Max Verstappen won the Belgian Grand Prix to extend his world championship lead to 93 points; Sergio Perez finished second in a Red Bull one-two to extend huge constructors' championship advantage over Ferrari
Monday 29 August 2022 12:01, UK
Max Verstappen has insisted he and Red Bull "want more" success and will not lose focus after a dominant display at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Verstappen overcame a grid penalty for taking new engine parts that saw him start from 14th to lead a one-two from team-mate Sergio Perez, extending his drivers' championship lead to 93 points and Red Bull's advantage over Ferrari to 97 points.
The victory was made all the more ominous for Red Bull's rivals by the fact it came in the first of three back-to-back races, with races in the Netherlands and Italy to follow over the next two weekends.
Verstappen, who claimed his first title last season, has been an imperious form, said it was tough to judge whether he was producing the best form of his career.
"It's always difficult to say, but I'm just enjoying the moment," Verstappen said.
"I think also everyone in the team, we are having a good time, but we are also very focused on what we want to achieve. At the moment we are achieving that, but we always want more."
While Verstappen was modest in his assessment of his own driving, the consensus in the paddock is that the 24-year-old is producing a special campaign.
Verstappen, who has now won nine of 14 races this season, was in a league of his own throughout the weekend at Spa, comfortably producing the fastest time in qualifying despite opting not to go for a second run.
Perez accepted Verstappen was on "another level", while Sky Sports F1 pundits Johnny Herbert and Paul Di Resta also offered high praise for the Dutchman.
"The result throughout this weekend in many respects has been very scary because of the speed that Max has had," Herbert said.
"Literally from the first two minutes on Friday, he was on it straight away and was amazingly fast and he just carried it through the weekend.
"This is the best I've seen Max I drive I think at the moment. I think he's getting more and more complete, and that's a scary thing."
Verstappen had risen to eighth by the time a safety car came out at the end of the first lap at Spa, and scythed his way through the field to take the lead on the 12th circuit, before easing to victory.
"It's an outfit that was performing last year, and they've kind of had this momentum," Di Resta said. "Somehow they're unstoppable, but I think the biggest weapon they've got at the moment is Max Verstappen.
"Where would they be if he was in the Ferrari? You'd probably be in a similar position because that's the consistency, what he's able to do, remain calm, get the best out of the team.
"And you kind of think where is the end going to be with this? They can already probably start to focus on next year given their performance, and that's quite worrying for teams up and down the pit lane."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was also delighted with Verstappen's performance, and described the weekend as one of the best in his team's history.
Despite Verstappen's triumph over Hamilton in last year's drivers' championship, Red Bull were edged out by Mercedes, meaning they are seeking a first team title since winning four in a row between 2010 and 2013.
"That's one of our biggest ever team performances," Horner told Sky Sports F1. "I never expected Max to win that race, and particularly get to the front so quickly.
"With Checo right there as well, fastest lap, one-two finish, it couldn't have been better of us today.
"It was one of those weekends where we were just right in the window with our car and everything worked beautifully. Max has been exemplary and Checo doing absolutely everything asked of him.
"An amazing performance, absolutely right up there with our very best that we achieved back in 2010.
"Amazing performance by Max. He wasn't greedy at the start. He was very patient and he just picked his way through it."
