Following his victory in the sprint race, Max Verstappen‘s focus quickly shifts to the qualifying round later in the afternoon. The setup for this will also impact Sunday’s race. However, rain is expected on Sunday, although this is not certain. So, the question arises: should any changes be made to the setup? And is achieving pole position in the qualifying round even possible?
“We need to see if we need to make any changes to the car,” Verstappen said after his victory in Belgium, looking ahead to possible rain on Sunday. If you leave the setup as it is and it remains dry on Sunday, then Verstappen retains an advantage in terms of straight-line speed. But with a 70 percent chance of rain, it’s questionable whether this is wise. However, no one can predict the weather in the Belgian Ardennes with certainty. “We need to double-check it thoroughly.”
Regardless of whether it rains or not, it’s still uncertain whether Verstappen can secure pole position – with any setup. “I don’t know,” admits Verstappen. “We’re going for it and hopefully, I’ll at least be close to both McLarens in the qualifying round.”
If it rains on Sunday, Verstappen will need more downforce. And then, as Verstappen and Red Bull, the current setup is less useful. If you opt for less speed and more downforce – in other words, more grip – then McLaren is likely better regardless. So, is it a gamble? Verstappen and Red Bull took a chance during the previous race in Great Britain, and it made sense. However, it didn’t pay off. And now? New round, new opportunities.
