Max Verstappen applauded his substitute race engineer Simon Rennie following his victory in the sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. Verstappen’s usual race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, was absent due to personal reasons, and Rennie filled the role, helping guide the Dutch driver to a strong performance at Spa-Francorchamps.
Simon Rennie’s extensive experience benefits Red Bull Racing’s lead driver
Rennie, a British engineer with a long history in Formula 1, stepped in once again to support Verstappen, having previously taken over during the Austrian Grand Prix earlier this season. Formerly the race engineer for drivers including Daniel Ricciardo, Mark Webber, and Kimi Raikkonen, Rennie’s familiarity with the team helped him adapt quickly to his renewed duties.
Verstappen shared his thoughts on Rennie’s return to the pit wall role, saying,
“With Simon, I mean, he has a lot of racing experience already and, of course, he’s been part of the team already for a very long time,”
and added,
“Of course, the last few years [he’s] not anymore in a race engineer role, but he steps in and he’s immediately on it. So also again, very enjoyable to work with Simon.”
Verstappen’s sprint victory fueled by strategy and determination
During the sprint race, Verstappen utilized a low-drag car setup that allowed him to maintain top speed and secure his lead despite pressure from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. The Dutchman explained the challenges he faced, particularly in the middle sector of the track where his pace was comparatively weaker.
“Yeah, I’m just happy that I was able to hang on to it. I knew, of course, in the start there were possibilities up to Turn 5. We took it. And then, from there onwards, I knew also they had new mediums,”
Verstappen said. He continued,
“I knew that it was going to be even more difficult. Just trying to hang in there with the top speed that we had. I knew the middle sector was going to be the weaker area for us and just trying not to make any mistakes there, basically. And it worked very well.”
Tyre management and physical effort critical during the sprint
Verstappen admitted to some challenges with tyre wear late in the race, especially braking into the last chicane, where he pushed beyond his usual limits. He commented,
“The only thing that I had was one time, the braking into the last chicane. But it’s also, you know, you’re driving a bit over your own kind of management, so it’s easy to just overheat the tyres a bit too much. But we hung in there and kept the two McLarens behind.”
Home crowd support adds to Verstappen’s satisfaction at Spa-Francorchamps
Verstappen expressed his delight at securing a win on a circuit he holds dear, noting the significance of competing in front of the home crowd. He remarked,
“Of course, very pleased to win here. I mean, it’s my favourite track, home crowd, home feeling. So, yeah, just very nice always to be here.”
Challenges ahead for Verstappen in Belgian Grand Prix’s main race
Although the sprint victory builds positive momentum, Verstappen is aware that the main race will present additional obstacles, particularly regarding tyre strategy and the possibility of rain. He remains focused and determined to leverage the sprint win, but expects a demanding contest under changing conditions.
Simon Rennie will continue to support Verstappen throughout the remainder of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, reinforcing the strong working relationship that has been vital to the team’s recent successes with Verstappen at the wheel.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Max Verstappen a billionaire?
A. The British individual is believed to have a net worth of $285 million, while Max Verstappen’s net worth is about $210 million.
Q. What is Max Verstappen’s baby gender?
A. On May 2, Verstappen, who is 27, shared two pictures of his newborn daughter on Instagram, announcing her name as Lily. “Welcome to the world, sweet Lily,” he captioned the photos.
Q. What gender is Max Verstappen’s baby?
A. Verstappen and Piquet recently had a baby girl named Lily. They shared the news about expecting a baby before the 2024 season’s final race in Abu Dhabi. Lily is now a younger sibling to Piquet’s other daughter, Penelope.
Q. Is Penelope not Max Verstappen’s daughter?
A. His partner, Kelly Piquet, is the daughter of former racing champion Nelson Piquet. She has a daughter, Penelope, from a past relationship with Daniil Kvyat, an ex-Formula 1 driver. Verstappen has developed a strong bond with Penelope and mentioned this when questioned about fatherhood affecting his racing performance.