Verstappen reveals 'Oh my God' moment in Hadjar Spa qualifying tow

Max Verstappen got the tow he needed from Isack Hadjar to grab second on the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix, though he admitted there was a split second where he thought, "Oh my God." The Dutchman closed in rapidly on his teammate through the final sector at Spa, but insisted he stayed flat out and trusted Hadjar completely to play his part.

Why it matters:

Grid position at Spa-Francorchamps is crucial. Verstappen reckoned he would have lined up sixth or seventh without Hadjar's help, a gap that would have forced him into riskier overtakes and potentially compromised his tire strategy from the opening lap.

The details:

• Red Bull strategists planned the tow before qualifying even began, pinpointing the final sector as the ideal spot because drivers run slightly less energy deployment there, increasing drag and amplifying the slipstream effect.
• Hadjar was already carrying a 30-place grid penalty, making him the perfect candidate to sacrifice his own session and act as a wingman.
• Television footage showed Verstappen incredibly close to the rear of Hadjar's car, prompting speculation he had to lift. He denied this, saying it was flat out and he would have simply pushed Hadjar along if necessary.
• Verstappen noted that during FP3, tows through Sectors 1 and 3 produced nearly identical gains, confirming the final sector was the right call.

What's next:

Rolling off from the front row puts Verstappen in prime position to challenge for the win on Sunday and protect his championship standing. The seamless teamwork also offered a clear signal that Hadjar is settling into his role as a dependable supporting player within the Red Bull garage.