Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been given a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, giving rivals like Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris a boost.
Max Verstappen receives a five-place grid penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix, which benefits F1 competitors.
Formula One champion Max Verstappen will start fifth in Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.
According to reports, the Dutchman received the penalty after switching to his sixth gearbox of the F1 season. Verstappen will serve a penalty in Belgium for the second time in as many years, but it hasn’t stopped him from excelling in the past.
Last year, the 25-year-old began 14th but still managed to recover the gap and win his second consecutive race in Belgium. Red Bull’s star driver heads to Spa 110 points clear at the top of the drivers’ standings, looking for his eighth win of the season.
He and teammate Sergio Perez (second) are the only two drivers to have won so far in 2023. Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lando Norris is hoping to impress in Belgium after finishing second in Silverstone and Hungary.
It’s worth emphasizing Verstappen’s penalty is limited for Sunday’s race and will not affect his chances in the sprint. If the two-time world champion performs as expected in the latter, sixth place will be his best finish in the Grand Prix.
Verstappen is the first driver this season to breach F1’s annual gearbox maximum of four. The frontrunner has filed multiple complaints in recent months about gear sync issues, but the precise causes of his failed assemblies are unknown.
Red Bull’s decision to accept the grid penalty at Spa makes sense given the track’s general overtaking potential, not to mention the reduced chance of damaging a gearbox mid-race. Verstappen expressed optimism about the team’s chances on Thursday, saying they were “very happy” with his car.
“I believe we have a fast car.” Of course, there are other teams, and I believe they brought a lot more than us this year since we couldn’t,” stated the undisputed champion.
“However, we are very pleased with how the car is performing.” Our Saturday was not perfect, but I believe you can see the improvements we brought on Sunday. Hungary was a good race to observe how it worked.”
Rivals such as Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and McLaren’s Lando Norris will be pleased to learn of Verstappen’s setback. Both British candidates have yet to win their first race of the season (or career, in Norris’ case), but they have been performing strongly in recent weeks.
Norris, 23, has finished second in back-to-back races and will be looking to improve in Belgium. He also has unfinished business at Spa, having finished outside the top ten in three of his four visits here, and will be looking to hold a motivated Verstappen at bay in a rare opportunity to succeed.
