Max Verstappen finished Friday's session at the Belgian Grand Prix in third place at Spa-Francorchamps. In his post-day assessment, the Red Bull driver expressed satisfaction with the car's overall performance but highlighted the gap in straight-line speed.
Flatness disadvantage
Verstappen emphasized that the day went smoothly for him, saying: “I didn’t encounter any major problems; the car was operating within the window I wanted. In the second practice session, we saw the true picture of competition more clearly; but that didn’t surprise me.” The Dutch driver noted that some rivals showed higher speeds, especially on the long straights, and that this difference put them a little behind. He added that the car balance was at a satisfactory level.
Software update plays a role in downshifting issues.
During practice, Verstappen's complaints over the radio regarding downshifting attracted attention. Addressing the issue after the session, the driver stated that he always approaches these technical details with high precision and insists on improvements. Regarding the source of the problem, he explained that a software update or a rollback to a previous version required recalibration of the gear shifting system. Verstappen stated that the situation returned to normal towards the end of the session: “In some laps the system worked correctly, in others it didn't give the desired response. However, the overall balance of the car was at a good level.” In Friday's second practice session, Kimi Antonelli was at the top, Lando Norris second, and Verstappen third; Pierre Gasly crashed during the session.