Red Bull Racing’s 300th Formula 1 podium did not arrive with Max Verstappen celebrating from the top step. Instead, it came after a tense afternoon at Spa, where shifting strategy and stubborn hard tyres left him fighting to protect third place.
Dark clouds hung over the circuit as Verstappen launched from second on the grid. The Red Bull surged past Kimi Antonelli through Eau Rouge, briefly placing Verstappen at the head of the field. Antonelli answered almost immediately. With the Mercedes gathering speed along the Kemmel Straight, he swept back ahead before the opening lap was complete.
Verstappen later passed Charles Leclerc after an early Safety Car restart and settled into second place, roughly one second behind the leader. The podium appeared secure. A fight for victory still looked possible. Then the timing of the two Virtual Safety Car periods changed the shape of his race.
An Older Wing Gives Verstappen A Stronger Platform
Red Bull arrived in Belgium carrying doubts about its rear wing. The upgraded component had contributed to unusual crashes for Verstappen in Austria and Britain, forcing the team to return to an older specification at Spa.
The decision gave Verstappen a more predictable car. He qualified second after teammate Isack Hadjar provided a tow through the final section of the lap. Hadjar sacrificed his own qualifying run because a power unit penalty had already left him facing a start from the back of the grid.
“It’s just a bit more straightforward to work with the car, which was a lot nicer,” Verstappen said after the race.
Cooler air and the threat of rain added uncertainty before the race, but the field remained on slick tyres. Verstappen immediately found confidence on the medium compound. His launch carried him alongside Antonelli, and the Red Bull held firm through the steep compression of Eau Rouge before taking the lead.
The position lasted only seconds. Antonelli used the Mercedes speed advantage to reclaim first on the Kemmel Straight, while Leclerc slipped into third during the confusion behind them.
Once racing resumed on Lap five, Verstappen hunted down the Ferrari. He stayed close through the rapid middle sector, gained through the slipstream and moved past Leclerc into Les Combes. Antonelli remained ahead, but the gap hovered around one second. The RB22 had enough pace to keep the leader under pressure.
Lap 18 Changes Verstappen’s Race
Red Bull made the first move among the leading contenders on Lap 18. Verstappen dived into the pit lane from second, changed onto hard tyres and returned to the circuit in sixth. The team wanted to use the fresh rubber to pressure Antonelli and protect its position from Leclerc.
Moments later, the Virtual Safety Car boards lit up around the circuit.
Verstappen had already completed his stop, but the slowed field ruined his chance to attack on a fast out lap. Antonelli pitted soon afterwards and retained the net lead. The first neutralisation ended too quickly for Ferrari to gain the same advantage.
A second Virtual Safety Car followed shortly afterwards. This one lasted long enough for Ferrari to bring Leclerc into the pits at a reduced time cost. He returned ahead of Antonelli and Verstappen, reshuffling the order at the front.
The hard tyres never offered the same bite as the mediums. Verstappen reported lower grip and balance limitations as the RB22 became less settled through Spa’s fast direction changes. Each lap required more correction at the wheel, while the gap to the battle ahead slowly stretched.
Lando Norris remained ahead on worn tyres until Lap 29. Verstappen finally swept past the McLaren to reclaim third, but Leclerc was already too far up the road. There would be no final attack for the second.
Antonelli eventually passed Leclerc and won by 1.952 seconds. Verstappen crossed the line 11.586 seconds behind the Mercedes, securing his third podium of the season and Red Bull’s 300th in Formula 1.
Verstappen Has Built Nearly Half Of Red Bull’s Podium Record
Nearly half of Red Bull’s podium history now carries Verstappen’s name.
His third place in Belgium marked the 130th podium of his Formula 1 career. Every one of those results has come in Red Bull colours, giving him 43.3 per cent of the team’s total.
That figure reflects more than the seasons when Red Bull controlled the championship. Verstappen has continued to collect major results when the car has lacked winning pace. Spa followed that pattern. He attacked Antonelli at the start, recovered second from Leclerc and brought the car home after the strategy moved against him.
Celebrating a landmark is not the same as celebrating a victory. Sunday exposed the final pace deficit Red Bull still needs to close. Antonelli controlled the early stages and had enough speed to recover the lead after losing it through strategy.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies believed Verstappen had been on course to finish ahead of Leclerc before the Virtual Safety Car intervened. He also accepted that Antonelli held a sizeable performance advantage when the race settled down.
Hadjar Completes Red Bull’s Strong Afternoon
Hadjar gave Red Bull another reason for encouragement. Verstappen’s teammate began 21st after his power unit penalty but climbed through the field to finish sixth. He collected eight points and kept Norris behind during the closing stages.
Red Bull used an aggressive three-stop strategy to pull Hadjar back into contention. Early stops under neutralised conditions helped him cycle through the tyre compounds before his pace carried him through traffic. Mekies later described it as Hadjar’s best race since joining the main Red Bull team.
The performance gave Red Bull two competitive cars and extended its run of podium challenges to three consecutive races. After difficult weekends in Austria and Britain, Spa offered evidence that the team has found a more stable foundation.
Victory remains the target. Red Bull can celebrate podium number 300 and Verstappen’s enormous role in reaching it, but the Belgian Grand Prix also delivered a clear warning. Progress has placed the team back near the front. The final few tenths will decide whether it can return to the top step.
READ MORE: Leclerc’s Narrow Defeat at Spa Proves Ferrari Can Finally Pressure Mercedes
FAQs
How many Formula 1 podiums has Red Bull Racing achieved?
Red Bull reached 300 Formula 1 podiums when Max Verstappen finished third at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix.
How many Red Bull podiums has Max Verstappen earned?
Verstappen has earned 130 podiums for Red Bull. That represents 43.3 per cent of the team’s total.
Where did Max Verstappen finish at the Belgian Grand Prix?
Verstappen finished third at Spa, 11.586 seconds behind race winner Kimi Antonelli.
Why did Verstappen lose his chance to finish second?
Red Bull stopped Verstappen before the Virtual Safety Car. Charles Leclerc later benefited from a cheaper stop and returned ahead.
Where did Isack Hadjar finish after starting 21st?
Hadjar climbed from 21st to sixth and scored eight points for Red Bull.
