Belgium GP Race Report

Early morning posts on Instagram showed that it was still raining in Spa....so you know you're in for a thrilling race.  Forty minutes before the race, the cars took to the grid.  They all took the chance to do a couple of laps to gauge the conditions, just as I was commenting that, with the rain coming down, it was unlikely all drivers would make it round safe to the grid, Perez went over the wet paint and grass, into the wall and out of the race (just as Red Bull signed him for a second season).  Jos Capito, Team Principal of Williams, commented before the race that you could be out in the first corner or you could be on the podium.  After the formation lap, Verstappen radioed in that it was fine to race.  Further back the grid however, the drivers were complaining.  We even heard from Giovanizzi (I assume he was the only driver not to swear on the radio).  So the race was red flagged and the cars lined up in the pit lane.  Hamilton had water leaking in the top of his helmet.  I'm surprised that they're not waterproof.

And so it went on, we waited and waited.  Red Bell made a compelling case for getting Perez's car fixed and back in the race.  What did the drivers do during the break?  Alonso had a coffee, Sainz was on his phone, Norris played ball, Ricciardo clowned around, some drivers chatted to their dads.  The broadcasters were really pushing for a postponement until tomorrow, it was never going to happen but when you're desperate, you're desperate.   Mercedes pit wall personnel asked race control if they could leave their bar stools for a coffee and were given permission.  After three hours the safety car led the cars out of the pit lane.  Just to help with visibility, the Dutch fans let off their orange flares.

Spa isn't usually too dull a race but this took the biscuit.

So who were the winners and losers from this bizarre two lap, no over-taking allowed race?

Winners

Russell - got second place and half points for that position

Perez - got a "get out of jail free" card and was able to rejoin the race, after his car was fixed during the lengthy pause

Mazepin - got fastest lap, however no point (or half point) as he wasn't inside the top 10

Losers

Bottas - started 13th, finished 13th

Alonso - started 15th, finished 15th

Raikkonen - had been penalized with a pit lane start for changing his wing to one of different specification (although this meant he didn't have to sit in the rain on the grid for 25 minutes)

Ferrari - both started out of the points and finished outside the points

Norris - lucky to be able to participate in this race after his massive crash yesterday in Qualifying, both in body and car.  In the rebuild the gearbox was changed so that he was also handed a five place grid penalty. so started 15th and therefore out of the points.

The crowd - the "true fans" who stood in the rain.  Let's hope there's some financial recompense.

I was very pleased that my race predictions of Verstappen for the win and a big points haul for Williams were spot on.