Damning proof Verstappen sabotaged rival

Damning footage from the Belgian Grand Prix has revealed that reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen inadvertently sabotaged Charles Leclerc's race at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Leclerc was forced to make an unscheduled pit-stop on the third lap after the Ferrari driver complained about smoke emerging from his right-front brake duct.

Ferrari later found a visor tear-off strip had been lodged in his brake duct, blocking airflow and causing the overheating problems.

And it didn't take long for Ferrari to unearth the culprit, with video replays showing the visor strip came from none other than race-winner Verstappen.

On the opening lap, the Red Bull phenom was forced to take evasive action after seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton collided with F1 veteran Fernando Alonso near Les Combes.

Verstappen's helmet was covered in dust after the incident, so the Dutch driver peeled off one of the transparent strips on his helmet visor during the high-speed run from Paul Frere to Blanchimont to improve visibility.

And unfortunately, he threw it directly into the path of Leclerc's car.

"It was super hectic, and so much dirt as well," Verstappen, who started 14th on the grid due to an engine penalty, explained after the race.

"I pulled off my tear off because I barely could see anything just because of the previous sector, like everyone just going on the grass, on the gravel, but we survived without damage.

"I hope it's not mine.

"But there was a lot of stuff, honestly people … they were all pulling stuff out, and it's just super unlucky, to be honest, that that happens.

"You're always scared that it happens, especially when you're in the pack because … especially on a track like this, you are taking them off very quickly. That is your worst nightmare, that these things happen, but yeah, unfortunately they do happen."

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said the overheating on Leclerc's car caused a sensor failure, meaning they could not measure his speed accurately when he made a late pit-stop to try and snare a bonus point for fastest lap.

The 24-year-old was given a five-second penalty for speeding in the pits, albeit 1km/h above the limit, after changing into fresh tyres.

But the gamble backfired dramatically, with Leclerc emerging from the pits alongside Alonso, who managed to overtake the Ferrari driver on the penultimate lap with the assistance of DRS.

Leclerc reclaimed fifth spot the following lap, but officially placed sixth when the added time penalty was accounted for.

"We were not using our normal sensors measuring the speed because they have been failed during the overheating … due to the (tear-off) of Max," Binotto told reporters.

"I think overall it has been an unlucky situation, and we should not stop deciding to be brave to go for a fast lap when conditions are there to go for it."

Verstappen produced one of the most dominant performances in recent memory to win the Belgian Grand Prix, extending his lead in the drivers' championship.

Despite starting near the back of the grid, the 24-year-old only needed 18 laps to take the lead in Spa, ultimately finishing nearly 20 seconds ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who placed second.

Leclerc, whose season has been marred by countless tactical blunders and unfortunate mishaps, is now 98 points behind Verstappen on the Driver Standing table with eight races remaining.

Meanwhile, Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo finished out of the points in 15th, a result that will do little to lift his spirits.

The 33-year-old's future is up in the air after McLaren terminated his contract a year early, with an eye to replace him with young compatriot Oscar Piastri.

"I'm not enjoying watching Daniel," F1 icon Martin Brundle told Sky Sports after the race.

"It's painful, isn't it. I consider him a friend and I rate him massively as a person and a racing driver.

"If I was McLaren I would have been doing the same thing, because he's struggling to get pace and you can't take that for another 18 months. I would have done exactly the same thing. How they've done it — they've made an agreement, this is a tough business.'

"Daniel didn't convince me that he wanted to stay on the grid, that he wanted to go to Alpine or anywhere else.

"I think he potentially does, but I saw a bit of a broken man, I didn't see, 'I'm going to win a race this year, I am going to be on the grid next year. I'll show them they've made the wrong decision here'."

The F1 season resumes this weekend with the Dutch Grand Prix.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission