2023 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Leclerc dismisses all hope of Belgian GP win despite pole.
Asked as to his chances of victory, Leclerc replied: “Not confident, especially with the two Red Bull guys right behind. They’ve got a much better race car than we have.
Saturday 29th July, 2023 - 10:02am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Charles Leclerc is refusing to target a repeat of his 2019 Belgian Grand Prix victory despite starting from pole position. Leclerc will lead away the field for Sunday’s race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit after securing top spot on the grid thanks to Max Verstappen being hit with a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change beyond the permitted allocation for the season.

“It’s great to be starting first, and it gives us a good chance to have a great result, but to say we will target the win is probably a bit too optimistic. If there’s an opportunity for whatever reason, as always, I’ll try and get it, but I believe it’s going to be difficult to keep these guys behind.”

Leclerc concedes he has struggled in the past with such a changeover, so has been forced to adapt. “I’ve put quite a lot of work in for those conditions – half-wet, half-dry,” said Leclerc. “It’s one of those conditions where I have struggled with the car, but I felt much better, so this was positive, but still very far from Max, in Q3 especially.”

‘Leclerc dismisses all hope of Belgian GP win’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/29...p-win-no-hope/


Perez's Leclerc regret in Belgian GP qualifying
28 July 10:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull's Sergio Perez felt he should have been able to out-qualify Charles Leclerc at the Belgian Grand Prix and inherit pole position.

Although Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying, he will drop to sixth on the grid by virtue of a gearbox penalty and allowing second and third fastest Leclerc and Perez to shuffle forward onto the front row.

Ferrari driver Leclerc pipped Perez by 0.057secs to take pole for Sunday's race but the Mexican - who secured his best grid spot since pole in Miami - felt he should have done better.

‘Perez's Leclerc regret’;

https://racingnews365.com/perezs-lec...-gp-qualifying


For once, Verstappen’s rivals may be closer in the race than qualifying
2023 Belgian Grand Prix Friday practice analysis
Posted on 28th July 2023, 23:53
Written by Will Wood

Verstappen may not be on pole or even in the top five positions when the grand prix begins, but just one day into the weekend, it feels like the soon-to-be three-times world champion will be especially tough to beat around Spa once more.

Just like in 2022, Verstappen’s penalty was not a matter of necessity, but a strategic decision. With its high average lap speed, multiple long straights and flowing, sustained corners that emphasise the exceptional efficiency of the RB19’s aerodynamics, Red Bull know this is perhaps the best circuit for Verstappen to take the hit of a gearbox penalty. Especially when it’s only five places.

“I think it’s still the best place to do it,” Verstappen said after qualifying. “I think Sunday looks more and more dry. So that’s why we still went for it, basically.”

‘Verstappen’s rivals may be closer in the race’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/28/...an-qualifying/


Winners and Losers from 2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying
28 July 10:54PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Winner - Charles Leclerc: Perhaps, this result was always destined for Leclerc. The only time he has been on the front-row this year was in Azerbaijan and Austria - both Sprint weekends. And what is Belgium?
Loser - Daniel Ricciardo: The barest of margins knocked Daniel Ricciardo out in Q1 - and he only has himself to blame. He ran wide at the top of Raidillon, cutting the inside of the corner.

Winner - Sergio Perez: Remarkably, this is the first time Sergio Perez has qualified where a Red Bull RB19 should since pole position in Miami.
Loser - Esteban Ocon: On a day of upheaval for the team off the track, Esteban Ocon crashed in Qualifying, leaving him 15th fastest but 14th on the grid thanks to Kevin Magnussen's penalty.

Winner - Oscar Piastri: A blooming reputation continues to grow. Oscar Piastri was a standout performer in Qualifying, even if his sixth-fastest time was perhaps a little below what was expected, the fact is he still out-qualified Lando Norris and look the more comfortable of the McLaren drivers.
Loser - Lando Norris: You skate off through the gravel and chances are you will damage your car - and in this era of F1 where the floor is ever so crucial to performance, you will take a hit. Enter Norris. His Q1 off was a lairy moment that had repercussions that followed him throughout the session.

‘Winners and Losers’;

https://racingnews365.com/winners-an...rix-qualifying

Russell urges Belgian GP cancellation sense if rain threatens safety.
29 July 5:00AM
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Jesse Janse
RacingNews365

George Russell has warned the FIA must not shy away from cancelling the Belgian Grand Prix should conditions pose safety risks. Eighteen-year-old Dutchman Dilano van 't Hoff was killed earlier this month in a FRECA race when collected in a multi-car accident in treacherous conditions.

Mercedes driver Russell told media including RacingNews365: "I felt like the incident that happened in [Formula Regional], it was only really a matter of time [before] something like that happened. Drivers aren't going flat-out in the straight because they can't see, somebody gets rear-ended, and then there's a car in the middle of the track."

The heavy rain forecast to fall at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend evokes memories of the truncated 2021 Belgian GP, with that race running for only two laps behind the Safety Car as the conditions were deemed too dangerous. "I think, two years ago, that was the correct decision to call the race off," said Russell. "Obviously, to have a race cancelled is not perfect for anybody, but we don't want to see another huge incident."

‘FIA must not shy away from cancelling the Belgian Grand Prix should conditions pose safety risks’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-ur...reatens-safety

[Fortitude]

Verstappen snatches Belgium Sprint pole from Piastri.
Just 0.025s separated the top three in Sprint Shootout Qualifying at Spa.
29 July 1:36PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen pipped Oscar Piastri by just 0.011s to earn pole position in Sprint Shootout Qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix. In drying conditions at Spa, Verstappen's final lap of the session was enough to just pip the McLaren rookie to P1, although Piastri will take the first front-row start of his career.

Belgian GP pole-sitter Charles Leclerc was fourth after a mistake on his final lap, being out-qualified by teammate Carlos Sainz, with Lewis Hamilton down in seventh for Mercedes ahead of Sergio Perez.

‘Just 0.025s separated the top three’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...e-from-piastri


Sprint Shootout – 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
29th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:49.056
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.011
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.025
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.195
5. Lando Norris McLaren +0.333
6. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.644
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.844
8. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.905
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +1.438
10. George Russell Mercedes +6.686

‘Belgian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the Shootout ahead of this afternoon’s 2023 F1 World Championship Sprint around Spa-Francorchamps’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-sho...and-prix-82867


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the Sprint Shootout at the Belgian Grand Prix
29 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...CQoD2hA8K.html


2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix - Sprint Shootout - LIVE UPDATES!
29th July 2023, 10:54
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f...t-live-updates


Verstappen denies Piastri Belgian GP F1 sprint pole by 0.011s
Jul 29 2023
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen denied rookie Oscar Piastri pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps by just 0.011s.

Delayed like its Friday predecessor (the main race qualifying), albeit by 35 minutes rather than 10, the three-segment sprint qualifying featured a similar pattern of a session starting out in intermediate conditions but progressively improving to slicks weather.

This time, however, the second segment only featured one driver gambling on slicks – Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, whose session ended in the barriers. But the resulting clean-up bought even more time for the track to dry, and so the pole shootout was again an all-slicks affair – albeit going down to the wire with track conditions ever-improving.

‘Max Verstappen denied rookie Oscar Piastri pole position’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verst...ole-by-0-011s/


Belgian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen on pole in delayed Sprint Shootout as Stroll eliminates both Astons
29 Jul 2023 12:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

A delayed start, a red flag that eliminated team-mates, and a World Champion on pole position, Sprint Shootout at the Belgian Grand Prix had a little bit of everything on Saturday.

Max Verstappen will line up on pole position for Saturday’s Sprint at the Spa-Francorchamps having beaten Oscar Piastri to the coveted grid slot by 0.011s seconds with Carlos Sainz in third place.

But over at Aston Martin a few questions will be asked after Lance Stroll’s crash late in Q2 eliminated both AMR23s with the team late, too late, in sending Fernando Alonso out.

‘Stroll eliminates both Astons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/belgia...ootout-report/

[Fortitude]

Belgian GP: Verstappen storms to Sprint win ahead of Piastri.
Max Verstappen overcame an early undercut by Oscar Piastri to take victory in the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint.
29 July 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing

Two heavy rain storms delayed the start by half an hour with fifth formation laps taking place behind the Safety Car. When the action eventually began, Verstappen led the way while half the grid opted to pit immediately for intermediates.

The rest of the field followed on the second lap with Piastri taking the lead after being the first car to pit, ahead of Verstappen in second. An earlier stop helped Gasly move up to third for Alpine followed by Perez and Hamilton. The two Ferraris lost out as Carlos Sainz dropped to sixth and Charles Leclerc seventh.

‘Verstappen storms to Sprint win’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula...ead-of-piastri


Sprint results – 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
29th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 11 laps
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +6.677
3. Pierre Gasly Alpine +10.733
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +12.648
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +15.016
6. Lando Norris McLaren +16.052
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +16.757
8. George Russell Mercedes +16.822
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +22.410
10. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +22.806

‘Belgian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s Sprint, one of six scheduled for the 2023 F1 World Championship’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-res...and-prix-82911


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the F1 Sprint in Belgium
29 July 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...L6HEhOM0E.html


Hamilton slapped with race PENALTY after dramatic contact in Belgian GP sprint
Saturday 29 July 2023 18:17
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton was penalised for contact with Sergio Perez during the Belgian GP sprint. The Mercedes and Red Bull duo went side by side through Stavelot and there was light contact between the two.

Perez soon slipped down to the back and retired while Hamilton had five seconds added to his race time, meaning he went from fourth down to seventh. In the end, Hamilton only just stayed ahead of his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who completed the points by passing Daniel Ricciardo.

‘Race PENALTY’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-prix-penalty/


Lewis Hamilton hit with penalty for clash with Red Bull's Sergio Perez in F1 Belgian Grand Prix sprint race
29 Jul 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton incurred a five-second time penalty for a clash with Red Bull's Sergio Perez during the sprint race at the F1 Belgian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver went wheel-to-wheel with Perez, and their dramatically collided while side-on, on Saturday at Spa.

Perez was initially able to hold off Hamilton, although he later lost his position. Hamilton finished the sprint race fourth but the penalty meant he was relegated to P7.

‘Lewis Hamilton incurred a five-second time penalty’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103240...gp-sprint-race

[Fortitude]

Hamilton ‘took the whole right-hand side off the car’ and ruined my race – Perez.
“It was massive damage from the contact from Lewis,” said Perez. “He just took the whole right hand side off the car.”
29th July 2023, 17:58
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Sergio Perez says Lewis Hamilton caused major damage to his car when the pair collided during the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race. “He damaged the floor and the sidepod, so that that was game over – we lost too much grip with it.”

After the contact Perez struggled for grip, was passed by the Ferrari drivers and spun off at Stavelot. He had gained ground earlier in the race and believed he was in position to make up more places.

Red Bull retired Perez late in the race. The stewards held Hamilton responsible for the collision and gave him a five-second time penalty which dropped him from fourth to seventh place.

