Verstappen P2 in Belgium: what team principal Laurent Mekies wants to see from him

Red Bull Racing pulled off a textbook manoeuvre at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, straight out of the ‘drafting’ chapter. Sky GP expert Timo Glock praised the move: “The way RBR executed that at the end of the Belgian qualifying session, with Hadjar providing a slipstream for Max Verstappen, was absolutely brilliant. Hadjar timed it incredibly well on his second attempt, allowing Max to benefit significantly and ultimately secure second place on the grid. Hats off to both drivers for how they pulled it off.”

This marks the third time in 2026 that Max Verstappen has started from second on the grid – as in Miami and Monaco, he now also starts behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli in Belgium.

RBR team principal Laurent Mekies says: “When we arrived in Belgium, we knew right from the start that we’d be receiving a grid penalty for Isack. From then on, it was a short step to deciding that Hadjar should try to support Max in qualifying. After all, Formula 1 is a team sport.”

“We saw throughout Saturday that the gaps behind the leader, Kimi, were mostly tight, so we had to come up with something to get Max into the best possible position there.”

“All in all, it worked out brilliantly, and Isack’s help was invaluable in securing that front-row spot. It could hardly have gone better.”

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Spa-Francorchamps: Das Rennen

FIA Formula One World Championship

19.07.2026 - 13:15

Following Verstappen’s crashes in Austria (final practice) and in England (Grand Prix), RBR decided not to use the swivel wing in order to investigate the issues with the upper element closing late. Most observers assumed that reverting to an older version of the wing would cost performance. However, there was little sign of that in Belgium.

Mekies disagrees: “No, it really did cost us performance. But safety must come first, and we hope to bring a modified version of the rotating wing onto the track soon.”

“It’s true that things have gone well here so far, but we’re under no illusions – without the slipstream trick, Max would be further back. We’re happy with the car’s balance, and Verstappen was able to push hard right from the first practice session. That shows we’re on the right track.”

“We’ve managed to significantly reduce the gap to the front – from one second at the start of the season – but finding those last two tenths is the hardest part.”

What are Mekies’ expectations for the Belgian Grand Prix? The Frenchman had a clear message for Max Verstappen: “Kimi is in a league of his own; on the straights, he’s untouchable. But behind him, it could be a brilliant battle involving five or six cars, and we want to be right in the thick of it.”