Verstappen without grid penalty for the first time since 2021
Arriving for the third weekend of Sprint racing of the season, it will be the first time since 2021 that Verstappen will not receive a grid penalty planned at Spa-Francorchamps. Although the circuit in Belgian Ardennes is a good circuit to exceed, this year Dutch cannot afford a grid penalty with its problematic RB21.
In 2022, the Dutchman won for a spectacular fourteenth place. Verstappen also managed to return from a grid penalty and win the Grand Prix in 2023. In 2024, he failed to do so, finishing fourth.
Before his resignation, Christian Horner spoke to Silverstone to, among others, GPBlog Regarding this boon for the Belgian Grand Prix. “We will not take any engine penalty, which will be the first time in a lot of years,” said the former team leader.
The media present at the time joked on changing weather conditions in Spa-Francorchamps. “No, it’s never raining,” said sarcastically Horner. In Silverstone, the rain caused a lot of problems for Red Bull.
“We will see,” continued the Briton in a more serious tone. “SPA is a great circuit, and I have the impression that Kuck has not been with us in recent weeks, but all of this is still balanced.”
It is, of course, impossible to exclude that Verstappen does not have to incur a grid penalty in Belgium. It could happen that because of a penalty during a session or a serious accident, the Dutch must start from a few places further. However, this year, there is no grid penalty planned for Verstappen.
