formula 1
Verstappen in his own “universe”: Triumph in Spa
Max Verstappen crossed the finish line as the winner. photo
© Olivier Matthys/AP/dpa
That was another demonstration of power by the Formula 1 world champion. Max Verstappen puts on an impressive race to catch up in Spa-Francorchamps. Has the World Cup already been decided?
Max Verstappen giggled with pleasure as he watched the TV images of his grandiose race to catch up on the Formula 1 cult track in Spa.
30 years after Michael Schumacher’s first triumph in Belgium, the Red Bull driver stormed almost playfully to the front on Sunday, just as irresistibly as the record champion once did, starting from 14th place on the grid to the delight of tens of thousands of Oranje fans.
“It was a hectic first lap. After that, the car ran like it was on rails. This whole weekend was incredible,” said Verstappen, who wants to continue his triumphal march at the Grand Prix in the Netherlands next week. “I couldn’t have imagined it any better before.”
Second world title is approaching
After his ninth victory in the 14th race of the season, Verstappen is rapidly approaching his second world title. Team-mate Sergio Perez completed the one-two for Red Bull, 17.8 seconds back in Belgium, with Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz third. Almost reverently, his teammate paid him respect. “Max just flew away, was in his own universe,” Perez said.
In the first race after the summer break, Verstappen did not let a grid penalty for an illegal engine change slow him down and basically destroyed all hopes of more excitement in the World Championship fight. The Dutchman is now 93 points ahead of Perez. “Max, you were brilliant,” praised team boss Christian Horner.
Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari is only third in the world championship driver standings. The Monegasque’s race to catch up only ended in sixth place due to a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Vettel in the points
Haas driver Mick Schumacher, whose father had won from 16th place in the rain during one of his many Spa moments in 1995, had to settle for 17th place. Sebastian Vettel in the Aston Martin secured three World Championship points in eighth place.
For record world champion Lewis Hamilton, the Formula 1 restart was over after a crash in the fifth corner with Alpine veteran Fernando Alonso after the first lap. “What an idiot. He only knows how to drive when he starts first,” Alonso scolded the Mercedes man, who trotted lonely back to the paddock on a gravel road.
“When I look at the pictures: he was in my blind spot, I didn’t see him, I’m so sorry for the team,” said Hamilton and said of the insult to the Spaniard: “I don’t care what he says. It was my fault, he was in a blind spot. That kind of thing happens.”
Crash on the second lap
Not Verstappen, not Leclerc: Pole secured Sainz in the second Ferrari after a flood of penalties for illegally replacing engine parts. Red Bull pursuer Perez got off to a bad start. Verstappen, on the other hand, did great first laps from 14th place and worked his way up to eighth place. Leclerc was right behind in ninth, Vettel raced from ten to five.
A crash on the second lap between Valtteri Bottas in the Alfa Romeo and Williams driver Nicholas Latifi prompted the safety car. Leclerc complained about smoke in the front right, came into the pits and switched from soft to medium rubber. He fell back to 17th place.
A year after the spa farce, when Verstappen was classified as the winner in the continuous rain after an XXL waiting time and only two laps, the fans were given a crazy show, especially by the Dutchman. The 24-year-old continued to roll up the field from behind and took the lead after the first Sainz stop on the twelfth lap. Schumacher struggled after starting third from the end of the field, Vettel was in the fight for points.
frenetic fans
But Verstappen made steam at the front. On lap 15 he switched to the medium tire compound. After his stop, the champion returned to the tarmac behind the now leader Sainz and was just four seconds behind the Spaniard.
Verstappen was then sometimes 2.4 seconds faster than the Ferrari driver and on lap 18 he was over. Leclerc had previously said the world champion’s pace was “scary”. Only three laps later, Verstappen’s team-mate Perez easily conceded Sainz and was now second himself.
This cemented order at the top. The fans in Spa, who will also experience a Grand Prix on site in 2023, cheered the world champion frenetically after crossing the finish line.