Spa-Francorchamps, 30 July 2023 (dpa/MIA) - World champion Max Verstappen romped to an eighth straight victory from sixth on the grid as Red Bull celebrated another Formula One record at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Verstappen had won qualifying but served a five-place grid penalty over a gearbox change beyond the legal season limit, a tactical move by the team because overtaking is easier in Spa than at other tracks.

And like last year, when he had won from 14th, Verstappen delivered, taking the lead from Sergio Perez in lap 17 of 44.

He almost lost the car at the famous Eau Rouge section as rain set in briefly at around the halfway mark, but regained his composure for another comfortable 10th season victory ahead of team-mate Perez and pole sitter Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.

Red Bull made it 12 wins in a row in one season, moving ahead of McLaren for another record.

And Verstappen will have a chance to equal Sebastian Vettel's record of nine wins in a row from 2013 after a four-week break at his Dutch home grand prix on August 27 in Zandvoort.

Verstappen increased his championship lead to 125 points - or five victories - over Perez after 12 of 23 races, with a third straight world title all but a foregone conclusion, barring disaster.