This Is How Max Verstappen Was So Much Faster Than His Teammate at the Belgian GP

Well, there are a few factors that add up to this, especially when you compare him to drivers in different machinery. However, today we will focus mostly on his teammate, driving the same car.

First things first, let’s address the elephant in the room. Many people claim the car is built around Max and give his previous teammates examples for this statement. While this is partially true, it does not tell the entire story. We cannot be sure if the team bases their development on Verstappen’s preferences but we can safely say the car fits him more than it does Sergio Perez.

The RB18 has a very strong front end, which means that the car can be easily rotated through corners, although at the cost of the back slipping slightly. This fits Max’s driving style more than it does Sergio’s. Verstappen prefers to have a slightly unstable rear and use his raw talent to control the oversteer, allowing for a more agile car. Perez on the other hand is a more conservative driver who would rather have a fully predictable car at the cost of manageable understeer.

With this in mind, let’s switch the focus back to last week’s race and see why the reigning F1 World Champion was not only faster than the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes drivers, but also his teammate. First of all, the Belgian Grand Prix is a race track that suits the strengths of the Red Bull car. Spa Francorchamps is a circuit with a lot of high speed, and low downforce areas and Red Bull has enjoyed a season-long advantage over Ferrari on the straights, with the Scuderia being faster in the corners.

However, even this advantage got thrown out the window at the Belgian GP. The Honda-powered team made huge strides in the development of the underfloor, making it work a lot better in the corners and wiping away the deficit. This translated into Red Bull blowing the opposition away at Spa and being faster than the Scuderia throughout the circuit.

This might explain how Max managed to overtake everyone but it still gives no clue as to how he beat Perez so comprehensively. This is where their driving styles come into play. While most drivers make a lot of steering adjustments through the corners, Verstappen was mostly making one input for corner entry and another one for corner exit. Looking at the telemetry data, it looks like the Dutch driver is willing to break earlier, giving up speed on corner entry. This allows for much smoother steering inputs, favoring a better exit. This can make a world of difference on a track with straights as long as Spa. Another advantage of smooth steering is tire management, meaning Verstappen was able to keep his rubber in good condition longer and achieve a more constant race pace.

Further compounding Max’s advantage over Perez was his penalty. This might sound strange but bear with me. Verstappen god his grid penalty for taking a new engine. Before anyone gets any crazy idea, this does not mean he had more horsepower. However, it does mean that Sergio has an older engine. As you know, Formula 1 engines are built extremely precisely. So, as they wear, some performance factors are affected. Specifically, an older power unit cannot use the peak horsepower as often as a brand new one.