Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen will have a chance to climb even further to the top of the Formula One World Championship standings when he competes in the Belgian Grand Prix, round 14 of the competition, at the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, which represents the first season of the season. racing at home Born and raised in Belgian Flanders.

Verstappen, crowned for the first time in his career last year, left the first category circuits after winning the Hungarian race at the end of July to return after a summer break as the most visible candidate for his next victories as he leads by 80 points ahead of his closest pursuer. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, opening the second chapter. One of the competitions in the ring is “My dearest to my heart.”

In the Belgian Ardennes, Verstappen, who was born in Hasselt, about 100km north, won last year’s stage after a “farcical” scene and only two laps away from the safety car after the organizers decided to stop the race due to heavy rain. on the road.

Despite the disastrous scenario of the last Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen continued his victories at home at Zandvoort, taking first place from British seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, on his way to consecrate his first after another crazy scenario in the last. stage at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi.

This year, his straight chase bears Leclerc’s name: the Monaco driver drives a red car instead of a silver one (Mercedes Hamilton), but he is nowhere near the defending champion, as he failed to realize his control in Saturday’s practice, where he scored 7 times, to win only 3 races.

And with 9 Grands Prix to go until the end of the World Championship, Verstappen has all the cards in his hand to the extent that he can use the Joker card during this series of 3 races in a row for 3 weeks, with two Dutch races On the 31st of this month (he won the title last year) and then Italy in Monza on September 11th.

And about this series, Verstappen, who in turn can achieve 3 victories in a row after France and Hungary, said: “It will be three busy weeks, but it would be nice to sort things out, especially since we all got a break.”

It’s hard not to watch the Dutchman lift a trophy for first place or even get on the podium as he won 8 races this season and was twice on the podium in 13 races, except for a significant reduction in the performance of the Red Bull car, as happened in Bahrain and Australia at the beginning of the season.

-rebounds-

The race will take place this week after the decision of the FIA ​​to amend the technical law related to the phenomenon of rebounds, which has been troubling riders this season.

To reduce this phenomenon, which can be painful or dangerous to drivers in the long term, the FIA ​​has responded to this problem by monitoring vehicle vibrations using sensors to determine the maximum level that can be reached and to avoid reaching a critical stage that could pose a threat. driver safety.

Indeed, the Silver Arrows team, which has become the third strongest in the championship this season after dominating with no one for the past eight years, is considered the most affected by the rebound problem and is fighting for new laws, unlike the Reds. Bull and Ferrari.

Mercedes made astonishing progress ahead of the summer break and secured its first double in Hungary as Leclerc and Ferrari suffered another fiasco, while Hamilton looks to his fifth victory in Belgium and his first this year to maintain his historic one-win streak every time. year.

The spa will witness the final participation of German four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, 31 years after his idol Michael Schumacher first began his career in the same Jordan team now known as Aston Martin, and both of them retained the green.

It will be an emotional weekend for Vettel, a three-time Belgian winner and a lover of classic circuits, following his decision to retire at the end of the current season.