To reduce spray after a late downpour, five formation laps were run behind the safety car ahead of a rolling start.
Although drivers reported conditions were clear for intermediate tyres, half the field stayed put for an extra lap on full wets. This was to avoid losing time to a double-stack pitstop and a delayed release in a congested pitlane.
Verstappen, who started in pole position, stayed on the track while Piastri, starting in second place, went into the pits. Red Bull then called Verstappen in on the next lap, but deliberately took 3.2 seconds longer to avoid a potential crash with McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Verstappen found himself trailing Piastri by a margin of 1.7 seconds. Nevertheless, he managed to regain the top position by taking advantage of a strong slipstream along the Kemmel Straight during the sixth lap, which occurred after another safety car intervention.
Verstappen justified the strategy, stating that it was wiser to prioritize caution. He expressed, “I believe it was a more secure decision.”
“I had the potential to be the first one to arrive, but there was a risk of getting obstructed by other vehicles. Additionally, there was a possibility of a safety car situation which would result in a significant disadvantage. Therefore, I was not concerned about remaining in my current position.”
“We dropped one spot, however, it was evident that we possessed great speed as demonstrated when we switched to the intermediate tires and experienced a significant surge. Overall, the situation was satisfactory.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL60, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-23
Photo by: Michael Potts / Motorsport Images
Verstappen secured the win with a final lead of 6.6 seconds over Piastri, despite the fact that the Red Bull driver had expressed frustration about his brakes not responding as desired in the colder weather towards the end.
Verstappen clarified his radio communication, stating that they were attempting to achieve a balanced distribution of brake power, assuring that the situation was well-managed.
“The vehicle exhibited speed; the tires maintained grip – only minor inconveniences.”
Although Verstappen achieved the fastest time in qualifying for the Sunday GP, completing a lap 0.82s faster than Charles Leclerc, he will begin the race in sixth position due to a penalty of moving five places back on the grid for changing his gearbox.
Verstappen believed that the most crucial moment of his race would be the first corner of the opening lap, as long as he manages to steer clear of any accidents.
Verstappen expressed the need to overtake several cars and identified the primary concern as the initial lap, specifically Turn 1, due to various factors.
The situation there is consistently challenging. Therefore, if we manage to avoid any problems, I believe our vehicle will be speedy.
Verstappen won the 2022 Belgian GP from 14th on the grid, a legacy of power unit component changes. The Dutch driver recovered to first place by lap 12 of 44.
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