Belgium GP Race Report

The drivers looked pretty unhappy to be put on the back of a truck and toured around the track in the cold, wet Belgian weather.  They should also have been down in the dumps about McLaren now having twice as many points as their nearest competitor (Ferrari) half way through the season.  

Then, as they drove their own cars around to get to the grid, it started to rain and the crowd put on their ponchos.

Brundle and Rosberg cornered Jos Verstappen on the grid, who was very uncomfortable answering questions about Horner's sacking and also uncomfortable answering questions about the weather, which should have been a safe topic for conversation.

Alonso, Antonelli, Hamilton and Sainz, the bottom four apart from Stroll in Qualifying, would be starting from the pit lane.  This could have been a very good choice given the conditions.

There was a long, long delay whilst we watched a tractor clearing water from the track; with shots of amusing signs created by the crowd and scenes from inside the pits.  Eventually, they went out on intermediate tyres behind the Safety Car for two trial laps.  

A rolling start was soon underway and it wasn't long until Piastri got past Norris.  There was a problem with his electrical system.  LeClerc did well to hold Verstappen off despite tyres that fell off quickly.  On Lap 12, Hamilton (then Gasly and Hulkenberg) came in for the first sets of slick tyres.  Piastri followed suit, just as DRS was enabled, and they couldn't double stack as they were so close.  A stream of drivers (pretty much everyone) followed them in on the following lap.  In the pits LeClerc pulled out of his box in front of his friend Albon (nothing came of it).

It was clear immediately how much of an advantage the dry tyres gave.  Hamilton was putting in quickest laps and had jumped into the points.  The racing started in earnest.  The Saubers were in 9th and 10th and they moved Bortoleto in front of newly-podiumed Hulkenberg to try and attack Lawson.

Despite Norris trying a bit, he never looked to have a shot of getting the lead back.  Still, at least he had it for a few hundred metres.  LeClerc did an outstanding job of holding back Verstappen to finish third, despite shouting at his colleagues who were providing an inconsistent level of support over the radio.  Hamilton did well coming from the pit lane to finish 7th but couldn't overtake Albon.

You have to wonder whether McLaren have learnt their lesson from last year, when Norris lost the drivers championship.  Will they ask Lando to support Oscar to secure it this year?  It was a real grimace of a smile as he congratulated his team mate.

Off the podium but in the points was Verstappen, Russell, Albon, Hamilton, Lawson, Bortoleto and Gasly.  It was a very quiet day for the stewards.  When was the last race with no penalties awarded?

There is only a week off until the last race before the summer holiday.  How hot will it be in Hungary?  Will things reach boiling point between the McLaren drivers?  Will Bottas announce that he is driving for Cadillac?

Belgium GP Qualifying Report

Fresh information about the track and how cars were running on it had been gained by the teams during the Sprint Race in the morning.  Skinny wings were the way forward.  However, rain was predicted for the Race the next day.  Some drivers made adaptions for this; others didn't.  Some teams split the strategy across their pair of cars.

In the rush to get out into the pit lane to get going for Qualifying, Hulkenberg nudged his way out and Stroll ran over his front wing and broke it.  There were some quick laps, nothing to mention.  Norris won the head to head with his team mate to take the fastest lap.    It looked like it might be between Hamilton and Gasly to see who would be out in 16th.  Out went three rookies and both Aston Martins in their worst outing for a long long time (possibly ever): Bortoleto, Colapinto, Antonelli, Alonso, Stroll.

Between sessions, Hamilton had his lap time deleted and this gave a reprieve to Bortoleto and he was 16 and out after all.  He said it was unacceptable to be out in the first session for both qualifying sessions at this track and took the blame, saying he would apologise to the team.

The second session proceeded much as the first only Verstappen was confident with his time and saved some tyres, not going out for a second fast lap.  It looked like Ocon might knock Albon out but, even with a purple first sector, couldn't manage it.  Out went Ocon, Bearman, Gasly, Hulkenberg and Sainz.  Williams' performance is improving under Vowle's leadership but they can't seem to get both cars in on it at the same time.

In the final shoot out, LeClerc did manage a faster lap but it was between Verstappen, Norris and Piastri, who traded quickest laps.  Russell put in a couple of purple (best time set so far) sectors but overall it wasn't quick enough.  Albon was the last person across the line and even beat Russell to get 5th.  Verstappen was lacking grip in his Red Bull and it was enough to cost him pole and even third place as LeClerc did have more in himself.  Out of the two McLarens, it was Norris who put in the fastest lap to take pole.  It was needed as Piastri had it yesterday.  The top ten finishing order was Norris, Piastri, LeClerc, Verstappen, Albon, Russell,  Tsunoda, Hadjar, Lawson and Bortoleto.