‘Took the whole right-hand side off the car’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/29/...my-race-perez/


Christian Horner: Lewis Hamilton ‘put a big hole’ in Sergio Perez’s sidepod
29 Jul 2023 5:56 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has accused Lewis Hamilton of putting “a big hole” in Sergio Perez’s sidepod during their clash in the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race. “Checo had an amazing stop and a great release that jumped both the Ferrari and Lewis, so that elevated him to fourth.”

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Horner described the collision as “very unfortunate” and revealed the extent of the damage to Perez’s car. He said: “Unfortunately, the contact – left-front to sidepod – has put a big hole in the sidepod and you lose so much downforce.

“You could see he really lost a huge amount of performance, so we had no choice but to retire the car. That was very unfortunate.”

‘Lewis Hamilton ‘put a big hole’ in Sergio Perez’s sidepod’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...perez-sidepod/


Lewis Hamilton ‘ruined’ Sergio Perez’s race with big damage to RB19 car
29 Jul 2023 6:10 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez has had his say on the incident between himself and Lewis Hamilton that caused him to retire from the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint race. The Mexican was battling over fourth place with Hamilton when the Brit attempted a move up the inside of Turn 15.

Explaining the incident, Perez said: “It was massive damage from the contact with Lewis. He just took the whole right-hand side of the car, he damaged the floor and the sidepod, so that was game over. It was too much.”

“Basically he just ran out of grip and could not stop his car and just went into the side of me. He [Hamilton] was just in a hurry to recover, everyone was in a hurry to recover because it’s a very short race so you have to take those risks, but yeah, not nice to get my race ruined by him.”

‘Big damage to RB19 car’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/per...rint-incident/


PEREZ REFLECTS ON INCIDENT WITH HAMILTON: ‘HE JUST CRASHED INTO ME’
The Spa Sprint Race saw another Red Bull-Mercedes rivalry as Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton made contact
July 29, 2023
Peter Casey
FormulaNerds

Visibly frustrated by this, Perez spoke to Sky Sports after the race. The Red Bull driver said: “Basically Lewis crashed into me and took the whole right-hand side of my car off. So we basically lost all the load.”

“Unfortunately that meant no points for today,” continued Perez, who had, before this weekend, scored the most points at the previous sprint races.”

‘HE JUST CRASHED INTO ME’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/pe...ashed-into-me/


‘It meant game over for my race’ – Perez on his collision with Hamilton
29 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez retired from the Saturday Sprint at Spa, after a collision with Lewis Hamilton left him with significant damage to his Red Bull.

‘Game over’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...884825230.html


Lewis Hamilton ‘ruined’ Sergio Perez’s race with big damage to RB19 car
29 Jul 2023 6:10 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez has said Lewis Hamilton “ruined” his sprint after the collision between them that saw him forced to retire at Spa-Francorchamps. Hamilton moved alongside Perez on the exit of Stavelot after the Red Bull driver ran wide, but with the two next to each other through Curve Paul Frere, they collided and a hole in the Red Bull bodywork was formed with the impact.

Addressing Hamilton’s contact directly, he believes the seven-time World Champion was rushing to try and find a way by in the shortened sprint – with several laps having been taken away through the weather intervening on Saturday. Ultimately, he feels the collision “ruined” his day.

“He was in a bit of a hurry,” Perez stated. “You know, everyone was in a hurry to recover today. It’s a very short race, so you have to take those levels of risk but yeah, not nice to get my race ruined by him. Yeah, tomorrow we will know about the car, where we really are. So, looking forward to that and hopefully we can recover the points we lost today.”

‘Lewis Hamilton ‘ruined’ Sergio Perez’s race’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...io-perez-race/

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen leaves no doubt about his intentions.
Max Verstappen is hoping to keep Red Bull’s 100% win record this season alive at one of his favourite tracks.
29 July 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

“Spa is, of course, my favorite track on the calendar, so I’m looking forward to racing there and seeing the fans,” Verstappen said ahead of the race weekend. With the picturesque backdrop around the circuit, Verstappen is anticipating a large contingent of supporters to back him from the grand stands, as he seeks to leave with a full set of points.

Verstappen will have the opportunity to walk away from Belgium with more points than usual, as the sprint format returns this weekend. With rain expected during the whole race weekend, the action could be set to be even more exciting than usual.

“I’m looking forward to that,” Verstappen said. “It looks like it’s going to be quite a rainy weekend, so we’ll see what impact that’ll have as it always makes it a bit more interesting and chaotic.”

‘No doubt about his intentions’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verst...is-intentions/


No strategy regrets for Verstappen after Spa Sprint triumph as he issues caution ahead of Belgian GP start
29 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Verstappen’s attention now turns to Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, where he will start down in P6 – his dominant performance in Friday afternoon's qualifying session that saw him claim P1 countered by a five-place grid drop for gearbox changes.

But Verstappen said that a clean Lap 1 – the kind that he infamously failed to enjoy at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix – would be key if he was to maintain his current streak of Grand Prix wins, which currently stands at seven.

Asked if he’d seen anything from his rivals to suggest that he couldn’t win Sunday’s race from P6, Verstappen replied: “Not at the moment, but we also haven’t really run in proper dry conditions, so we’ll have to see what we get tomorrow. For me it’s more about staying out of trouble Turn 1, Lap 1 and basically no damage on the car. If I have car that’s in a 100% state, I can win the race.”

‘Staying out of trouble Turn 1, Lap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...iIaUGnTo8.html


Leclerc on pole, Perez leads the Red Bulls but Verstappen is the clear favourite
2023 Belgian Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted on 30th July 2023, 0:36
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

For the grand prix, however, neither Mercedes nor McLaren will be on the front row. That privilege will go to Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari and Sergio Perez alongside him. Although starting from the best possible position, Leclerc admitted on Friday he expected a “very tricky” grand prix.

