Tense days
It certainly was not the best period for Red Bull after the Silverstone weekend, where Max Verstappen‘s spin in the final stages of the race tested the patience of the four-time world champion. The Dutchman, who has already expressed his disappointment with the new technical regulations and the missed opportunity for victory in this first half of the championship, now seems close to parting ways with the Milton Keynes team, so much so that in recent days several rumors about his future have arisen, starting with McLaren.
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Verstappen ‘Orange’ at Spa
The fact remains that the four-time world champion (who also holds Belgian citizenship) will have to refocus this weekend on the track-related aspects, particularly on one of his favorite circuits, Spa-Francorchamps. In the roll of honor of the Belgian GP, the former #1 has won three consecutive victories from 2021 to 2023, and will arrive this weekend with a special livery on his helmet: “It was nice to take a little break and, even though Silverstone was a tough weekend, last week I went back to the factory with the team to the simulator – he commented – looking ahead to Spa, it’s my favorite track on the calendar and it’s always nice to come back. I think it could be more complicated with the energy management restrictions on the straights, but historically we have always had good results here, so you never know what can happen. I will return wearing the special Orange Lion helmet, a tribute to the fans, who are incredible here and have given me huge support over the years.”
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Having stayed in England after Silverstone to participate in the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Isack Hadjar is also ready to face his first Belgian GP as a Red Bull driver, but shared the main difficulties the car might encounter as expressed by his teammate: “I spent last weekend at Goodwood, where I had the opportunity to drive the RB17 and the RB9. As a driver, you live for the sound of those cars, so it was really amazing to be there. Looking ahead to this double event, I know that the team and I will give our best before the summer break. So far I have achieved consistent results in the European races and I want to continue on this path, aiming to score more points. Spa is a historic circuit and, although it will be different with these regulations, it represents a new challenge for us drivers. It has similar characteristics to Silverstone, so we do not expect to be first, but we hope to have brought with us the lessons learned there this weekend.”
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