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2022 Belgian Grand Prix Takeaways

By Jeff Stinger

Last weekend’s Formula 1 race featured an exceptional performance from both Red Bull drivers. The reigning world champion secured his second Belgian GP title in fashion. Meanwhile, the rest of the pack featured multiple switches. It was not the cliffhanger race Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps typically delivers, but exciting enough to produce interesting plots. With that, here are Nitrobetting’s top 2022 Belgian Grand Prix takeaways.

Key Takeaways from the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen secures back-to-back Belgian GP wins

Red Bull displayed sheer dominance. Verstappen made everything look too easy, finishing ahead of teammate Sergio Perez by almost 18 seconds. Checo managed to maintain P2 to complete the one-two finish for the Milton Keynes-based team. What made Verstappen’s drive even more impressive is the fact that he started in P13 after incurring grid penalties. The 24-year-old is not 89 points ahead of his teammate and nearly 100 points ahead of rival Charles Leclerc.

A second World Drivers’ Championship seems imminent for the Belgian-Dutch driver as he looks to complete his title defense against a Scuderia squad that started the season strong. He maintains a dominant -3,333 favorite to win the title.

Charles Leclerc’s downfall

This might have been Ferrari’s chance to reel Red Bull in for the title fight. It’s a common notion that a competitive driver alone can win the title. In this sport, you need the entire team to fill in the gaps and cover each and every component of a winning formula. However, it’s obvious that Leclerc does not have that with the Scuderia.

The radio exchange between the Monegasque and his engineer was painful to listen to. They discussed tire strategy while driving around the fastest sections of the circuits. There are scenarios Verstappen does not have to go through, which says a lot about how much of a well-oiled machine Red Bull is. Ultimately, the top 2022 Belgian Grand Prix storylines tell us that the championship battle for the +1,200 favorite is basically over.

Mercedes gets an underwhelming start, Alpine shines

Mercedes was pumped right after the summer break. Lewis Hamilton talked a big game but was done and dusted in Saturday’s qualifying. More disappointment arrived after Hamilton clipped Alonso’s front left wheel and went airborne. His chassis suffered major damage and forced him to retire a few laps into the race. George Russell did better and bagged 12 points following a P4 finish.

Simultaneously, Alpine took over the midfield and crushed rivals McLaren. They are currently 20 points ahead of the papaya’s following sensational performances by Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso with the help of a quick A52. This raises the question of why Oscar Piastri would veer out of his anticipated trajectory and walk out on the French team.

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.

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