He was not thrilled with fifth in the sprint race, but he was at least comfortable with how his car had felt over the 11 laps. “I was pretty happy in the race today,” he told media including RaceFans after the race. “There was a lot of overheating – I think it was a case for everybody, but we need to look into it. Especially if we find ourselves in those conditions tomorrow in order to make a step forward.”

Perez alongside will start on the front row for a grand prix for the first time since Miami seven rounds ago – coincidentally the last time he started ahead of his team mate on the grid. While his sprint race saw him struggling to match his team mate’s pace until contact with Hamilton put him out, Perez is eager to extend Red Bull’s record run of victories by breaking his team mate’s current streak. “I will try my best,” he said. “I will try to get Charles at the start, which is always hard, but I think it’s also a long race, high deg. So anything can happen on Sunday, but we certainly have a good position.”

‘Leclerc admitted on Friday he expected a “very tricky” grand prix’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/30/...ear-favourite/


Verstappen unfazed by 'tiny little issues' in sprint win
29/07/2023 at 18:02
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Max Verstappen took a predictable win for Red Bull in Saturday's sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps, overcoming some minor setbacks to take victory by over six seconds from Oscar Piastri in a rain-hit 11-lap event. "I think it was just a safer call," Verstappen said when asked whether he felt hs should have pitted on the previous lap. "I could have come in first but then I might have been blocked by other cars.”

"There might have been a safety car and then you would lose out massively," he continued. "So I didn't mind staying out. We lost one position, but we knew we were quick. You could see that when we put the inters on - we were flying, so it was okay."

‘Unfazed by 'tiny little issues' in sprint win’;

https://f1i.com/news/482598-verstapp...print-win.html


Top 3 F1 drivers react after Belgian GP qualifying: 'We know the car is quick'
18:27 Sat, 29 Jul 2023.
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24

Max Verstappen secured pole position for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, but the Dutchman will not start on pole position. Red Bull Racing opted to fit Verstappen's RB19 with a fifth gearbox, surpassing the allocated four for the year. This will see him receive a five-place grid penalty, resulting in him starting sixth.

"I know with the penalty, I drop back on Sunday, but (Friday) was all about feeling confident," the defending champ said after qualifying. We know the car is quick. Last year I had more penalties, and we still won the race, so that's the target."

'We know the car is quick';

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...quick-20230729


Why Max Verstappen will win the 2023 Belgian GP
Red Bull's Max Verstappen is looking to secure another success on the racetrack after topping qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
29 July 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

Despite leading the field in the qualifying session for Sunday’s Grand Prix, Max Verstappen will only start in P6 after a five place grid penalty due to a new gearbox. However, according to Sky F1’s Martin Brundle, Verstappen and those around him firmly believe that winning from any starting position is within his grasp.

Verstappen’s recent success has been nothing short of remarkable, securing seven consecutive victories, including his latest triumph in Hungary. Brundle doesn’t believe this penalty will significantly hinder Verstappen’s chances. “He takes a five-place grid drop here on Sunday for a fresh gearbox,” said Brundle to Sky F1.

“All season long, we’ve heard them talking about shift problems, certainly earlier on in the season as well, so interesting that as we just move into the second half the season, they’re taking another gearbox and taking a gearbox penalty. But you sense that Max can and that Max thinks he can win from anywhere on the grid.”

‘Max Verstappen will win’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/why-max-v...23-belgian-gp/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen dominates once again to win in Spa.
Belgian Grand Prix – After starting P6, Max Verstappen made it to the front to dominate in Spa and give Red Bull another 1-2 while Charles Leclerc took P3.
30th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

As the lights went out Leclerc held the lead but a few corners in Perez got the better of him to put a Red Bull into the lead of a race once again. Further back Carlos Sainz and Piastri clashed at T1, the McLaren driver plummeted down the pack and slowly made his way back towards the pits. The misfortune for Piastri allowed Max Verstappen to move up a spot and the reigning champion was into P4 before the end of the opening lap.

Perez and Leclerc make their stops, the two heading out on mediums while Verstappen and his engineer GP had another radio squabble first about strategy and then about whether to stop or try to make his tyres last and wait for the potential rain in a few minutes. The Dutch driver did head to the pits at the end of lap 14 for his own mediums and he got back out in P2 but the two second gap between the two Red Bulls vanished over the next lap with the reigning champion on his teammate’s rear wing by lap 16.

At the front, Verstappen was told to use his head and not push the tyres too hard trying for the fastest lap. He countered that with the suggestion that he push on and make enough of a gap to pit again to give the team a little pitstop training but that was shut down on him. On lap 43 Hamilton ducked into the pits for new mediums, having had more than enough time between himself and Alonso to pit without issue. Verstappen had pulled out a sufficient gap to Perez that he could’ve done the same but Red Bull didn’t seem to be interested this time.

‘Another radio squabble first’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen...n-in-spa-82990


Race Results – 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
30th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 44 laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +22.305
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +32.359
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +49.671
5. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +56.184
6. George Russell Mercedes +63.101
7. Lando Norris McLaren +73.719
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +74.719
9. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +79.340
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +80.221

‘Belgian Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-resul...and-prix-82987


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
30 July 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Svasm3R1a.html


2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix - LIVE UPDATES!
30th July 2023, 13:19
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f...y-live-updates


Max Verstappen continues race engineer tiff with tense Belgian GP messages
30 Jul 2023 2:53 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen had another tetchy radio exchange with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase during the Belgian Grand Prix, as he closed in on the lead of the race. Verstappen had passed Charles Leclerc for second place on the road and was closing in on team-mate Sergio Perez for the lead, but with that came a reminder from ‘GP’ about the rules of engagement between the team-mates in combat.

