BRUSSELS - A week after ranting on the team radio in Budapest, Max Verstappen heads to the Belgian Grand Prix warned to take "nothing for granted" and advised by Red Bull to give up late-night simulation racing during race weekends.
The series leader and three-time world champion departed Hungary in a petulant mood after finishing a frustrated fifth, swearing on team radio and in post-race interviews, having gone to bed at three am before the race.
It was his and Red Bull's third consecutive race without a win and he will need to deliver a more composed and professional performance on his preferred circuit on Sunday to avoid extending his winless run to four for the first time since 2020.
Another defeat and his commanding supremacy of the past, he won 19 of 22 races last year, will be forgotten.
"Hungary was a tricky race and a weekend to forget and move forward from," said Dutchman Verstappen, whose combative manner did not go unnoticed.
"We have been working to optimise our performance and get the best out of the car that we possibly can.
"Spa has always been my favourite track with fast corners and lots of opportunities to overtake. The fans are also great and we get a lot of support there," he added.
After winning the last three Belgian Grands Prix, Verstappen will be seeking to return to form with a fourth victory, but he may have to start from the back half of the grid if, as expected, Red Bull, fit his car with a fifth new engine of the season.
The limit for new power units is four, but Verstappen has proved at Spa in the past that he can overcome grid penalties when he seizes the momentum.