Belgium GP Race Report

The race start was initially all clear with Alonso making a great get away into second.  Less great for the Williams, who started 6th and 11th and fell way back to 7th and 12th almost immediately.  Then Hamilton shunted Alonso, flying across the top of him and causing his own retirement.  Perez was back in second but completely undeservedly.

Lap 2 saw a Safety Car come out as Latifi (surely not driving again next year...Ricciardo for Williams?) put a tyre into the gravel and spun, taking out Bottas.

Verstappen cruised along, carving up the competition, with no one putting up much resistance.  This looked like it could have been a day for an underdog to swoop in for a glorious points position.  For Alonso, this would have proved he is not too old for this game.  For Ricciardo, it would prove he deserves a drive somewhere next season.  However he was overtaken by Albon in his Williams so there we go.  For Albon, this race was a chance to show off Williams' straight line speed and wave two fingers at Red Bull (as it goes passed him).

Once a quarter of the race had passed, Verstappen was behind his team mate and calling for him to move over.  Perez obviously fought hard and nearly took him out...no he didn't.  When Verstappen finally pitted from the lead, Sainz took the lead back.  LeClerc was a couple of places back and looking to overtake Perez, who did fight hard and nearly take him out.  In this case though, Russell overtook him.

When Verstappen did catch up with Sainz though, before half distance, it was an easy overtake.  With the Red Bulls firmly in the lead, the race focused on Albon and Ricciardo's fight for 9th.  The Battle of the Red Bull Rejects, if you will.

The second pit stop window opened and Ferrari double-stacked, with one tyre being slightly slow for LeClerc.  This wasn't too bad as he was, crucially, out ahead of Albon (!).  I imagine Alonso giving an "I told you so" shrug in his cockpit after a slow pit stop.

Then in a shock turn of events, Hamilton gave an interview and admitted that the crash with Alonso was his fault.

With five laps to go, Norris reported to his team that he was "really struggling" with his tyres.  He was told it was "too late for Plan G".  I assume Plan G wasn't to be part of the Albon train.

Ferrari hadn't really done too much to cock up their own race, until the last lap, when they pitted LeClerc to go for fresh tyres to get the fastest lap point.  Unfortunately they brought him out right in front of  Alonso, who immediately overtook him but he got the place back in the last few corners, not managing fastest lap.

Verstappen made winning look so easy.  All eyes on 2023 now.

Helmet cam was back and the porpoising looked dreadful, I don't know why we haven't seen anybody vomit into their own helmet yet.  I also wonder what Bottas and Hamilton said to each other as they sat and watched the race.

Belgium GP Qualifying Report

All the talk in Belgium was of Alonso and Ricciardo with a sprinkling of fear over the future of the race track.

Danny Ric's luck continued to plummet in the first session of Qualifying, just behind his team mate, he had a lap time disqualified and found himself falling down the grid as drivers popped in their last lap.  He did make it through though.  Albon put in a great lap to go 6th and Vettel was knocked out.

The big scalps in the second session were Ricciardo and Gasly.  The big news was Albon through, this seeming to be a great track for Williams.

In the final session, team mates were helping each other with a tow and every driver was tripping up another driver.  LeClerc gave Sainz a tow but he ruined it dropping his tyre into the gravel trap.  Albon finished 9th ahead of Norris.

With many grid penalties to be taken, it was very mixed up but impossible to understand qualifying.  Really, what was the point?  I had no idea who was starting where despite having watched the whole thing.  Perhaps, if you are taking a penalty, you should be disqualified from Qualifying and have sets of tyres removed?  Still rain predicted for the race...