The exchange in full:
Lambiase: “Don’t forget, Max, use your head please.”
Verstappen: “Are we both doing it or what?
Lambiase: “You…just follow my instruction.”
Verstappen: “I want to know whether both cars will do it.”
Lambiase: “Max, please follow my instruction and trust it. Thank you.”

Any worries Verstappen may have had around how he and Perez would go racing against each other would not have been playing on his mind too much either, as he sailed past his team-mate on the Kemmel Straight to take the lead on lap 17 of the Belgian Grand Prix. Apart from a nervy moment on lap 21 as some light rain fell on the circuit through Raidillon and Eau Rouge, Verstappen almost losing the car, the Dutchman strolled to an eighth successive victory to move to within one of the all-time record set by Sebastian Vettel in 2013.

‘Another tetchy radio exchange’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...iff-continues/


Max Verstappen in more awkward team radio exchanges at F1 Belgian Grand Prix
30 Jul 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

With Verstappen in the lead, he received a scolding from his race engineer. "You used a lot of tyre on the out lap, Max,” Lambiase said. "Not sure that was sensible." Verstappen notably did not reply.

“This tyre had reasonable degradation in the first stint,” Lambiase said. “I'd ask you to use your head a bit more.” With Verstappen cruising further into the lead, he decided to tease Lambiase.

“I could also push on and we do another stop? A little bit of pit stop training,” he joked. Lambiase: “No, not this time.”

‘More awkward team radio exchanges’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103250...ian-grand-prix


Hamilton makes last-minute decision to WIND UP Verstappen during Belgian Grand Prix
Sunday 30 July 2023 16:36
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton opted to pit late in the Belgian Grand Prix to claim the extra point for fastest lap, denying Max Verstappen in the process. The championship leader was looking set for a full haul of points having held the fastest lap of Spa throughout the race but his old rival had other ideas.

Pitting onto brand new medium tyres with two laps to go, Hamilton set a 1:47:305 to take the extra point and deny Verstappen the perfect weekend. Verstappen still extended his points lead with victory as Sergio Perez completed a Red Bull one-two and Charles Leclerc finished third.

He pitted late on in Austria in order to ensure he would get the extra point for the fastest lap and if he had a slightly bigger lead at Spa, he may well have done so here. The only thing preventing him from doing so was his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase and Perez who was just about close enough to not make it comfortable.

‘WIND UP Verstappen’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...edes-red-bull/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull boss hails ‘mind blowing’ season as Verstappen cruises again.
Verstappen romped to his eighth consecutive victory and 10th of the season to maintain Red Bull’s total grip on Formula One after 12 of 22 races.
July 30, 2023
AFP
Iraqi News

Spa-Francorchamps – Red Bull boss Christian Horner described his team’s form this season as “mind blowing” after Max Verstappen’s latest display of dominance at Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. sked about the prospects of completing an unbeaten season, Horner said: “I’m not going to project that far ahead. We’ll come back after the break and try to keep this amazing momentum going.”

On Sunday, Perez was second — Red Bull’s fifth one-two of the season — and he has a 40-point lead over Fernando Alonso in the standings. Horner praised the team for their work in winning all 12 races this year.

“It’s all about team-work and everyone doing their bit,” he said. “It’s what the team has done in the first part of this year and it’s why we remain unbeaten so far. It’s mind blowing! We need to keep this level going, but right now everyone deserves a well-deserved break.”

‘Mind blowing’;

https://www.iraqinews.com/sports/red...cruises-again/


Christian Horner speaks out on messages from ‘demanding customer’ Max Verstappen
30 Jul 2023 5:42 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen’s race engineer for keeping a lid on the “demanding customer.” The relationship between Verstappen and race engineer Gianpiero ‘GP’ Lambiase was put under the microscope in Spa with the Dutchman seemingly increasingly agitated over the team radio.

Christian Horner, though, has defended the relationship, suggesting the two were the perfect partnership and one that had been formed over years working together. “GP and Max have been together since the first race that Max stepped into the car,” Horner told media including PlanetF1.com.

“GP, he’s our Jason Statham equivalent, they certainly look alike, and he deals with him firmly but fairly. There’s a great respect between the two of them and that comes out of a mutual trust that you must have between an engineer and the only problem is that conversation between the two of them has 200 million people listening.”

“GP, he’s our Jason Statham equivalent”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...verstappen-gp/


Horner praises dominant Verstappen and explains why Perez lost out at Spa
“I think on the medium tyre Checo definitely wasn’t as comfortable as Max was. And then on the soft tyre at the end, it was about managing the tyre,” Horner said.
July 30, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has said it is beyond the team’s wildest dreams to be as dominant as they have been in 2023 as Max Verstappen secured his eighth victory in a row at the Belgian GP.

Verstappen rallied from a five-place grid penalty which dropped him to P6 at the start of the race to win by 22 seconds ahead of teammate Sergio Perez, after dispatching of both the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton with ease.

“It was a surprise it took him so long to get to the front to be honest with you,” Horner joked. “But no, honestly all jokes aside, I thought he drove an incredible race today, obviously the first in passing the cars that he did a great job to get up to P2.”

‘Beyond the team’s wildest dreams’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...lgian-gp-2023/


Sergio Perez’s glaring Max Verstappen message as Christian Horner reveals weakness
30 Jul 2023 5:27 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez admitted there was “nothing I could have done” to keep Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen at bay in Belgium, with Christian Horner revealing tyre degradation was an issue for Perez.

And speaking immediately after the race, which Perez went on to finish P2, the Mexican racer reflected positively on his race and result, even if Verstappen was in another league. “It was a good race for the team,” he said. “We had a great start, so managed to get through Charles, which was one of the targets for today.”

