Max Verstappen set to receive a 5-place grid penalty for the 2023 F1 Belgian GP

Red Bull driver and reigning double world champion Max Verstappen will get a five-place grid penalty for the 2023 F1 Belgian GP for exceeding his allocated gearbox allowances for the season.

The Dutch driver has been in imperious form in the 2023 season and is currently on a seven-race winning streak heading into one of his home races. Last time around in Hungary, He showcased one of his most dominant victories in the sport as he won from P2 with a margin of over 33 seconds.

However, there might be some respite for the rest of the grid as he is handed a five-place grid penalty for using his fifth gearbox for the season. As per the allocations, four gearboxes are allowed throughout an entire season.

Although there is a possibility that this penalty might not change the result after all as he won the race last year from P14 on the grid.

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Max Verstappen chimes in on the Belgian GP weather issues

Heading into the Belgian GP weekend, there have been some discussions regarding the rain-affected weekend and if the FIA and the sport should look at canceling some events or the entire race weekend altogether.

Speaking with Sky Sports, Max Verstappen said:

"Honestly, I don't think it's really track related. You have dangerous corners, yes, and in the wet there's always more risk, but I think everyone is competent enough to make the right calls. If you can drive, you can drive, and if it's too wet, it's too wet. Accidents happen unfortunately, and when you look back at the one that happened, it was just extremely unfortunate the way it happened."

"I don't think there's a lot you can do or change for it to be a lot safer because there are also other tracks out there that if you have a crash, you're back onto the track with very low visibility - that can happen again. It's just a bit, I guess, unlucky in a way as well that it has happened at Spa, two times quite close to each other."

Max Verstappen added:

"But the visibility is going to be bad anyway, otherwise we cannot have any rain races any more. It's bad, but it has been bad for a very long time, so I don't think there is a lot at the moment that we can do about it."

It will be interesting to see what is decided regarding the weather situation at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit this weekend.