Red Bull began the post-Christian Horner era on a strong note as Max Verstappen overtook Oscar Piastri to win Saturday's sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Piastri dominated qualifying for the sprint race, starting ahead of Verstappen and his McLaren team-mate and title rival Lando Norris, but he could not hold onto that position.
Verstappen – whose future with Red Bull has been the subject of fierce discussion in recent weeks – stormed past Piastri using the slipstream up the Kemmel straight on the opening lap.
Despite highlighting trouble with his brakes over team radio, the four-time world champion held on from there, with Piastri staying within half a second of the Dutchman but failing to draw any closer.
Verstappen's victory represented a positive start for Red Bull's new team principal Laurent Mekies, after Horner was dismissed during the mid-season break.
While Norris followed Piastri home in third, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth, with the Haas duo of Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman either side of Williams' Carlos Sainz, who finished sixth.
Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar rounded off the points positions, ahead of attention turning to qualifying for Sunday's main race.
The result sees Piastri extend his lead over Norris in the drivers' championship standings by a single point, while Verstappen is now 26 clear of George Russell in the battle for third, after the Brit finished a disappointing 12th in the sprint.
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Verstappen claimed his 12th career sprint victory on Saturday, and his second at Spa after also triumphing there in 2023.
The Dutchman's win was his first in five sprints since the 2024 United States Grand Prix, having won each of the previous six races in the format.
He will hope his performance translates into qualifying and Sunday's main race. He has won three of the last four editions of the Belgian Grand Prix (in 2021, 2022 and 2023), with Michael Schumacher (six), Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton (both five), Jim Clark and Kimi Raikkonen (both four) the only drivers with more victories at the event.
TOP 8
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
6. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
7. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
8. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers'
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 241
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 232
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 173
Constructors'
1. McLaren – 473
2. Ferrari – 227
3. Mercedes – 210
