Verstappen makes surprise admission after Belgian GP podium as Red Bull fears ease

The Dutchman had been vocal about his frustrations with the current Formula 1 regulations, particularly regarding the energy management demands of the new generation of cars. Verstappen had warned that the characteristics of the machinery could make racing at Spa less exciting compared to previous eras.

However, following the Grand Prix, where he finished third behind Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc, Verstappen’s outlook appeared to have shifted slightly, especially regarding Red Bull’s performance throughout the weekend.

Speaking during the post-race press conference, which GPblog attended, the Red Bull driver explained that the weekend had been relatively straightforward for his team, highlighting that the car was immediately operating within a competitive window. While he admitted the second stint on the hard compound tyres proved more challenging than expected, Verstappen concluded that securing a podium finish represented a strong result for the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

“I guess the balance was not where I wanted it to be for a long time during that stint, so I lost too much time in the first half of it. But for us to be on the podium here has been a good result,” Verstappen explained.

Verstappen also reflected on the dramatic opening lap of the Belgian Grand Prix, which saw several position changes among the leading drivers. After making a strong start and overtaking Antonelli on the run through Eau Rouge, the Red Bull driver quickly slipped back two positions before the field reached Les Combes.

Asked about the sequence of events during the opening lap, Verstappen pointed to the challenges surrounding battery deployment in the current generation of Formula 1 cars. The Dutchman explained that the energy usage from the opening corners left him vulnerable on the long run towards Les Combes, before describing his reaction when he saw Leclerc approaching behind.

“I expected Kimi to come by, and then I looked in my mirror and just saw a red rocket coming. I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll just hold my line because if I move here, we’re going to have an airplane shunt.’ So, it was pretty incredible, the differences,” Verstappen concluded.

Verstappen had started the Belgian Grand Prix from second on the grid, but ultimately crossed the finish line in third place after losing ground during the Virtual Safety Car period, which disrupted his race strategy and prevented him from mounting a challenge for victory.