Max Verstappen can join an exclusive club this weekend in Spa by winning the race in Belgium for the fourth consecutive time. This feat was last achieved by the great Ayrton Senna and a win for the current world champion would see him just two wins less at the iconic circuit than Michael Schumacher (6) and Max would join Senna, Jim Clark, Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton each of whom have won here four times.

Yet there are problems ahead for Max. Inclement weather forecast for qualifying on Saturday makes the starting grid more of a lottery than when dry. Further, as TJ13 reported earlier today Max will be taking engine penalties of at least a ten place grid drop.

This has not concerned Verstappen previously as in 2022 he elected to take grid drop penalties but climbed from P14 at the start to the lead of the race by lap 18.

 

 

 

Grid drop for Max in Spa

Last year too Max suffered a five place grid drop for exceeding the FIA’s number of allowed components, but came back to win the race easily by 20 seconds from Sergio Perez in second place. Yet this RB20 does not have the advantage over the rest of the field as did its predecessors.

Spa is a venue where teams often choose to take grid drop penalties because its 7km long track is one of the easier one on the calendar for drivers to overtake.

Yet even prior to the power unit grid drop news, there’s more trouble predicted for Verstappen as the final race before the summer break approaches. Speaking on the RacingNews365 podcast, Red Bull simulator and development driver Rudy van Buren backed McLaren to repeat their one-two at Spa. 

That said van Buren backs Verstappen to claim pole position given the RB20’s straight line speed advantage down the long uninterrupted straights.

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Norris little joy in Belgium

Spa Francorchamps has not been a happy hunting ground for Lando Norris with a best result of P7 in his McLaren both in 2020 and 2023. Last year the weekend was of the Sprint format and Oscar Piastri enjoyed success as he came in P2 to Verstappen in the 100km dash to claim his first top three finish of his F1 career. 

Yet in the Grand Prix on Sunday Piastri’s joy was to turn to tears as Carlos Sainz Jnr blocked his attempted pass at turn 1 edged the Australian up against the inside wall. The suspension damage the McLaren suffered forced Piastri to retire from the race and whilst the stewards did not investigate the collision, both Sainz and Piastri blamed each other.

With McLaren having the best all round package on the grid this weekend, van Buren believes the final race classification will be as follows: “Lando wins from Piastri, Max for third, Hamilton fourth, Perez fifth.”

This scenario would see Verstappen’s lead in the championship over Norris cut to just 66 points, emphasising maybe to the team the importance of the 7 he was forced to give up in Hungary as the team instructed him to allow Oscar though to take the win. 

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RB20 faces more big kerbs

Norris will gave gained 18 points on the world champion since Silverstone and at this rate of deficit reduction, the pair will converge at there second running of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with just Qatar and Abu Dhabi then to come.

One further problem for the Red Bull drivers is like Singapore and Monaco, Spa has some pretty big kerbs the cars have to ride. In Monaco this year the RB20 was exposed in this area as the suspension cannot be softened sufficiently to cope with the violence of the kerb riding required.

Max had his worst result of the year in the principality coming home in sixth place as the car proved difficult to handle around the Monaco streets. The final chicane will be particularly awkward for the RB20 which sets the driver up for extra speed down the start/finish straight.

Max behaved like a caged animal in the paddock following disappointment at the recent Hungarian Grand Prix. The Red Bull team had brought their biggest upgrades of the year for the weekend, although it didn’t not overturn the advantage the McLarens now have.

Verstappen stiff penalty coming in Spa

 

 

 

Red Bull attempt to understand upgrades

Of course in modern F1 with no testing to speak of, teams take longer to understand how to fully optimise new components. The upgrades on Perez car were limited due to production shortages, but even Checo who has been struggling demonstrated he had similar pace during the race to Max.

Verstappen was doing a Lewis Hamilton in the media pen, claiming he hadn’t been “listened to” when he questioned the ride quality of the RB20 as early as the Emilia-Romagne Grand Prix.

The problem Red Bull have is there package design has topped out at its limit of development in this area and while Mercedes and McLaren appear to have more to come from their platforms, Red Bull may have to wait until next season.

Cost cap constraints and limited wind tunnel time together with a CFD limited allowance are all hurting the world champions as the head into the summer break. Looking ahead Singapore will be another difficult weekend for Red Bull and McLaren by then could be right on their heels in the race for the all important constructors’ prize.

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Alpine face walk out over engine supply doubts

Flavio Briatore has returned in his inimitable style to the Formula One paddock. Tasked with turning around the fortunes for the ailing Alpine team, the flamboyant Italian waltzed back in to his former playground announcing he was looking to do a deal which will see Mercedes deliver Alpine’s power units and possibly even from 2025.

Of course the story first aired in Barcelona, is part of Briatore’s efforts to recruit Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard is as yet undecided as to where his future lies, holding out for a possible seat with either Red Bull or Racing or Mercedes.

Yet with a strong performance in both the F2 Sprint and in winning the feature race on Sunday, Kimi Antonelli has made a step closer to claiming the vacant Lewis Hamilton seat for next year… READ MORE