Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing (P4, 12 pts): 8.5/10
Last year, Max Verstappen had a grid penalty that left him out of position (albeit only five places on that occasion) and he still won the race. It's no surprise that people looked at his ten place drop this weekend and concluded that he was still favourite to win again. But he didn't, and moreover never really looked like he was going to, which really underscores how things have changed in the last 12 months. Red Bull simply doesn't have the imperious advantage over their rivals they did in 2022, and Verstappen is having to adjust and adapt accordingly. No wonder he's frustrated. To be fair he was quickest in qualifying which was the most he could do, and got off to a rapid start in the race. But then he got bogged down behind Lando Norris until the first pit stops, only to come back out behind George Russell. Later it was Oscar Piastri in the way and then Charles Leclerc. In each of these match-ups, the Red Bull just didn't have the pace to make the moves when they were needed. Not even Verstappen's undoubted skills could make up the shortfall this time.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari (Pole, P3, 15 pts): 8/10
Ferrari is still busy looking down the back of the sofa to find where they left their early season pace. Charles Leclerc certainly didn't have any great expectations of success coming into this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. Fairly anonymous during practice, Leclerc pinned all his hopes on qualifying and was duly rewarded with pole position once Max Verstappen's grid penalty for a new engine took effect. Even so, he would have known that his time at the front was likely to be short-lived - the surprise turned out to be that it was Lewis Hamilton and not Sergio Perez who snatched the lead away on lap 2. Although Leclerc briefly led again during the first cycle of pit stops, a win never really looked on the cards from that point on. Even a podium seemingly drifted away from him, at least until George Russell was disqualified after the race. But the realisation that both Mercedes were now quicker than both Ferraris this weekend will be an unwelcome reality check to all at Maranello.
