McLaren make Max Verstappen Belgian GP guarantee as Sergio Perez factor addressed

Lando Norris is “100 per cent” certain that Max Verstappen will make quick progress and trouble McLaren at Spa, though does not expect his ally Sergio Perez, fighting for his Red Bull future, to become an extra-fierce roadblock.

Verstappen was once more the class of the field at Spa in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, but despite ending Q3 six-tenths clear, Verstappen will start P11 due to a 10-place grid drop for taking a new internal combustion engine.

Lando Norris guarantees swift Max Verstappen Spa progress

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Grid penalties have not historically held Verstappen back at Spa, the Belgian-born Dutchman having won from P14 on the grid in 2022 and from P6 last year, so Norris, despite McLaren claiming a one-two last time out in Hungary, expects to come under serious pressure from the charging Red Bull.

After McLaren team principal Andrea Stella told media including PlanetF1.com that Verstappen is “definitely a threat” for the win, Norris concurred: “Yes definitely a threat.

“I think clearly has been quickest all weekend. Even yesterday in FP2, they just didn’t turn up the engine and we had.

“So considering we were only two-tenths ahead, they had a lot more in their bag basically.

“In a way a good thing, shows that we still have a lot more work to do. Even after a lot of great races in the past few weeks.

“I think Red Bull have always been there or thereabouts. Like people want to try and count them out at times, but Max was easily on par with us in qualy last weekend and had pretty much the same race pace, just made more mistakes than what we did, simple as that. But just as quick.

“So yeah, at the minute they look very strong, he has looked since the first lap in FP1. He was quite easily the strongest. So going to be a threat tomorrow.

“But that’s low fuel. And hopefully high fuel is a little bit more even. But 100 per cent he’s going to be coming through quickly and I’m sure he’ll be a threat for us at some point.”

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McLaren have their own recovery mission to complete, with the wet conditions of qualifying – expected to be long gone for race day – not suiting the MCL38, leaving Norris P4 on the grid and Oscar Piastri P5, making quick progress even more important with Verstappen anticipated to be on the prowl.

There will be a Red Bull to clear though if McLaren want to hit the front, that being Perez, who shares the front row with Charles Leclerc on a weekend where Perez is under serious pressure to retain his Red Bull seat. Spa could be his final race with the team as a decision over the summer break looms.

However, Norris does not specifically fear that Perez will become an ultra-defensive roadblock and aid Verstappen’s recovery.

That being said, Perez being in the quickest car could make him a tricky driver to overtake.

Asked if he worries that Perez will make himself a roadblock to help Verstappen catch the battle at the front, Norris replied: “I wouldn’t say a concern honestly. Same as for our race against Max. We have to get past all of them.

“I know Checo potentially will have a bit more of a defensive mindset than the others, but Charles is still fighting off pole and for a win, so he’s going to be fighting hard for it, he’s not just going to let things go easily.

“Same with [Lewis] Hamilton, he’s always going to be aggressive and defensive when he needs to be. So I wouldn’t say Perez is any more of a threat from that side, but he’s in the quickest car. So in terms of getting past that, making the tyres last better than him and that kind of thing, is going to be harder than some of the others.

“But I think when we look at the pace from Friday, it gives us a decent amount of confidence that if we kind of just keep our heads down and focus on ourselves, that we can hopefully get through them at some point in the race and try and keep Max behind.”

Piastri does not believe Perez’s Red Bull predicament will influence his driving on Sunday, though is very much prepared to face a “fight” from the Mexican.

“I’m expecting Checo to put up a fight, I think even for his own sake. It’s not been the easiest run for him,” said Piastri.

“And I think, of course, more than anyone, he probably wants a really good result for himself.

“So I think he’ll fight hard for it, but I don’t think any harder than he would if it was another situation.”

McLaren go into the race 51 points behind Red Bull at the top of the Constructors’ Championship .

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