Verstappen 'happy' with Belgian Grand Prix after pipping Norris / Photo: JOHN THYS - AFP
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Verstappen 'happy' with Belgian Grand Prix after pipping Norris
Three-time world champion and series leader Max Verstappen made light of failing to win for a fourth consecutive race and declared himself "happy" at finishing fourth for Red Bull in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old Dutchman, trapped in his worst run of form since 2021, started from 11th on the grid after taking a 10-place grid penalty having had a fifth new engine of the season fitted to his car.
Four is the permitted maximum per season.
The race was won on track by George Russell, but the Briton was disqualified for an underweight car as his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton took victory.
Oscar Piastri was second for McLaren – and Verstappen's main title rival Lando Norris fifth in the second McLaren.
"All in all, it was quite a positive day for me, considering we started 11th," said Verstappen.
"We finished in front of Lando who is my main rival for the championship.
"I think we did everything right with the strategy today and I had a good clean start.
"I was in the DRS (drag resistance system) train and it was difficult to pass, but I think strategy-wise we did everything we could to the limit.
"It was tough to make it with two mediums and a hard tyre but we did a good job and maximised our result.
"It wasn't realistic to start 11th and then fly to the front so I am overall happy with our performance," he added.
Verstappen was seeking his fourth consecutive win at the Belgian Grand Prix, which he regards as a home race because he was born in Belgium and his mother is Belgian.
He has led the championship for a record 53 races dating back to the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix, but his supremacy of previous seasons has now been eroded.
Verstappen has 277 points in the drivers' championship standings with Norris second on 199 and Charles Leclerc third on 177.
The next race on the calendar is the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25, after Formula One's mid-season interval.
"We are looking forward to the summer break and having a bit of time to relax," he added.
"But at the same time, we're committed to being faster and better and trying to find solutions as we go into the rest of the season.
"We had a great start to the season, but our last few races have been a bit more difficult," he added.
S.Gregor--AMWN