“We have never won a race from fourteenth place on the grid. To be first and second with Max and ‘Checo’ and also to set the fastest lap of the race is an extraordinary achievement”, said Horner.
Verstappen was fastest in qualifying on Saturday, but the world champion had to move backwards on the grid because he used his fourth engine of the season in Belgium. Many other drivers also received similar grid penalties at Spa-Francorchamps. Verstappen thus started from 14th place, but he drove forward at a high pace and dominated the race in the Ardennes.
“A fantastic win from Max,” said Horner. “He was in a class of his own this weekend. But this is really a team win: from everyone here and all the people at the Milton Keynes factory. A lot of hard work is being done behind the scenes and that contributes to a result like today.”
World Cup leader Verstappen will start next week with almost 100 points ahead of his competitors at the Grand Prix of the Netherlands at the Zandvoort circuit.