Verstappen still “the favourite” to win Belgian GP from P11
McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Stella believes Max Verstappen is still the favourite to take a fourth consecutive Belgian Grand Prix win, despite starting 11th after an engine penalty.
Verstappen came into the weekend with a 10-place grid penalty for taking his fifth Honda combustion engine of the season.
It is the third Spa race in a row Red Bull has opted to take an engine penalty because the Ardennes layout is among the easiest on the calendar for overtaking, with Verstappen winning the race from 14th in 2022 and sixth last year.
With Verstappen and Red Bull less dominant in recent months in the face of McLaren’s continued resurgence, driving through the field is set to be a much more difficult assignment for the Dutchman.
But according to McLaren, the reigning world champion is still the favourite to win after Red Bull didn’t show its full hand in Friday practice.
“Max is definitely a threat,” Stella said. “He’s been exceptionally fast in dry conditions, he was very fast in wet conditions.
“We knew that in this kind of track, still Red Bull were likely to have an edge on us. I think this was proven today in wet and to some extent even yesterday in dry conditions.
“So, he remains the favourite for the victory, even if he starts outside the first 10.”
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri topped Friday’s FP2 session ahead of Verstappen, but Norris concluded Verstappen still had his power unit turned down.
“He’s clearly been quickest all weekend,” Norris added. “Even in FP2 they just didn’t turn up the engine and we had. So considering we were only two tenths ahead, they had a lot more in their bag.
“But 100% he is going to be coming through quickly and I’m sure it will be a threat for us at some point.”
Friday’s long run pace did suggest Red Bull has been suffering from excessive tyre degradation on the partially resurfaced Spa-Francorchamps loop, which is one area McLaren has looked strong in.
So, while Norris and Piastri, who are starting from fourth and fifth behind leader Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, are wary of Verstappen coming through, tyre management on higher fuel loads could be a decisive ace up McLaren’s sleeve.
“We seem to be able to keep the very high degradation for everyone relatively more under control,” Stella explained. “But we will see tomorrow if we are able to do the same.
“We have a tyre strategy that we are happy with, with two hard tyres. Hopefully we gain a time advantage at the start that means that even if Max made it through the field we will be far enough ahead.”
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, pole man Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
As well as de facto polesitter Leclerc, the papaya cars will also have to make it past second-starting Sergio Perez, who is under pressure to deliver a stronger result in the second Red Bull, and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in third.
“I know Checo potentially will have a bit more of a defensive mindset than the others, but Charles is also fighting off pole for a win, so he’s going to be fighting hard,” Norris pointed out.
“Same with Hamilton, he’s always going to be aggressive and defensive when he needs to be.
“We need to make the tyres last better than him. But the pace from Friday gives us a decent amount of confidence that we can hopefully get through them at some point.”
