The curse that has followed the Silver Arrows until now has somehow enveloped Red Bull, the defending champion. The crew has been mired in conflict for the previous three months, beginning with a tumultuous internal power struggle. Furthermore, their performance has been hampered by an unseen problem, as others have unexpectedly appeared faster than the RBR group.
Moreover, to further aggravate ot woes, Max Verstappen would get a ten-place grid penalty during the Belgian GP. The Dutchman has not won a race in the last three GPs. This penalty could weaken his hold on the world title as McLaren and Ferrari continue to make strides forward. Further, the RBR squad had a mixed two FP sessions, as Verstappen was confident of making a solid comeback.
A Mixed Free Practice Sessions For Verstappen Amid Stiff Competition
Max Verstappen has not secured a race victory since Spain three races ago, and if he fails to win at Spa-Francorchamps, his championship lead could be further reduced. Despite the pressure, Verstappen seemed unfazed after Friday’s practice sessions. He explained that the team experimented with various setups to strike a balance between top speed in sectors one and three and cornering speed in the long middle sector.
Verstappen noted that the team started the day positively, but the second practice session was not as successful. He mentioned that they have several aspects to review and optimize, especially considering his engine penalty, which will force him to start further back in the race. While acknowledging the importance of qualifying, Verstappen emphasized that the primary focus is on the race performance.
Thus, the Red Bull squad will have a massive task ahead of the Sunday race. Although the RBR triple champion has immaculate racing skills, he would have to replicate Lewis Hamilton’s 2021 Brazil GP heroics to seal the victory. In 2021, Hamilton began the sprint from P20 and climbed to P5. He managed to secure a remarkable victory during the main race despite starting from P10 due to a penalty. If the Dutchman could achieve such a feat, it would undoubtedly rank among his greatest victories.
Sergio Perez Faces Balancing Issues Amid Looming Contract Termination
Sergio Perez struggled to keep up with Verstappen’s lap times due to balance issues with his RB20. He expressed his frustration over the radio, citing both understeer and oversteer as challenges that made the car difficult to handle. Perez acknowledged that despite experimenting with various adjustments, the team has not yet been able to extract the car’s potential fully. He mentioned they have gathered a significant amount of information, as both cars had different setups, and there is much to analyze for the upcoming race.
