Red Bull drivers ready for Belgium as threat of rain does little to defuse excitement

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen said he was feeling well-rested and ready to race after the Formula 1 summer break, ahead of the upcoming weekend's Belgian Grand Prix at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps track.

Verstappen currently enjoys an 80 points lead over second-placed Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc with nine races remaining in the F1 season.

The Dutch driver was victorious at the 2021 rain-drenched Belgian race and will be hoping to claim another win this weekend.

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Ready to go

In the Red Bull pre-race preview of the weekend's racing, Verstappen said: "I'm feeling ready to race again after a good break. I definitely got the itch to get back to it. It will be a busy triple header, but it will be okay to manage as we've all had a rest. The upgrades to the track have made it a little more 'old school' with the gravel traps, which I think is a good idea.

"It's my favourite track, so I'm looking forward to racing there this weekend. It looks like there might be rain around, which will make it trickier, but luckily as a team, we like a challenge."

Teammate Sergio Perez, who trails Verstappen by 85 points in the standings, is only five points away from challenging Leclerc for his second place in the drivers' standings.

"I am massively looking forward to being back in the RB18 and getting out on track again," said Perez. It has been a good break, and I have really recharged for the second half of the season, and I am ready for it.

"There are great races coming up, especially Belgium on a track that I always enjoy, and the fans are always amazing there. I cannot wait to get back to work and see my team. I think it's nice to start after