Late-night gamer Verstappen eyes redemption at Belgian Grand Prix

Red Bull Racing鈥檚 Dutch driver Max Verstappen prepares for the qualifying session at the Hungaroring race track in Mogyorod near Budapest on July 20, 2024. (AFP)
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A week after ranting on the team radio in Budapest, Max Verstappen heads to the Belgian Grand Prix warned to take 鈥渘othing for granted鈥� and advised by Red Bull to give up late-night simulation racing during race weekends.

The series leader and three-time world champion departed Hungary in a petulant mood after finishing a frustrated fifth, swearing on team radio and in post-race interviews, having gone to bed at three am before the race.

It was his and Red Bull鈥檚 third consecutive race without a win and he will need to deliver a more composed and professional performance on his preferred circuit on Sunday to avoid extending his winless run to four for the first time since 2020.

Another defeat and his commanding supremacy of the past, he won 19 of 22 races last year, will be forgotten.

鈥淗ungary was a tricky race and a weekend to forget and move forward from,鈥� said Dutchman Verstappen, whose combative manner did not go unnoticed.

鈥淲e have been working to optimize our performance and get the best out of the car that we possibly can.

鈥淪pa has always been my favorite track with fast corners and lots of opportunities to overtake. The fans are also great and we get a lot of support there,鈥� he added.

After winning the last three Belgian Grands Prix, Verstappen will be seeking to return to form with a fourth victory, but he may have to start from the back half of the grid if, as expected, Red Bull, fit his car with a fifth new engine of the season.

The limit for new power units is four, but Verstappen has proved at Spa in the past that he can overcome grid penalties when he seizes the momentum.

Born in Belgium to a Belgian mother, but grew up in the Netherlands, Verstappen always enjoys passionate backing from the local crowd and he may need it as he bids to extend his lead, trimmed to 76 points last Sunday, ahead of McLaren鈥檚 Lando Norris.

Coincidentally, Norris, who was also involved in some colorful 鈥榯eam orders鈥� radio exchanges last Sunday, also has a Belgian mother and he will be seeking to reduce the gap further by winning on Sunday, after handing victory last weekend to his team-mate Oscar Piastri following instructions to do so.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has warned the threat from McLaren, the in-form team with the fastest car, and both Mercedes and Ferrari, could wreck their season if they cannot respond and gather points more emphatically than they have.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just going to develop the fastest car we can, and that鈥檚 what we鈥檒l continue to do,鈥� said Horner.

鈥淚n the drivers鈥� championship, obviously Max has a good lead 鈥� but that can diminish very quickly, so, nothing can be taken for granted.鈥�

The team鈥檚 influential director Helmut Marko, a close adviser and confidante to the world champion, told speedweek.com: 鈥淲e agreed that he would no longer run simulations so late in the future.鈥�

Most attention may be focussed on the leading title contenders, but that will suit Piastri who showed commendable assurance as he claimed his maiden victory last Sunday.

鈥淪pa鈥檚 not been the happiest of hunting grounds for us recently, but I鈥檓 confident we鈥檒l be strong,鈥� said the 22-year-old Australian.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got a car that鈥檚 become a real all-rounder so I鈥檓 super confident and I think the team should be as well.鈥�

After winning his home British race and then finishing third for Mercedes last weekend, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton will also be a challenger on a track where he has won four times as will Ferrari鈥檚 Charles Leclerc, who took pole last year and won in 2019.