McLaren Components 1 boss Andrea Stella believes Max Verstappen continues to be the favorite to take a fourth consecutive Belgian Grand Prix win, regardless of beginning eleventh after an engine penalty.
Verstappen got here into the weekend with a 10-place grid penalty for taking his fifth Honda combustion engine of the season.
It’s the third Spa race in a row Crimson Bull has opted to take an engine penalty as a result of the Ardennes structure is among the many best on the calendar for overtaking, with Verstappen successful the race from 14th in 2022 and sixth final yr.
With Verstappen and Crimson Bull much less dominant in latest months within the face of McLaren’s continued resurgence, driving by the sphere is ready to be a way more tough project for the Dutchman.
However in line with McLaren, the reigning world champion continues to be the favorite to win after Crimson Bull did not present its full hand in Friday observe.
“Max is unquestionably a risk,” Stella mentioned. “He is been exceptionally quick in dry situations, he was very quick in moist situations.
“We knew that in this sort of observe, nonetheless Crimson Bull had been prone to have an edge on us. I feel this was confirmed at present in moist and to some extent even yesterday in dry situations.
“So, he stays the favorite for the victory, even when he begins outdoors the primary 10.”
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38
Photograph by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Pictures
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri topped Friday’s FP2 session forward of Verstappen, however Norris concluded Verstappen nonetheless had his energy unit turned down.
“He is clearly been quickest all weekend,” Norris added. “Even in FP2 they simply did not flip up the engine and we had. So contemplating we had been solely two tenths forward, they’d much more of their bag.
“However 100% he’s going to be coming by rapidly and I am positive it is going to be a risk for us sooner or later.”
Friday’s future tempo did counsel Crimson Bull has been affected by extreme tyre degradation on the partially resurfaced Spa-Francorchamps loop, which is one space McLaren has regarded sturdy in.
So, whereas Norris and Piastri, who’re ranging from fourth and fifth behind chief Charles Leclerc within the Ferrari, are cautious of Verstappen coming by, tyre administration on larger gasoline hundreds may very well be a decisive ace up McLaren’s sleeve.
“We appear to have the ability to hold the very excessive degradation for everybody comparatively extra underneath management,” Stella defined. “However we’ll see tomorrow if we’re in a position to do the identical.
“We now have a tyre technique that we’re proud of, with two onerous tyres. Hopefully we acquire a time benefit firstly that implies that even when Max made it by the sphere we shall be far sufficient forward.”
Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing, pole man Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
In addition to de facto polesitter Leclerc, the papaya vehicles may also must make it previous second-starting Sergio Perez, who’s underneath stress to ship a stronger end result within the second Crimson Bull, and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in third.
“I do know Checo probably can have a bit extra of a defensive mindset than the others, however Charles can be combating off pole for a win, so he’ll be combating onerous,” Norris identified.
“Identical with Hamilton, he is all the time going to be aggressive and defensive when he must be.
“We have to make the tyres final higher than him. However the tempo from Friday provides us an honest quantity of confidence that we are able to hopefully get by them sooner or later.”