Belgium GP Sprint Report

With Antonelli and Hamilton both taking their top tier cars out of Sprint Qualifying in the first session, the Sprint Race could have been very spicy with the grid jumbled up and drivers wishing to advance.  Colapinto would be starting from the pit lane and took the chance to reduce his wing size.  Piastri would be keen to maintain his position at the front and further stake his claim to the world championship.

There was drama on the way to the grid as Gasly was told to bring his car in to box but he went to his slot and had to be wheeled off with a water leak.

It was Piastri versus Verstappen off the grid with only 15 laps to battle it out.  Neither will have wanted to damage their car ahead of Qualifying that afternoon.  Verstappen waited a couple of corners and took the lead, with LeClerc getting past Norris.  It was all down to the skinny wings.  

Three laps later, Norris was able to retake the position.  The long Spa laps took an age to play out.  And then, all of a sudden, they had passed.  The McLarens had been unable to challenge the Red Bull.  Apart from those two early overtakes there was only one other, which made the event slightly pointless, more of a tyre test than a race.  Obviously it was Hamilton and Albon past Alonso at the back for no points on the last lap.

So it was Verstappen ahead of Piastri, Norris, LeClerc, Ocon, Sainz, Bearman and Hadjar, in that order, in the points.  Lawson, in his Racing Bull, finished one place ahead of "promoted" Tsunoda in his Red Bull.  Can Mekies make a difference to the team?  Will we discover as the season drives slowly downhill to it's end how much Horner had been Ferrariing things up?

GB GP Race Report

With it being Wimbledon as well, it was raining in Silverstone ahead of the race.  Norris braved the weather to go out and visit his dedicated grand stands, Pinkham took him out, and like a mother, emphasised the positives of it and they enjoyed some special pyrotechnics (or a smoke display?) together.

The theatrics continued with a line-up of minor celebrities on the grid and then a truly awful rendition of the national anthem by Becky Hill.  Bring back Damian Lewis I say.

It was not expected that the Race Director would start the race under the Safety Car for a rolling start, especially as it was now dry and sunny.  LeClerc, Bearman, Bortoleto, Hadjar and Russell decided to come in at the end of the Formation Lap for dry tyres, which meant they would start from the pit lane.  Piastri though thought that the last sector was too wet for slick tyres.  The Safety Car was recalled in the event.

It seemed like a clean start with Verstappen, Piastri and Norris holding their places.  Unseen by the cameras, Lawson went off the track and brought out the Yellow Flags.  There were great plumes of water coming from the back of the cars.  Hamilton fought Norris for third place and they were wobbling around on the tricky track and the drivers that chose slick tyres would be in trouble.  However the Virtual Safety Car was needed to clear Lawson's Racing Bull.  This would help those dry-tyred cars.  It turned out that Lawson and Ocon had come together; apparently all started by Tsunoda, who was later awarded a penalty.

Colapinto had retired in the pit lane with a faulty car before he'd even started, no one really noticed.  

There was an opportunity to pit for new tyres but only Antonelli took it, they would have had information from Russell, who was struggling on his slick tyres, so it seemed an odd choice.

Verstappen got the race going again but Bortoleto couldn't keep his slick tyre car on the track and spun as soon as he tried to speed up.  He was able to get out of the gravel and tried to bring his broken car back to the pits but at least we didn't need a Safety Car and was able to keep racing.  Until he didn't make it and retired it somewhere it could be easily taken off the track side.  A Virtual Safety Car was enacted again.  Stroll pitted for soft, slick tyres.

After a very long time, only eight laps had happened, Piastri was able, with slightly more grip, to get past a shaky Verstappen for the lead, and quickly pulled out a larger-than-DRS gap.  The drivers started racing properly.

Antonelli lost a place to LeClerc down in 13th but Mercedes brought him in for a second stop and onto wet tyres.  The rain did come down and Norris was on the back of Verstappen, whose tyres were so bad he went off the track.  The top three all came into the pit lane, stacking the McLarens, so Norris came out behind Verstappen.

As the rain got heavier, into proper Scottish territory, the Race Director sent out the Safety Car to keep things, well, safe.  LeClerc had a big off, going straight across the grass just before.

There were several laps before we went racing again.  It was Hamilton and Russell who really fought for places immediately.  The spray was still heavy and Hadjar ran into the car in front of him, Antonelli.  And the Safety Car came out again.

