Red Bull missed the mark on Verstappen’s setup at Belgian Grand Prix
Red Bull’s strategy backfired badly at Spa-Francorchamps after the team gambled on rain that never came.
Max Verstappen, who had looked untouchable during Saturday’s sprint race, found himself frustratingly stuck behind Charles Leclerc‘s Ferrari throughout Sunday’s main event.
“The bottom line is that we couldn’t keep up with that pace,” admitted Helmut Marko on Sky Sports. “Our setup was geared towards rain, and it became apparent that we were simply driving too slowly in sector 1.”
The decision to change the car’s configuration after the sprint proved costly.
“The setup we had in the sprint would have been significantly better in this situation,” Marko explained. “We were never in a position to overtake the Ferrari.”
Verstappen’s struggles were a stark contrast to his dominant form earlier in the weekend, leaving the Dutch driver visibly frustrated as he failed to make any real impression on the leaders during the 44-lap race.
McLaren steals the show
While Red Bull struggled, McLaren was in a league of their own with Oscar Piastri claiming victory.
“Simply in a class of their own. Congratulations again,” Marko acknowledged.
The 82-year-old team advisor wasn’t all doom and gloom though. He hinted at potential improvements coming soon to help get the championship leaders back on track.
“We’ll still bring something to Hungary. Let’s see how that plays out.”
Red Bull will be hoping these upgrades can help them avoid another weekend of watching their rivals celebrate from the sidelines.
