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F1

Incredible Max Verstappen clinches Belgian Grand Prix as Hamilton crashes out

The Red Bull driver has extended his domination the world championships this season with his success at the Belgian GP despite starting in P14 on Sunday.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen is victorious in Spa as Hamilton retires early

Verstappen, who started 14th after being hit with a grid penalty for using too many engine parts, cruised to his ninth win of the season ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

The result leaves Verstappen with a 93-point championship lead over Perez with eight races to go until the end of the season, with the 24-year-old Dutchman edging closer to a second world title.

It took Verstappen just 12 laps to assume the lead after overtaking Perez in Spa.

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Verstappen briefly dropped to second behind Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, but that was only when he came in for his first pitstop.

However, it took the outstanding Dutchman but just three laps to breeze back past the Ferrari driver and once again take the lead.

Verstappen who looked a class apart was then on his way to sealing the 29th victory of his F1 career.

The win for Verstappen now also means that Red Bull now holds a 118 point lead over Ferrari with eight races remaining.

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Carlos Sainz finished third, struggling for pace to drop away from the race leaders, hanging on to see off George Russell in the closing laps.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton made his first retirement of the season following a first-lap collision with Alpine driver Fernando Alonso as they fought for second place.

Hamilton later accepted responsibility for the incident, with Alonso describing him as an "id**t" over team radio, as the Spaniard claimed that the seven-time world champion "only knows how to drive and start in first".

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1 Max Verstappen Red Bull

2 Sergio Perez Red Bull + 17.841

3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari + 27.055

4 George Russell Mercedes + 29.707

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5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari + 72.007

6 Fernando Alonso Alpine + 73.860

7 Esteban Ocon Alpine + 76.169

8 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +78.631

9 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri + 92.655

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10 Alex Albon Williams + 102.326

11 Lance Stroll Aston Martin + 103.078

12 Lando Norris McLaren + 104.896

13 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri + 105.217

14 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo Racing + 106.252

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15 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren + 107.163

16 Kevin Magnussen Haas + 1 LAP

17 Mick Schumacher Haas + 1 LAP

18 Nicholas Latifi Williams + 1 LAP

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Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo spin – lap 2

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes damage – lap 2

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