“And from then on I was just doing my own race and then Max came through in the second stint pretty fast, so nothing I could have done there. And then afterwards it was just about making sure we brought it home safely without too much damage to the car.”

“Nothing I could have done”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio...n-spa-message/


Marko laughs off Verstappen engineer radio tension
30 July 8:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

"Well, I've heard they might spend two days together on an island in the Mediterranean. My phone is on in case it escalates, I'll be there as a mediator," Marko joked when speaking to ServusTV. "They operate at a very high level and respect each other. 'GP' has Italian roots and Max is also very temperamental.”

"We know the background and then it gets even funnier.... but unfortunately I can't reveal everything. Of course, he [Max] has his own ideas, like doing an extra stop now to give the team another pit stop training and secure the fastest lap. But it wasn't worth that risk."

Addressing the one-two finish, Marko added: "The whole weekend was incredibly strong from both drivers. Things got a little tense because of Max's grid penalty, but in the race there was sovereignty and ease again - except for a moment in the wet Eau Rouge."

‘In the race there was sovereignty’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-laug...-radio-tension

[Fortitude]

Mark Hughes: What Verstappen’s radio scoldings tell us.
You probably heard Gianpiero Lambiase trying to scold his driver Max Verstappen for using his new tyres too hard, going into the third stint of the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix.
Jul 31 2023
By Mark Hughes
The Race

Lambiase was recruited from Force India to Red Bull part-way through 2014 as team principal Christian Horner had heard on the grapevine that he was practical and strong-minded, exactly the sort of guy that could replace Guillaume Rocquelin as Sebastian Vettel’s race engineer as Rocquelin was being promoted. So after the standard interview, Lambiase was then put in front of Vettel and grilled. He made a strong impression on everyone, Vettel included.

Then Vettel left for Ferrari and Lambiase ended up engineering Daniil Kvyat’s Red Bull instead. Until the Russian was replaced after just over a season by the teenage sensation Verstappen. So Lambiase has witnessed first hand the evolution from unchecked brilliance to one of the greatest performers the sport has ever seen. He was almost certainly part of that evolution.

But the dynamic between them hasn’t really changed; Max is still the sometimes errant young kid, Lambiase the stern older brother who must ensure Max does not irresponsibly risk their victory. No matter how many of them he has already won. Max is totally happy with that dynamic, revels in having fun with it, in winding up the figure of authority, totally confident in his own ability, knowing how far he can play with it, knowing it makes GP nervous.

‘Radio scoldings’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-...sion-tells-us/


Max Verstappen on concern over Gianpiero Lambiase being ‘removed’
31 Jul 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has downplayed his testy exchanges with Gianpiero Lambiase over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, saying that’s how he and his race engineer “operate”. Chasing an eighth grand prix win on the trot at Spa, Verstappen wasn’t happy with GP’s run plan during Friday evening’s qualifying with Helmut Marko putting that down to nothing more than an “old married couple” having an argument.

But two days later the testy exchanges were back as Verstappen, having started the race in sixth place due to a gearbox penalty, chased down his team-mate Serio Perez for the lead. Verstappen and Lambiase have been together since 2016, teaming up in the driver’s first season with Red Bull with GP integral in every one of the Dutchman’s 45 race wins and two World titles.

It’s a relationship that Verstappen billed as “very important”. “I find it always a really important part of your performance – not only your race engineer but also everyone very close around you [like] your performance engineer and these kind of things,” Motorsport.com quotes him as having said.

‘That’s how he and his race engineer “operate”.’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...biase-removed/


Verstappen uses his head – with some cajoling – for emphatic Spa triumph
2023 Belgian Grand Prix review
Posted on 31st July 2023, 7:17
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Whether it’s a marriage, a romantic partnership, company colleagues or team mates in a sports team, it’s constantly hammered into us in every area of our lives how critical communication is to all relationship we have. In the pit lane, nowhere is that truer than for a Formula 1 driver and their race engineer. A constant feedback loop between the pair is critical. Not only to honing car performance off the track, but especially to those split-second decisions that can win or lose races on track.

In 151 grands prix together prior to the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase had forged one of the most decorated driver-engineer partnerships Formula 1 has ever seen. Over eight seasons, the pair had secured 44 grand prix wins, 27 pole positions and enjoyed a stunning podium rate of 59% – as well as winning two world championship titles while they were at it.

It’s an incredible record of sustained achievement eclipsed only on the current grid by Lewis Hamilton and Peter Bonington – the single most successful combination in the history of the sport. But that doesn’t mean the pair aren’t susceptible to friction and conflict in their work, just like any other colleagues. Except, when most co-workers clash with each other, their arguments are not broadcast all over the world for an audience of millions to gleefully eavesdrop on.

‘How critical communication is to all relationship we have’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/31/...c-spa-triumph/


F1 Podcast: Verstappen vs his engineer as he blitzes all rivals
Jul 31 2023
The Race

Max Verstappen’s path to another pair of Formula 1 race wins at the Belgian Grand Prix included him being bluntly told to “use your head” by his Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Why the “edgy rapport” between the pair seemed particularly tense at Spa is one of the many topics Edd Straw, Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell-Malm tackle in The Race F1 Podcast.

They also discuss whether Sergio Perez’s return to the grand prix podium after a three-month absence will actually be more demoralising than reassuring, Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri’s clash, George Russell’s loss of form compared to Lewis Hamilton and whether Spa is really up to standard as a modern F1 venue.

