Verstappen wants to punish world champion at Belgian GP

Verstappen, 24, signed on the last day of last month, winning in Hungary. Eighth victory in the first thirteen races of a World Championship scheduled for 22. And in the absence of the second part of the competition, Leader with 258 pointsMexican Sergio Pérez, eighty more than Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and 85 more than his partner; third overall.

‘Checo’, born 32 years ago in Guadalajara (Jalisco) and won this year in Monaco F1 has tripled its win ratecontributes to its good work so that Red Bull is also comfortably leading the Constructors’ World Championship. With 431 points, 97 more than Ferrari, starting to threaten – of which only 30 already – Mercedes: winner of the last eight tag team titles and this seems to be accelerating after a weak start to the course; Although he does not yet know about the victory in 2022.

Netherlands’ new sports idol ‘blew up’ the World Cup in the Hungaroring. Made a new sports coup, also one, enormous, psychological; by winning on a course that is very difficult to pass on paper, starting from the tenth place – and having the luxury of recovering after a spin.

‘Mad Max’ He was victorious in front of two Brits the once smashing and now ‘recovering’ Mercedes, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who started ‘from the pole’; in front of two Ferraris, Spain’s Carlos Sainz, who started fourth after the second start, and that of Leclerc, who started third and finished sixth. On a day when the ‘Scuderia’ strategy is controversial at best.

27, He missed out on the podium for the seventh time in what he described as a “roller coaster” in Hungary.especially at the beginning. However, he is the talented driver from Madrid who won his first F1 victory at Silverstone (England), despite being fifth – 102 points behind Verstappen and two points behind fourth-placed Russell – at the World Championships. always finish campaigns stronger than you startedHe thinks that “mathematically everything is still possible”.

However, once you see what is seen, it seems much easier before someone else wins. Verstappen himself, who lost a goal-scoring World Cup., even without further victories. Moreover, something that seems unlikely; given its quality and already proven status as a sport hunter.

Continuing with the World Cup three race weekends in a rowIt will be run in the Netherlands (in Zandvoort) and Monza (Italy) immediately after the Belgian Grand Prix: the location of the last European race on 11 September.

The first two weekends of October will coincide with the spectacular night test in Singapore -in Marina Bay- and at the Japanese Grand Prix and Suzuka; Two races returning after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. And the last two of that month, with the United States Grand Prix in Austin (Texas); and with Mexico: at the Hermanos Rodriguez Autodrome in Mexico City.

The Interlagos circuit in São Paulo will host the penultimate race of the year, the Brazilian Grand Prix; Just one week before the end of the World Cup, which will be held on 20 November at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

But the near future shows Spa-Francorchamps after a holiday that began when two-time Spanish world champion Fernando Alonso (now in the Alps) bombed for Aston Martin just three days after celebrating his 41st birthday at the Hungaroring. The half that celebrated the first of 32 victories and the penultimate of 98 podiums in the premier class.

Double Asturian world champion (2005 and 2006, with Renault) – eighth in Hungary and tenth in competition with 41 points – fSigned multi-year contract with English teamstarting next year, he will replace retired four-time German world champion Sebastian Vettel (2010-13, with Red Bull); and his partner will be Canadian Lance Stroll, son of team owner Lawrence.

The first news after the holiday, which was announced to the public on Wednesday, was as follows. Australian Daniel Ricciardo will not continue at McLaren after this season. This means that the pilots’ dance still has some tunes to interpret.

Last year, the legendary circuit of the Ardennes, the longest at the World Championship (7,004 meters), with 19 bends – Radillon, Eau Rouge (probably the most famous at the World Championship), Les Combes, Pouhon or Le Source – was home to a grotesque test marked by the deluge. hosted.

The shortest race in history to be settled in just two laps behind the safety car after several delays and interruptions; what oronly half of the points awarded; and that, of course, didn’t change the outcome of qualifying: Verstappen recorded one of his 28 wins in the premier class ahead of Russell – that was his first podium for Williams and that day in F1 – and Hamilton’s. The hero of the most striking holidays; With visits to Rwanda, Namibia and Kenya.

Spa-Francorchamps, a track where precipitation can never be ignored, has reappeared in several areas; and some streams that were once asphalt are now covered with gravel.

This Friday, when free practice starts in one of F1’s holy shrines, whose continuity is not fully guaranteed on the calendar, if it doesn’t rain, it will be pulled on mid-range compound tires: C2 (hard, recognizable by). white stripe), C3 (middle, yellow stripe) and C4 (soft, red).

trials They will be completed on Saturday, hours before the qualifiers; It will provide the starting order of the Sunday race, scheduled for 44 lapsTo complete a 308 kilometer journey.