Max Verstappen has conceded that clawing his way back through the field at the Belgian Grand Prix will be a stern test, after a grid penalty dropped him to 11th despite topping qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Red Bull driver, paired with new teammate Liam Lawson this season, blitzed the timesheets in a rain-hit Q3, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by a slim margin. But a 10-place drop for exceeding engine allocations means he’ll line up mid-pack, handing pole to Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton second in the other Ferrari, and McLaren’s Lando Norris third.
Verstappen, chasing a fourth straight title amid Red Bull’s ongoing tussle with McLaren and Ferrari, was blunt about the challenge ahead. “The car felt quick today, but Spa isn’t like other tracks where you can slice through traffic easily,” he said. “Overtaking here demands perfect strategy, and with the weather forecast mixed, it’s going to be tricky to recover positions without risks.”
He added that while Red Bull’s upgrades have sharpened their edge, the pack is tighter than ever in 2025, with Mercedes’ George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli also in the mix up front. “We’re not miles ahead anymore,” Verstappen noted. “It’ll take everything to fight for the win from there.”
Lawson, in his first full season, qualified sixth but praised his teammate’s pace. The race, the last before the summer break, could shake up the standings, with Verstappen leading Norris by 52 points heading into Sunday.
