Red Bull driver Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory during Saturday’s Sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix, claiming the lead back from McLaren rival Oscar Piastri after the two drivers opted for different strategies in a captivating wet encounter.

Amid plenty of action on the slippery Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly made the most of the conditions to round out the podium, while Lewis Hamilton was demoted from fourth to seventh after the Mercedes man clashed with the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez and picked up a penalty.

With rain a theme of the weekend so far, and following a post-Shootout break in the weather, the heavens opened again just before the 1705 local time scheduled start of the Sprint – officials deciding to push it back by 30 minutes to allow the latest downpour to pass.

By the time the formation lap began on mandated full wet tyres and behind the Safety Car (which became several laps), the sun had burst back through the clouds and lit up the track, promising an early switch to intermediates and potentially slick rubber as the race developed.