Verstappen pessimistic: 'May be happy if I can fight with Mercedes'

Max Verstappen has little hope for a good result in Belgium. With the 10-place grid penalty, Verstappen is thinking mainly about damage limitation, he told Viaplay on Saturday.

"Yes, of course with that penalty too," says Verstappen when presented with the fact that it will be difficult to win again. "We are going with the attitude to limit the damage. If you looked at yesterday (Friday) in the long runs, McLaren are just much stronger. I don't expect to just drive to the front like the last two years. I think I can be happy if I can fight with the Mercedes and the Ferraris. That's the goal."

Verstappen thinks he should be realistic when Viaplay's reporter states that these are remarkable statements. In recent years, Verstappen has won everything that was loose and ready, but that is really a lot less now. In 2023, Verstappen also had a five-place grid penalty, but finished in P1 at Spa. "I have always said that there will come a time when it turns around, and that has been going on for a few races."