Formula One, Belgian GP: Max Verstappen charges to eighth straight win to extend championship lead

Max Verstappen made light of a five-place grid penalty to reel off an eighth consecutive victory for his invincible Red Bull team at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The defending double world champion and runaway series leader came home 22.305 seconds ahead of team-mate and nearest title rival Sergio Perez.

Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton who clocked the fastest lap.

It was Red Bull’s record-extending 13th win in succession, and their fifth one-two of the season.

Verstappen, who completed a hat-trick of Belgian wins, can now draw level with Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine straight wins set in 2013 at his home Dutch Grand Prix next month.

He said: “It’s a new spot, that’s for sure - P6. I knew that we had a great car. It was just about surviving turn one.

“We made all the right moves.”

Perez, who led for much of the early part of the race, said: “It was a good race for the team. We had a great start, to get through Charles, and I was doing my own race – but Max came through pretty fast on the second stint. There was nothing I could do.”

Leclerc said: “It was pretty good for us in terms of pace, but looking at...

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