The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa saw some serious action, with Max Verstappen and Zhou Guanyu summoned by the stewards.
- Verstappen, on a flying lap, was frustrated by Zhou at Turn 17, accusing Zhou of holding him up.
- Zhou received a three-place grid drop for impeding Verstappen during qualifying.
- Despite Zhou’s penalty, he remains in P19 due to Yuki Tsunoda’s massive power unit penalties.
- Verstappen, starting P11, aims for another recovery victory at Spa after previous wins from lower grid positions.
The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa was nothing short of dramatic as Max Verstappen and Zhou Guanyu were called to see the stewards. Verstappen, who was on a flying lap, got held up by Zhou at Turn 17, leaving the Red Bull driver visibly frustrated. Verstappen exclaimed over team radio, “Hello? What the f***?” and waved his hand in frustration at Zhou.
Zhou was found guilty of impeding Verstappen during qualifying and was handed a three-place grid drop as a penalty. However, due to Yuki Tsunoda’s substantial power unit penalties that pushed him to the back of the grid, Zhou still starts at P19.
The stewards explained their decision, stating that Car 24 (Zhou) stayed on the racing line at Turn 17 while Car 1 (Verstappen) was approaching. Verstappen had to momentarily lift his throttle before passing Zhou. The stewards noted that Zhou’s team informed him about Verstappen being behind, but the information was not accurate enough. They concluded that Zhou unnecessarily impeded Verstappen, warranting the standard penalty.
Verstappen will begin the race from P11, having originally set the quickest qualifying pace but relegated due to a ten-place grid drop for taking a fifth internal combustion engine. Undeterred by the setback, Verstappen aims to achieve a remarkable comeback, having won from P14 in 2022 and P6 in 2023 at Spa.
The stage is set for an exciting Belgian Grand Prix, with penalties and strategies adding to the anticipation.
Source: Planetf1
