Verstappen aiming for eight in a row with Dutch homecoming looming

Max Verstappen aims to continue his and Red Bull’s remarkable streak of dominance at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, as he looks forward to a thrilling homecoming in the Netherlands next month.

With an impressive record of seven consecutive wins and nine out of 11 victories this season, the Belgian-born defending double world champion is currently leading the title race by a significant margin.

If he triumphs on Sunday, it will be his eighth consecutive win, and he has a chance to equal the record set by Sebastian Vettel in 2013 with nine consecutive victories at Zandvoort in the following month.

Claiming two more back-to-back wins would bring Verstappen on par with Vettel’s record and extend his team’s streak to an impressive 13 and then 14 consecutive victories.

The list of drivers who have won seven races in a row includes legendary names like Alberto Ascari, Michael Schumacher, Vettel, Nico Rosberg, and now Verstappen. Given the 25-year-old Dutchman’s exceptional current form, it seems highly likely that he will continue his winning streak.

Max Verstappen, who has won the last two Belgian races, is now eyeing a hat-trick as the renowned Spa-Francorchamps circuit, known for its majestic, fast, and perilous nature, hosts its first-ever F1 sprint race weekend.

“Spa is my favourite track, of course,” said Verstappen, echoing the thoughts of most drivers who love the sweeping fast corners of the longest circuit in use on the F1 calendar.

“So, I’m looking forward to racing there and seeing the fans – it should be a fun weekend. It’s our final push before the summer break.”

Early weather forecasts have warned of a wet weekend ahead, but that does not worry Verstappen.

“That’ll make it a bit more interesting and chaotic,” he said, oozing the kind of confidence created by driving a car that has turned him into a winning machine.

Max Verstappen’s dominance in the drivers’ championship continues unabated, with his teammate Sergio Perez’s best efforts unable to slow him down. Verstappen’s latest victory in Hungary extended his lead to 110 points, while Perez secured a respectable third-place finish behind McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Despite a recent dip in form, Perez showed signs of recovery at the Hungaroring and aims to maintain his strong performance during sprint race weekends, where McLaren and Mercedes are expected to be strong competitors.

Like Verstappen, Lando Norris, who has Belgian heritage, seeks a third consecutive podium finish. Meanwhile, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who halted Verstappen’s streak of five pole positions in the previous race, hopes for a fifth victory at the Ardennes, although he faces a challenge from his Mercedes teammate George Russell.

Prior to the weekend’s practice and racing, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly has organized a track run on Thursday in memory of the late French driver Anthoine Hubert.

Hubert tragically lost his life during a wet F2 race at the same circuit in 2018. The event invites all team staff and paddock regulars to participate.

The track run comes in the wake of heightened concerns about racing in heavy rain after the recent death of Dutch teenager Dilano van’t Hoff earlier in the month.