SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Formula One champion Max Verstappen won a "cat and mouse" Belgian Grand Prix sprint on Saturday in Red Bull's first race under the leadership of Laurent Mekies following Christian Horner's dismissal.

Max Verstappen won the first Formula One race staged following Christian Horner’s dismissal as Red Bull team principal in Saturday’s sprint race in Belgium. Eighteen days after Horner was told his two-decade reign was over, Verstappen claimed the Red Bull’s first win of any sort since he raced to victory in Imola on May 18.

Max Verstappen said Red Bull could always count on him, as the four-times Formula One champion gave new team boss Laurent Mekies a winning start in a Saturday sprint at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen says he's shown Red Bull he will always give his all for the team with his performances after winning the Sprint at the Belgian Grand Prix.Red Bull’s first race weekend without Christian Horner as team principal got off to a winning start early on Saturday,

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen shockingly managed to split the two McLaren drivers during the sprint race qualifying for the Belgium Grand Prix

Max Verstappen's Red Bull future may be decided for the time being, with a very pertinent confirmation believed to be

With Red Bull off the pace and a daughter at home, Verstappen tells The Athletic he's thinking long term - on and off the grid

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has named George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the team's priority for the 2026 Formula One season. The revelation comes after Max Verstappen was strongly linked to Mercedes.