Verstappen and Vandoorne share a home Grand Prix
A Belgian and a Dutchman are on a circuit, which one is racing at home? At Spa-Francorchamps, Stoffel Vandoorne is competing in his first national Grand Prix, but the popularity of Max Verstappen and the proximity to the low countries mean that spectators are massively sporting the orange color that the young driver loves.
Max Verstappen does not participate in his national Grand Prix here in Belgium, but the proximity of the Netherlands to the mythical Ardennes rollercoaster means that fans of the young Dutchman have turned out in large numbers. As a result, Stoffel Vandoorne might feel overshadowed, as he takes part in his first national Grand Prix and has chosen to mark the occasion with a special decoration for his helmet.
Everyone feels ready to share a hypothetical belonging, Stoffel Vandoorne specifies: “I’m not jealous that Max (Verstappen) has more support than me, even if he’s not Belgian. He’s been around longer and has achieved good results”, while Max Verstappen notes: “I’m half Belgian (Editor’s note: through my mother). For me, it’s a positive pressure to have a lot of fans here.”
In addition to lesser support, Stoffel Vandoorne will have to face an avalanche of penalties at home, with 35 grid penalties following a complete engine block change for the latest specification brought by the Japanese manufacturer: « Penalties are inevitable with the problems we had at the start of the season and the development of new parts. It’s very tough to start a weekend with penalties, but we have to stay focused and do a good job. » We can only wish him the same fortune as his teammate Fernando Alonso experienced last season, who, starting from the last place due to accumulated penalties, finished in 7th place.
From our special correspondent in Spa-Francorchamps
