Will Max Verstappen be the quickest around Spa again?
Image: BackpagePix
If you are looking for a high speed track on the Formula 1 calendar, Spa Francorchamps in Belgium is the pinnacle of the sport, where drivers reach up to 320km/h.
And for the past few years, Max Verstappen has been the fastest around the iconic circuit and will be looking to extend his domination at Spa this season.
There will only be a single practice session, as it is a Sprint race weekend, where crowds are expected to be draped in orange to honor the four-time world champion.
Verstappen's RB21 was summoned by the FIA this week for inspection. The procedure will allow media and paddock personnel to inspect the vehicle.
The 27-year-old will be looking to close the gap between himself and the papaya lightning drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and hopefully take a podium this year.
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Thirty-two points are up for grabs this weekend, and could prove vital if Verstappen wants to put up a fight with McLaren and make the title chase a little more interesting. The Champion is 69 points behind Piastri who leads the paddock half way through the season.
While rumours of Verstappen's possible move to Mercedes have taken over the paddock, the Dutch-Belgian driver this week confirmed that he is staying at Red Bull.
Verstappen said that Christian Horner's exit from the team has in no way impacted his future at the Milton Keynes outfit.
"The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really. The last one and a half years have not been what we want to be.
"Now we try to be more competitive this year a little bit, but for sure also with the new regulations,' Verstappen said.
From 2026, the F1 has instilled a new set of rules surrounding engine and chassis on the cars. The new regulations state that power generation must be an equal divide between internal combustion and electric motors. The battery on the electric side of things will experience a boost in power. There will also be a cost cap for engine development.
On the chassis side of things, active aerodynamics are being reintroduced with teams allowed to fit adjustable front and rear wings. The cars will also have a shorter wheel base.
The Drag Reduction System (DRS) will be replaced by a low-drag mode that can be activated on straights by all cars, regardless of proximity to other cars.
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