Red Bull dominated the Belgian GP with a 1-2 finish as Max Verstappen clinched his 11 victories of the season. Sergio Perez secured second place, resulting in a 1-2 finish for Red Bull as they took home the maximum points. The results were completely opposite of what was expected with the new technical directive coming into effect in Spa. Red Bull and Ferrari\’s pace was expected to get affected as a result of the new floor regulations. However, Red Bull seemed to have been unaffected by the floor changes as they cruised along to extend their lead in both championships.
The team principal, Christian Horner, was impressed by his team\’s performance and jokingly thanked Mercedes\’ Toto Wolff for the change in technical regulations, which was rumored to be lobbied by the Austrian. Verstappen started 14th on the grid after taking a penalty for exceeding the engine components limit. However, the superior pace of his RB18 allowed the Dutchman to easily pass the cars ahead of him on soft tyres and get right in front quite early in the race than expected. The Red Bull driver is now leading his teammate Perez by 93 points in the drivers\’ championship. Apparently, he could win his second straight championship at the Singapore GP next month.
Christian Horner also spoke about Red Bull\’s performance after the race and believed that the circuit characteristics suited the RB18. They were the main reason behind their massive performance advantage. Christian joked, \”On the face of it, I\’d probably have to thank Toto for the TD!\” Moreover, the former British driver revealed that the circuit played to his team\’s strengths. He stated that the efficient car, brilliant setup, and Max\’s phenomenal form since the first lap in free practice were the reason behind such a huge win.
Christian Horner Happy With Red Bull\’s Brilliance In Spa
The Red Bull boss told that his team chose to take a penalty strategically. And this resulted in Verstappen starting in 14th after a great deal of grid shuffle. Max navigated his way through the pack efficiently over the first couple of laps. It allowed him to get to the front far quicker than his team expected. The soft tyres also worked pretty well for the Dutchman during his first stint.
Perez continued that Max and Checo\’s pace was enough to get past Carlos and bring home one of the most dominant performances since 2010 or 2013. Horner pointed out that the technical directive was expected to affect Red Bull\’s pace. However, it affected others more than Red Bull. The 48-year-old added, \”So we haven\’t really changed the way we operate the car.\”