that Australia wanted the charges “brought to a conclusion.” Australia remains ambiguous about whether the United States should drop the prosecution or strike a plea bargain. Mr Assange faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic and military documents in 2010. American prosecutors allege he helped US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk. Australia argues there is a “disconnect” between the US treatment of Mr Assange and Ms Manning. Then-US President Barack Obama commuted Ms Manning’s 35-year sentence to seven years, which allowed her release in 2017. Read More Pope meets with wife and family of Julian Assange, who says pontiff 'concerned' by his suffering Julian Assange’s wife says ‘it is now or never’ at US extradition protest Australian prime minister says he is working effectively to free WikiLeaks founder
1970-01-01 08:00
Ex-Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joins push for third-party presidential bid as Democrats try to stop it
Former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri is joining No Labels’ effort to lay the groundwork for a centrist third-party presidential ticket in 2024
1970-01-01 08:00
Jurgen Klopp reacts to 'surprise' Jordan Henderson departure
Jurgen Klopp gives his feelings on Jordan Henderson's surprise move away from Liverpool.
1970-01-01 08:00
Granit Xhaka opens up on emotional decision to leave Arsenal
Granit Xhaka reflects on his decision to leave Arsenal for Bayer Leverkusen.
1970-01-01 08:00
African Union gives 15-day ultimatum to Niger junta to end regime but soldiers seek continuity
The African Union has asked the junta that overthrew the democratically elected government of Niger to return to barracks within 15 days just as the soldiers, facing growing international pressure, met with senior civil servants to discuss how to run the West African country
1970-01-01 08:00
