McLaren: “Don’t Underestimate Verstappen Despite Penalty”

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri has warned of the threat that Max Verstappen still poses, despite the 10-place grid penalty the Dutchman will serve at the Belgian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver will receive this penalty after the team decided to use an additional internal combustion engine for the weekend, exceeding the quota of four units per season.

Verstappen has faced similar penalties in the previous two editions of the race and still managed to win, starting from P14 in 2022 and from P6 in 2023. Piastri is aware of Verstappen’s abilities on the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, where the Dutch driver has won the last three editions of the race. After the second practice session (FP2), Piastri commented to Speedcafe:

“It’s better than if he were starting at the front. I don’t think you can count him out. It’s a track where they’ve been very quick in the last couple of years. They look quick again this weekend, so I’m expecting him to make progress through the field. But having a little bit of a head start, hopefully, will definitely help,” added Piastri.

Max Verstappen Analyzes the RB20’s Performance After FP2

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen described the practice sessions as “difficult” at the Belgian GP, finishing P1 in the first practice session (FP1) and P3 in the second session (FP2). Due to the track layout, the drivers had to balance the rear wing levels to effectively manage downforce and drag.

Speaking to F1.com, the 26-year-old Dutchman commented on the difficulty of finding the right balance: “We tried quite a few things because it’s typically Spa, where you want top speed in sectors one and three, but it’s still a very long middle sector where you want cornering speed, and it’s very tricky to find the right balance.”

“So, we are trying a few things to see what is better and we’ll look at it now in the data. We started out quite positive today, but the second practice was perhaps not quite as good. We have a few things to look at, you know, with all the changes we made as well, and hopefully, we can put it all together for the race.”

Mixed Weather Conditions Could Impact Qualifying

Qualifying for the Belgian GP, scheduled for Saturday, could be crucial, as it is expected to take place in mixed weather conditions, unlike the main race on Sunday, which is expected to be dry. Verstappen will start the race outside the top 10, regardless of his qualifying result on Saturday, adding another challenge in his quest for victory.

Piastri’s acknowledgment of Verstappen’s capabilities underlines the difficulty the Dutchman still represents, ensuring an exciting battle on the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit. With high expectations, all eyes will be on how Verstappen will meet this challenge and how Piastri and the other drivers will handle the constant threat of the Red Bull driver.