Max Verstappen has expressed his gratitude to Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar for the assistance received during the qualifying session of the Belgian Grand Prix. His collaboration was crucial in achieving a favorable position on the starting grid this weekend.
Despite starting from the back of the grid due to the installation of new engine components, Hadjar played a key role in the penultimate phase of qualifying, providing a slipstream that helped Verstappen improve his lap time.
During the conclusion of qualifying, Red Bull’s strategy involved using his teammate’s slipstream to take advantage of the slipstream effect in the final sector. In two attempts, their synergy resulted in a better lap time for Verstappen, even though he ultimately finished second, just behind Kimi Antonelli.
Verstappen stated that without Hadjar’s help, he could have ended up in a lower position. Competition at the top of the grid was tight, and he emphasized the importance of teamwork where mutual support becomes vital in high-pressure situations.
In his post-qualifying comments, Hadjar acknowledged that his first attempt to assist did not go as planned. He had to fall back to better group himself into the slipstream effect, which complicated his own energy management.
The French driver added that calculating engine energy in these circumstances is a challenge, but he successfully adjusted better in the second attempt, contributing significantly to Verstappen’s final result.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
