Max Verstappen attributed third place in this Sunday’s (19) Belgian Grand Prix of Formula 1 to the moment the virtual safety car was deployed. The Red Bull driver stated that both he and Kimi Antonelli were disadvantaged by the neutralization, while Charles Leclerc took advantage of the situation to take the lead and claim victory.
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The competitor was in second position when he made his pit stop on lap 17. The championship leader pitted the following lap, while the Monegasque stayed on track longer. Shortly after, on lap 20, the virtual safety car was deployed due to debris on the track, allowing the Ferrari driver to make his stop under more favorable conditions and return ahead of the two rivals.
The 19-year-old still managed to reduce the gap to the Ferrari driver in the final laps but found no space to overtake and finished second. Verstappen, on the other hand, lost contact with the fight for victory and crossed the finish line in third, securing his third podium of the season.
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After the race, the four-time world champion assessed that the result was positive despite the frustration with the strategy. “I wanted to do everything I could in the race, and the first stint wasn’t bad. The second was a bit tougher, but at the same time, I think Kimi and I were a bit unlucky with the virtual safety car as well. So, finishing on the podium is very good. I gave it all I had and I think third place was a good result,” he said.
Leclerc acknowledged that the neutralization was decisive for his victory, the second consecutive podium after the win at the British GP. “I believed in the win until the end. We had a bit of luck, obviously, with the virtual safety car at the right moment for us. I was relatively strong, but I spent five or six laps on the Hard tires struggling a bit with the front, then the car started responding better again. There’s still work to do, but it’s certainly a step forward,” he declared.
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