2023 F1 Belgian GP sprint: Top 5 conclusions

F1 Grand Prix of Belgium - Sprint Shootout

Max Verstappen won the 2023 F1 Belgian GP sprint and made it look easy. It appears as if, these days, it does not matter whether it rains or stays dry, the Red Bull driver will find a way to come out on top.

In what was a decent strategic call to not pit for inters on the very first lap, the driver quickly caught up with Oscar Piastri and passed him for the win.

Piastri was accompanied to the sprint podium by Pierre Gasly, who had a great drive. The Alpine driver made the most of being the first to pit for intermediates.

So, after a fun little sprint, what did we learn? Let's take a look.

#1 Max Verstappen is giving off the vibes of being an unbeatable force

Whether it rains or stays dry, Max Verstappen has become an inevitable presence at the front of the grid. The brilliance of his drives can be seen if we compare how his teammate Sergio Perez is doing in the same car.

In the same race where Verstappen easily dispatched Oscar Piastri, his teammate got tangled up with Lewis Hamilton.

The driver might not have the best qualifying sessions, but seems peerless in the races. He's starting to give off vibes of being someone who is almost unbeatable right now.

#2 Oscar Piastri is finally starting to blossom

Oscar Piastri's biggest challenge has been keeping up with Lando Norris, a supreme talent in his own right. The race in Hungary was probably one of the bigger reality checks that Piastri has had. He was outclassed by his teammate and much of it was put down to the lack of race pace.

He's come to the 2023 F1 Belgian GP and taken on the challenge of Norris in an even more mature manner than is expected from a rookie. This weekend has been all about Piastri outclassing Norris and proving that he might be a star of the future. The kid might be growing up sooner than we would have thought by the looks of it.

#3 Keep penalty aside, Lewis Hamilton was sensational

F1 Grand Prix of Belgium - Practice & Qualifying

Looking at Lewis Hamilton these days, no one can claim that this driver is anywhere close to retiring from the sport. Sure, there are suitors both in favor and against the penalty, but the way Hamilton drove in those conditions and made the Mercedes dance to his tunes was almost majestic to watch.

The move might have been penalized but that was Lewis Hamilton of old, the one that dared to be aggressive and pull off stunning moves. The penalty might hurt a bit, but the way the seven-time champion drove was worth a treat.

#4 In case anyone missed it, Ferrari messed up in the pits once again in the 2023 F1 Belgian GP sprint

Ferrari was on the second row for the 2023 F1 Belgian GP sprint, yet the team found a way to lose positions with both drivers. Neither Lewis Hamilton nor Pierre Gasly was ahead of Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz when they pitted, yet both of them came out behind the duo.

Lacking the basics and not being an operationally optimum team is what has left Ferrari in this situation. The team has not had a faultless weekend in a long, long time and while Fred Vassuer continues to assure of an improved future, it does not seem like it at the moment.

#5 Fernando Alonso is losing that early-season swagger

The 2023 F1 Belgian GP has not been kind to Fernando Alonso. It might hurt even more since this weekend is his birthday. Aston Martin is just not competitive anymore and that is starting to take a toll on Alonso.

The post-2023 F1 Belgian GP sprint shootout segment with the media saw Alonso almost looking tired of where he finds himself right now. He's back to being in a car that is not performing well and the mistake might have been a result of that.