F1 News: Max Verstappen Scrutinizes McLaren's 'Skinny Wing'

Saajan Jogia | Jul 28, 2024

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 30, 2023 in Spa, Belgium. Source: Red Bull Content Pool / Francois Nel/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has unveiled his car's downforce strategy, opting for a different rear wing configuration than McLaren's 'skinny' rear wing. The championship leader also highlighted the importance of tire preservation to gain positions during the race.

Verstappen faces a challenging race, starting from P11 due to a grid penalty for using a fifth engine this season, despite achieving the fastest time in wet qualifying conditions. To catch up with the front-runners, the Red Bull driver will need a robust strategy, including quick pit stops and effective tire management.

Despite his proven ability to win at Spa from as far back as P14, Verstappen faces additional challenges due to the resurgence of McLaren and Mercedes in recent races. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are starting the Belgian GP from fourth and fifth places, respectively, while at the front, Charles Leclerc leads the pack, followed by Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton.

Furthermore, Formula 1 tire supplier Pirelli warned teams of increased tire wear due to the resurfaced track, posing an additional challenge for Verstappen. While qualifying took place in wet conditions, the race is predicted to be dry, leading to higher track temperatures and greater uncertainty.

Explaining his choice of rear wing, Verstappen told the media after the Belgian GP qualifying:

“I felt a bit more confident and comfortable on the FP1 wing, so I hope that that is also going to be the case tomorrow.

“Tomorrow is a bit warmer as well, so naturally probably a bit more sliding. I just hope that it’s better for me.

“But when you look at the McLaren, for example, they run a very skinny wing. Seems to work for them, but it didn’t really work for me yesterday, so a bit of a different strategy also there."

The 26-year-old explained the importance of preserving his tires during the Grand Prix. He said:

“And I guess we’ll find out tomorrow how it will work out. I have to pass cars. The DRS effect is quite big around here, but at the end of the day, I think it’s more important just to be good on tires around here.

“Because if you’re good on tires, you can pass people.

“We run a bit more downforce, so for sure that is good for today. One lap pace is of course important, but it’s more important to be good on the tires tomorrow.

“I feel like most of the last [few] qualifying [sessions], we have been quite close over one lap, even when I was still not entirely happy with the car or the balance, but then in the race sometimes there have been bigger differences for me.

“So it’s important that tomorrow we are good on tires and competitive as well.”