Seven different winners in the first 14 races: excitement is guaranteed in Formula 1. However, the competition can hardly take advantage of Red Bull and Verstappen’s weak period.
The only thing that was predictable about the unpredictable Spa show with the subsequent disqualification of the supposed Formula 1 race winner George Russell was the performance of world champion Max Verstappen. Even in a Red Bull that has long since been overtaken by competitors such as McLaren and Mercedes in terms of performance, the three-time world champion is not letting himself be deterred from his title path.
Despite adversities such as a grid penalty, Verstappen exploits the weakness of pursuers such as Lando Norris and races into the summer break with a generous 78-point cushion over the Englishman. Seven different race winners in the first 14 of a total of 24 Grand Prix: Even the tense winner roulette this season is still bearable for resistance fighter Verstappen.
Mercedes driver Russell was heartbroken after his surprise victory in Belgium was disqualified. After refueling during final inspection, his Silver Arrow weighed one and a half kilograms too little. The minimum weight of a Formula 1 car is 798 kilograms, but Russell’s car only weighed 796.5 kilograms. “It breaks my heart to have been disqualified from today’s race,” admitted the Englishman.
After a brave one-stop strategy, he was able to feel like a three-time Grand Prix winner for at least two hours. According to the verdict of the race stewards, Lewis Hamilton moved up and was able to record his 105th career victory. “I feel sorry for George, and you don’t want to win a race by being disqualified,” said the 39-year-old.
Was it the rubber loss for Russell?
“We can only apologise to George, who drove such a strong race,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff before the start of a four-week racing break. How did Russell’s lightweight come about? “We assume that the loss of rubber from just one stop played a role and we will work to understand how it happened,” explained chief engineer Andrew Shovlin, pointing to the significant tyre wear during a Grand Prix.
The holidays come at just the right time for Verstappen and Red Bull. He has not won in the last four races. In that time, Mercedes drivers have won three times. In the World Championship, however, Verstappen’s main threat is Norris’ McLaren. But the Miami winner makes too many mistakes, right at the start in Spa-Francorchamps. In the end, that meant that Verstappen finished fourth, just ahead of Norris. And that was despite the Dutchman starting in eleventh place, seven places behind Norris.
Sky expert Ralf Schumacher recommended that the World Championship runner-up work with a mental coach to build up self-confidence and become calmer. Norris must “urgently” stop making small mistakes, otherwise his own team-mate Oscar Piastri, who is 110 points behind Verstappen, will overtake him.
During the summer break, McLaren is faced with the fundamental decision to end the equality of its drivers. Only one of them could win the hunt for Verstappen. Scenes like those in Hungary, when Norris reluctantly gave up first place to Piastri, should not be repeated.
Perez is about to leave Red Bull
“We will talk during the summer break,” announced McLaren CEO Zak Brown. If Piastri can support Norris “without compromising his own race,” then that will be looked into.
For Verstappen, it doesn’t really matter who is breathing down his neck. The 26-year-old is primarily concerned with himself. He is also not particularly concerned about the debate about an early replacement of his teammate Sergio Perez, who once again disappointed in Belgium by finishing seventh. The Mexican could be replaced by Daniel Ricciardo (35) from sister team Racing Bulls during the holidays.
“That’s not my problem,” said Verstappen. “For me, with the car that is probably not the fastest at the moment, it’s about limiting the damage and trying to be as close as possible every time.” At the end of August in Zandvoort, more will be known in Formula 1.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
