Verstappen Aims High at Spa Amid Grid Drop

Verstappen faces a ten-grid drop at Spa, yet remains optimistic about achieving a strong finish despite the setback.

Max Verstappen was frustrated in Hungary by his inability to contend for the win, and the Red Bull driver may face a similar issue in Belgium this weekend. Indeed, he will receive a new internal combustion engine, his fifth of the season, and the first beyond the quota.

Additionally, this will mean a 10-place penalty from his qualifying position. He received a similar penalty in 2022 and, starting from 14th on the grid, managed to take the lead within about a dozen laps.

But at the wheel of an RB20 less competitive than some of its rivals, he could be ruled out of the race for victory against notably the McLaren F1s and Mercedes, who will be the favorites. Nonetheless, the Dutchman remains hopeful of a good result on a circuit he loves.

“Spa has always been my favorite circuit, with its fast corners and numerous overtaking opportunities. The fans are also fantastic and we receive a lot of support there. Hungary was a tricky race and a weekend to forget moving forward,” said Verstappen.

“We have worked as a team to optimize our performance and get the most out of the car. Of course, the weather makes things a bit more unpredictable, but we’ll see what the race holds.”

“The team has worked very hard and, as this is the last race before the summer break, we are looking forward to a well-deserved rest and want to come back stronger; for this weekend, we will try to get the best result possible.”

Sergio Perez may be playing his final card at Red Bull, as the Mexican’s case will be reviewed by his bosses at the start of the summer break: “The comeback we made on Sunday in Hungary was very positive. I think it showed how comfortable I was in the car over the weekend and the potential we had.”

“It’s frustrating not to have been able to fight for the podium, because we had the capability to be there with the race performance we showed, the last stint was very promising. Now, it’s up to me to put it all together for the weekend in Belgium and I am confident that we can do it.”

“We work well together as a team and what my mechanics were able to do to rebuild my car overnight in Budapest shows the incredible hard work everyone does, day after day. There is one race left before the summer break and I want to thank my team for last weekend by getting a good result, they are all that matters to me.”