Max Verstappen impressively secures second place on the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps. Only World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was faster than the Dutchman. Crucial was the help from teammate Isack Hadjar, who gave him a tow in the final sector. “Without that help, I wouldn’t have been here,” Verstappen says after qualifying.
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The Dutchman is fully aware of the difference the slipstream made. “P6 would have been our result otherwise, I think,” he says. “Isack knows, of course, that he has to start at the back of the grid, so he really helped me with the tow in the last sector. Tomorrow I will have to watch my mirrors a lot with everyone behind me, but for today we have achieved a good result.”
Verstappen emphasizes that the performance is not only thanks to the tow. According to him, the car has been competitive all weekend in the Ardennes. “The car has been pretty good all weekend,” the Dutchman says. “Okay, not at Kimi’s level, but we are happy to be on the front row and how we executed that as a team.”
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Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, the question arises whether the encouraging long runs on Friday offer hope. Verstappen remains realistic about tire wear on the demanding circuit. “It’s always difficult here with the tires,” he says. “But I’m doing my best and hope we can hold on.”
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Read everything about the Belgian GP here
