Verstappen Searching for Eighth Consecutive Victory at ‘Favourite Track’ Spa

Max Verstappen is eyeing an eighth consecutive victory this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, a track that he feels is favourite circuit on the FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar.

The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver is in sublime form and has won nine of the opening eleven races of the 2023 season to sit an incredible one hundred and ten points clear of his nearest rival in the Drivers’ Championship.

The team has also won the past twelve races, which is a new record in Formula 1, but Verstappen is looking to further extend that run in the final race before the summer break and the third of six sprint race weekends this season.

“I’m looking forward to the Sprint race in Belgium,” said Verstappen.  “It looks like it’s going to be quite a rainy weekend so we’ll see what impact that’ll have as it always makes it a bit more interesting and chaotic.

“Spa is of course my favourite track on the calendar so I’m looking forward to racing there and seeing the fans, it should be a fun weekend. It will be interesting to see how our car will perform in the higher speed corners too.

“I have good memories from Spa and coming off the back of a great Team result in Hungary, I hope we can deliver this weekend, it’s the final push before summer break.”

“Belgium is about taking a step up in performance” – Sergio Pérez

Team-mate Sergio Pérez was voted driver of the day last weekend at the Hungaroring after finishing third from ninth on the grid, but the Mexican knows he needs to qualify better if he is to contend against Verstappen for race victories.

Pérez took two wins in the opening four races of the 2023 season but has struggled to match his two-time World Champion team-mate in recent races, with his third-place finish in Hungary only the third time since his victory in Azerbaijan back in April.

He has found his struggles to stem from Qualifying, with Pérez having made it into Q3 last weekend for the first time since the Miami Grand Prix in June, a run of five consecutive rounds where he struggled for one lap pace.

“It was a great Team win in Hungary, it’s incredible to be part of such a historic moment in Formula 1,” said Pérez.  “I’m proud to be a part of this Team and what we are achieving together.

“Everyone did an incredible job across the weekend and worked so hard, the reward was the end result.

“For me Belgium is about taking a step up in performance and being up there from the start of the weekend until the end. The weather will be tricky, as it always is in Spa, and we have the Sprint format to contend with so running could be very limited.

“I have to keep pushing and, as always, the aim is to deliver the best result possible.”

Sergio Pérez is aiming to Qualify better in Belgium – Credit: Dan Mullan/Getty Images