‘The Race Debate’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-po...es-all-rivals/


Horner aims quip at Verstappen over Belgian GP rise
31 July 5:00AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Red Bull Team Principal joked he was "surprised" it took Max Verstappen so long to assume the lead of the Belgian Grand Prix. "I was surprised it took him so long to get to the front, to be honest with you," quipped Horner, speaking to media including RacingNews365.

"All jokes aside, he drove an incredible race. His pace in the first stint, passing the cars as he did, he did a great job to get to P2. After the stop, his race really came alive on the Medium tyre where he showed incredible speed.”

"Checo didn't defend too hard because of the speed difference between the two of them and then thereafter it was about managing the rest of the race. Phenomenal to go into the summer break unbeaten in both Grands Prix and Sprints. It is beyond everyone's wildest imagination to be sitting in this position now."

“S surprised it took him so long to get to the front”, Red Bull Team Principal joked’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-aim...elgian-gp-rise

[Fortitude]

Perez confident form is back after ‘rough patch’.
Sergio Perez firmly believes he is back in form following “a rough patch” that wrecked his early-season hope of an F1 title bid.
Monday 31st July, 2023 - 11:21pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Perez’s performance in Budapest was a step in the right direction, and although he led the race at Spa-Francorchamps for 17 laps following an early lap-one pass on polesitter Charles Leclerc, he had to settle for second following another Verstappen overtake. But a seemingly more relaxed Perez said: “It was a good race for the team, we deserved it. We had a great start, I managed to get through Charles, which was one of the targets.”

“I knew it was quite crucial for my race to get him on lap one. We had a good launch, so it was just about making sure we got him into Turn 5, and it worked well. From then on, I was just doing my own race. We managed to do a good first stint. Max then came through in the second pretty fast, and there was nothing I could have done there. Afterward, it was just about making sure we brought it home safely without too much damage on the car.”

“My last few races have been a bit of…very hard to get a proper read on them because of the way you have to race with dirty air, and so on, so that to me is where we’re going to be learning the most on that stint in free air, and the second stint as well. I now really look forward to not leaving the podium anymore from now until the end of the year. It’s been a bit of a rough patch, but I think we have overcome it, and here, we have managed to score great points for the team.”

‘Rough patch’:

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/31...unner-up-form/


Perez praises team mate Verstappen for ‘tremendous’ first half of season after eighth straight win
31 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez has admitted that “there’s nothing to be taken away” from Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen after the Dutchman’s “tremendous” opening half to the 2023 campaign. Verstappen, looking to make it three world titles on the bounce, leads Perez by 125 points in the drivers’ standings after taking 10 wins from 12 races so far, including the last eight in a row.

“Overall, I think it’s a great team result. I think once Max came through, with his pace on that second stint, it was all about bringing it home with a good result for the team. We were looking after the car at that point, making sure that we didn’t take too much out of it. That was pretty much the whole race.”

As for Verstappen’s performances from the Bahrain opener to Belgium on Sunday, he continued: “There’s nothing to be taken away from Max, certainly. He did a tremendous a race, and he’s done a tremendous season. But the gap looked bigger today, because we had to make sure we brought it home once the result was settled. But certainly he’s done a tremendous job, he’s very talented, around his team they’re getting the maximum out of the weekends, weekend after weekend, which is really impressive.”

‘Perez praises team mate Verstappen’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...eYGaxMndN.html


Sergio Perez opens up on ‘you will talk to me now’ radio message
Sergio Perez has claimed back-to-back podiums following a spell of poor performance with Red Bull.
31 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Perez has often struggled in qualifying this season, with him having recently gone on a run of five consecutive races without a Q3 appearance. He ended this streak at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he claimed ninth on the grid. To Red Bull’s delight, he progressed to Q3 at the Belgian Grand Prix as well, where he went on to qualify in third.

After his final hot lap, Perez weirdly said to Horner over the radio “you will talk to me now”, something the 33-year-old has since explained the reasoning of. “Ah, you will talk to me now,” Perez said after being congratulated by Horner. “I will talk to you. I said to you top five, mate. You’ve blitzed it,” Horner said.

The Mexican was asked about the radio conversation, where he admitted that Horner kept “talking” following qualifying. “It was a joke,” revealed Perez. “He [Horner] came before qualifying and said ‘if you’re not in the top three, I will not talk to you the rest of the weekend’. So he was talking to me the rest of the weekend.”

“It was a joke”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/sergio-pe...radio-message/


Helmut Marko blow for Sergio Perez: ‘You can’t do that against Max Verstappen’
31 Jul 2023 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

There was good and bad news in Helmut Marko’s review of Sergio Perez’s Belgian GP as while he was “very strong”, the Red Bull motorsport advisor says he just “can’t” compete with Max Verstappen. Verstappen would go on to win the race by 22 seconds with Perez runner-up in what was the team’s first 1-2 result since the Miami Grand Prix. Marko was happy with the result, the Austrian accepting Perez that did the job Red Bull required of him.

“The whole weekend was very strong,” the Red Bull motorsport advisor told Sky Deutschland. “We knew he was one of the top drivers. Nobody looks good next to Verstappen and you have to deal with that psychologically when you see that someone is better in every phase than you are.”

“You compete to win, [but] you can’t do that against Max Verstappen.” Adding that Perez does his “job very well”, Marko was happy to see he “consolidated number two in the World Championship. The whole team – and he’s also part of the team – didn’t make mistakes. “One can only hope it continues like this.”

“Nobody looks good next to Verstappen and you have to deal with that psychologically”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...-sergio-perez/


Red Bull chief tells Perez to WAKE UP and realise championships are impossible
Monday 31 July 2023 14:57
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Helmut Marko has said Sergio Perez has ‘woken up from his world title dream’ and that this may help his Red Bull performance improve. The Red Bull adviser made the comments as Perez attempts to bounce back from some difficult races over the season. He told Formel.de: “He has now woken up from his world title dream. Maybe that will help him refocus on getting the best possible performance.”

