Max Verstappen stays quiet, Bearman hopeful: Paddock turns to Spa

The paddock at Spa-Francorchamps is buzzing with rumors, but Max Verstappen chooses not to engage with them. The four-time world champion offered extremely brief responses when asked about a potential switch to McLaren, replying with "no" and "nothing to say". Although his contract includes an exit clause, his priority appears to be securing a competitive Red Bull car, and according to him, his situation has remained unchanged since the Austrian Grand Prix.

For Ollie Bearman, rumors linking him to Red Bull sound "flattering". However, the young Brit stresses that he is fully focused on his current role at Haas and ultimately hopes to step up with Ferrari, his longtime backer. He admits that not everything is in his hands given Ferrari's potentially settled line-up, and eagerly awaits what the future – and a contract for next year – will bring.

Meanwhile, several teams are struggling with their current cars. Cadillac continues to suffer from brake cooling issues, which resulted in retirements in Austria. Although a comprehensive structural solution will not arrive until Hungary, the team hopes to manage the race at Spa thanks to cooler ambient temperatures and track design. Simultaneously, Cadillac is introducing a revised front wing, a re-developed version of an earlier test specification brought back for a small but hopefully useful performance bump.

Aston Martin is also eagerly looking forward to its Hungary update package, though spare parts availability hangs over the team like a dark cloud. Mike Krack confirmed that every effort is being made to meet deadlines. Lance Stroll labeled the current car "terrible" and hopes Spa will mark their final "painful weekend" using the A-specification. Williams is already tentatively casting its gaze toward 2027, with Alex Albon reporting that the team is devoting increased simulator work to next year's car alongside ongoing efforts for the current chassis.

The driving experience itself has also become a focal point. Fernando Alonso, critical of the current battery-heavy era of Formula 1, occasionally seeks pure driving pleasure in his private collection of older F1 cars, though he still enjoys the competitive cut-and-thrust on track. Additionally, race finish rules remain under debate; following the safety car finish in Great Britain, Lewis Hamilton urged race control to make wider use of red flags, whereas George Russell offered a more nuanced perspective. Looking ahead to Spa, Russell predicts that feared 'yo-yo racing' (where cars swap places repeatedly due to battery deployment deltas) will be less pronounced, expecting uniform energy management strategies across the grid that could make overtaking harder.

Finally, Racing Bulls is introducing an upgrade package at Spa aimed at solidifying its midfield standing. Notably, the full update will initially feature only on Arvid Lindblad's car, while Liam Lawson, who ranks higher in the championship standings, will have to wait until the Hungarian Grand Prix for his car's complete conversion.

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