Damon Hill saw Max Verstappen do something that you’re not ‘supposed to’ to beat Oscar Piastri for Belgian GP Sprint win

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Damon Hill expects one thing Red Bull ace Max Verstappen did to deny Oscar Piastri the win in the F1 Sprint at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix annoyed the McLaren driver.

Just 0.753 seconds separated the Red Bull racer and his McLaren rival at the chequered flag at Spa on Saturday. Lando Norris also rounded out the podium places during the F1 Sprint at the Belgian GP within only 1.414s of Verstappen, and just 0.661s behind Piastri after 100km.

Piastri secured pole for the Sprint at the Belgian GP on Friday, but dominating in SQ3 proved insufficient to deny Verstappen his 12th career victory in the abbreviated race format. Piastri had destroyed the lap times that his nearest rivals posted by 0.477s and 0.618s respectively.

Red Bull watched Verstappen make the difference during the F1 Sprint at the Belgian GP, as the 27-year-old held Piastri off throughout the 12-lap dash. The Dutchman stole the lead at Les Combes on Lap 1 after slipstreaming his way by the 24-year-old on the Kemmel Straight.

Damon Hill spotted Max Verstappen weaving to deny Oscar Piastri in the 2025 Spa Sprint

Verstappen stunned Martin Brundle with how he held Piastri off throughout the F1 Sprint at the Belgian GP, having overcome the consequences of a low-downforce rear wing compared to the high-downforce package that the Red Bull star’s McLaren rival favoured for the event.

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But Hill told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 (26/7, 11:22) that he caught Verstappen pushing the limits of the regulations on Lap 11/15 of the Sprint. He also expects the four-time champion annoyed Piastri by weaving along the Kemmel Straight to disrupt the effect of his slipstream.

After Verstappen claimed he ‘can’t brake’, Hill said: “Just as we heard that, I was waiting for the radio from Oscar, who’s going to say that Max is weaving down the straight, because he definitely went one way and then the other, and you’re only supposed to change line once.

“So, we’ll just listen out for that. Maybe he hasn’t got time to get on the radio. We only have four laps left, and he’s got his hands full just keeping the attack up on Max, and also defending against Lando right behind him.”

Max Verstappen’s weaving might have cost Oscar Piastri a chance to win the Spa Sprint

Piastri would be within his rights to be annoyed with Verstappen weaving down the Kemmel Straight on Lap 11/15 of the Sprint at the Belgian GP. The Red Bull driver’s antics potentially cost the McLaren man his best chance to regain the lead of the Sprint, and possibly the win.

Verstappen was fully aware that he was under immense pressure as they rose the hill out of Eau Rouge and through Raidillon onto the Kemmel Straight. Piastri was able to get close out of La Source to utilise the slipstream, so hit the DRS activation point only 0.379s off the lead.

And as Hill noted, Verstappen weaved to his right before returning to the racing line, before moving to his right again to cover the inside line at Les Combes. Piastri had a chance to look at a potential overtake around the outside, yet would have risked contact if he tried a move.