Marko explained that the team is satisfied with Perez’s performance, despite Verstappen being in another league altogether. Marko added: “Sergio is second in the championship. More is not possible for him. And he is currently doing that. Max is underestimated. He is exceptional, when you see the mental capacities he has.”

The Austrian team adviser suggested that Perez’s contract, which is set in stone until the end of 2024, is not in jeopardy right now. He said: “We have a contract with Perez until the end of 2024. He is second in the world championship. Why should we need to take action now?”

“Sergio is second in the championship. More is not possible for him”;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ed-bull-dream/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari boss Fred Vassuer snaps back at critics after Belgian GP.
“I will stay very calm because we had the same meeting one week ago and we were at the end of the world, McLaren was flying and we were stupid,” Vasseur told the press.
July 31, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Ferrari scored 24 points at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, almost double their combined tally from Silverstone and Hungary. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur hit back at the team’s reactive critics following a return to form at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix spearheaded by Charles Leclerc‘s podium and P2 in qualifying.

“And so from one week to the other that McLaren is at the back today and we are at the front, bla bla bla. We have to stay calm, take it easy race after race but we know that the pack is so tight that for one or two tenths can move you from P2 to P11.” Ferrari have regularly featured in the top five throughout 2023 but have never looked consistently like the true frontrunners behind Red Bull.

However, there’s hope that Spa could signal that ascension, and they enter the summer break less than 60 points behind Mercedes in the constructors’ championship. “It’s not the end of the season,” Vassuer added. “We have a lot to do, but today it’s good to finish the first part of the season on a positive tone, we will have the two weeks off with a positive rise in mind.”

“We have to stay calm”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...23-belgian-gp/


Vasseur admits Ferrari GUESSWORK at Spa and says 'plan didn't work'
Monday 31 July 2023 08:27
Chris Deeley
GPFans

Fred Vasseur has admitted that Ferrari took a shot in the dark at their setup for the Belgian Grand Prix, with heavily reduced running time due to the sprint weekend format and the wet track for the only free practice session. With the forecast for Sunday constantly changing, teams were forced into their best guesses for both what the weather would be and how their cars would respond to a potential wet race.

"I think we had a good weekend," the Ferrari chief said. "We showed a good race pace, so the team had a good weekend. Of course, Carlos wasn’t that good today. We tried to keep the car in the race, but our plan didn’t work.”

"It was very difficult to clearly understand the race because we only had one free practice, and it was in wet condition. I think our strategy was good, and it was important for the team. We will enjoy the break now and then focus on the second part of the season."

‘Ferrari GUESSWORK’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...prix-strategy/


Leclerc: Late fuel-saving threatened Spa F1 podium
16:23 Mon, 31 Jul 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc says that excessive fuel-saving measures during the closing stages of the Belgian Grand Prix threatened his podium finish. “This was the best we could achieve today, no doubt,” Leclerc said after finishing 32s adrift of Verstappen.

“So yeah, you always hope to try to win the race, but on the other hand, realistically, we knew that both of the Red Bulls would be much quicker, and… yeah… but our target was to maximise the points with the package we had and honestly, I don’t think we could have done anything better today.”

He added: “When you look at the Red Bull, we still have a lot of work to do, especially in terms of race pace, because degradation and everything they are quite far ahead still. Leclerc reveals that he was “told to do some fuel saving” in the dying embers, creating a harder-than-anticipated run to the end until Mercedes pursued the fastest lap.

‘Late fuel-saving threatened Spa F1 podium’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...spa-f1-podium/


Leclerc: Too early to know if Ferrari has solved F1 tyre issues
12:07 Mon, 31 Jul 2023.
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

On a day when many drivers suffered tyre issues Leclerc had a strong run to third place behind the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. After two difficult weekends in Britain and Hungary, it was the Italian team’s first podium since the Monegasque driver took second in Austria. Leclerc suggested that there were signs of improved tyre degradation even in races where the team had poor results, but he remains cautious about the bigger picture.

“I think it's a bit too early to say but it's been two or three races where we are managing our tyres better,” he said. “I think today, this was definitely not the reason why we finished so far behind the Red Bulls, I think they were just quicker.”

“But in terms of tyre management, we didn't have a huge degradation. And also looking at Mercedes behind, I was in control of the pace of my tyres. So on that it looked good. We still need to keep an eye on that because sometimes, especially in very specific conditions, we sometimes get off the window of the tyres, the right window, and then we struggle quite a lot.”

‘F1 tyre issues’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/l...sues/10502613/


Leclerc makes STRONG statement on Ferrari exit
Monday 31 July 2023 17:27
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Charles Leclerc has insisted that he has no plans to jump ship from Ferrari despite a rollercoaster season, as he said he has ‘complete confidence’ in team principal Fred Vasseur. The Monegasque driver was pegged as a serious challenger to Max Verstappen last year, but so far in 2023 has struggled to make anything like as strong an impression as 2022.

He told Belgian broadcaster RTBF ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix: “I have complete confidence in Fred Vasseur. He knows exactly where he wants to go and what he is going to do to get there. We discuss a lot together to achieve the objectives. It gives me confidence.”

He added: “But it’s like that for everyone apart from Red Bull. It’s up to us to do a better job. We will focus on these last races, knowing that the car does not allow us to do the results of last year. We have to succeed in maximising the potential of the car, and the current package, and not make small mistakes with the strategy, traffic management, and things like that.”

‘No plans to jump ship’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...an-grand-prix/