This weekend, the Belgian Grand Prix will see British driver Lando Norris from McLaren challenging Dutch driver Max Verstappen from Red Bull. With a 76-point gap in the championship standings and eleven races still to go, the pressure is mounting for both competitors, especially as they head into a track that Verstappen enjoys.
Despite McLaren closing the gap in recent races, neither Norris nor Verstappen emerged satisfied from the Hungarian Grand Prix. Verstappen finished fifth and openly criticized his team’s strategy, expressing frustration at critics. On the other hand, Norris had to yield the race win to his teammate, Oscar Piastri, which meant he missed an opportunity to further reduce Verstappen’s lead.
During the closing laps in Hungary, Norris received multiple messages from his team urging him to give up the lead to Piastri, after an earlier pit stop gave him an unexpected advantage. Ultimately, Norris complied in the final moments, allowing Piastri to secure his first-ever victory. If Norris wants to challenge for the championship, he needs to finish ahead of Verstappen, who has won the last three races at Spa-Francorchamps, the longest track on the calendar.
After dominating the circuit for the past two years, Red Bull’s performance is not as commanding as before. Verstappen has exhibited signs of human error lately, showing frustration and making mistakes—a departure from his consistent performances in the previous seasons. He hasn’t won in the last three weeks, a rare occurrence for him, and he must calm himself and his team to manage the pressure of a significant lead over Norris.
Following his finish at Hungary, where he clashed with Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen expressed his displeasure with the strategy provided to him and made a series of heated comments. The situation was more positive for his teammate, Sergio “Checo” Pérez, who started sixteenth but managed to finish seventh, although his performance continues to raise questions.
With Piastri’s first win, McLaren is emerging as a serious contender for the Constructors’ Championship. The race for third place in the Drivers’ Championship is also heating up, with Piastri closely trailing Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz from Ferrari.
Ferrari’s goal is to maintain its position above an improved Mercedes team that has won two of the last three races. Meanwhile, Aston Martin struggled in Hungary, with Fernando Alonso admitting that he predicted the team wouldn’t score points after a strategic mistake early in the race.
Moreover, it will be the first race weekend after the announcement that Esteban Ocon from Alpine will be joining Haas, a team vying for points against Aston Martin. It remains crucial for teams like Aston Martin to capitalize on their opportunities in the upcoming races.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2024/07/25/la-insistencia-de-norris-mide-los-nervios-de-verstappen-antes-del-cierre-por-vacaciones/