Verstappen was too aggressive as the race got underway again but Piastri had braked too hard before him.  He was too confident and the Red Bull spun and was put to the end of the top ten, scooting about, he fought with the Williams'.  Bearman had a big off across the grass even further back.  Piastri received a ten second penalty for his actions.  This could give the race win to Norris after all.

Antontelli had to retire from the damage he sustained during the incident with Hadjar.

A number of dry laps passed by and then, on lap 35, DRS was enabled and drivers were thinking about dry tyres.  Somehow Stroll was in third place, until Hulkenberg and then Hamilton got passed him.  Alonso was the first driver to take dry tyres and came out in last place; Russell was the next and he was in 13th, which by this point, was three places up from last.  You had to go carefully on those slick tyres as Russell went for a fast, uncontrollable spin off across the grass and gravel.   The track was not ready.

Sainz and LeClerc, old team mates had a battle.  Norris ahead was putting in the fastest laps on his intermediate tyres.

Despite all the knowledge gained from watching Russell and Alonso, Stroll, Verstappen, Gasly, Hamilton and Sainz all came in for dry tyres which seemed like madness.  Hamilton was overtaken by his team mate and the Haas cars came together.  

With seven laps to go, Alonso overtook Albon for 8th.  Hulkenberg was somehow back in third with Hamilton behind him.  Norris was in the lead.  Piastri was struggling, going off the track but asking the team to swap the drivers positions if the team felt his penalty wasn't fair.  LeClerc had another off through the gravel and only just made it back onto the track.

The sun stayed out until the end of the race.  It was an emotional victory for Norris, even more so for Hulkenberg as he took his first podium in third place.  Jenson Button had a difficult interview with Piastri, who initially congratulated Hulkenberg if not Norris and refused to speak much about his incident behind the Safety Car.

Norris held it together very well on the podium, receiving two identical trophies, one made from Lego.  What happened afterwards was a shame as the focus was much more on Piastri being upset than Norris winning.  McLaren's PR will not be happy.

Sauber however had much to celebrate.  Hulkenberg won the popular vote of Driver of the Day and the team went wilder than McLaren.  With Binotto and Wheatley now in charge, it seems like Sauber might be a force to contend with in the future and the seats in that team may be more hotly pursued following the last two races.  Could this be where Verstappen chooses in the end?

GB GP Qualifying Report

It was inevitable that, with Oasis playing their first concert in many years the previous night, a best of British feeling would be played to the full at Silverstone.  There were lots of Brits to be supported but Bearman might not be getting much.  He would start the race with a ten place grid penalty for crashing in the pit lane entry as he accelerated past Red Flags.

The first Qualifying session went well for eight minutes, with drivers dutifully setting times.  Then Colapinto touched the paint with a tyre and went for a gentle trip through the gravel and into the wall.  Yellow flags came out and it seemed that the session would need to be stopped (it was eventually) but he was able to keep going, dropping gravel as he went along the straight before pulling over.  His car was dusty and the wheels were so chiselled that he bumped along on square tyres.

When they got going again, the track had changed: the wind direction and the spots of rain affected it.  Some drivers chose not to go out for an early push with five minutes to go but most did.  To his annoyance, Hamilton wasn't fuelled to put in a few laps in a row, which put him under pressure and he finished 14th.  Verstappen was fastest followed by Piastri then Bearman (for the Brits).  Out went Lawson (who did so well last race), Bortoleto (who did so well last race), Stroll (never done well at any race since he left Williams), Hulkenberg (who did so well last race) and Colapinto.

It was a fairly standard second session.  The big surprise was that Hamilton was first with LeClerc second.  Both Williams went out in 11th (Sainz) and 14th (Albon, having made a poor choice to change his set-up).  Tsunoda was in 12th, Hadjar 13th and Ocon in 15th.

Again, the final session was nothing spectacular but did go to down to a final quick lap shoot out.  Having found it difficult to get a good set up and handle his car throughout the first two sessions, Verstappen took pole, setting the sectors purple.  He was ahead of Piastri and Norris, the McLarens behind him.  Max was very pleased with that result: "simply lovely".  Piastri had slipped and swerved about and Norris had taken too much kerb, neither driver was in contention in the end.  Behind them was Russell, Hamilton, LeClerc, Antonelli, Bearman, Alonso and Gasly.

All eyes would now be on the weather forecast for the race.  As ever, there was a sense that Verstappen would hold the lead from the start to the end and all those Brits lining up would not get a look in.