[akash_v12]

The legendary Belgian Grand Prix returns at the Circuit-de-Spa-Francorchamps (An even more legendary track). This is the best track in the season, I feel. Drivers have also touted this to be one of the most of the driver-focused tracks. The 7.004KM track has 2 long straights (Kemmel Straight being the more famous one) and 19 corners (including the famous Eau Rouge and Blanchimont). Pirelli has chosen the C2,C3 & C4 Compounds for this race.

This race might turn out very interesting after the very boring Spanish GP.

All times IST
Stream On - Hotstar | Star Sports Select HD2

Schedule

The Circuit

2019 Results



Tyre Choices

[sgiitk]

This is one of my favorites. However, with Ferrari being underpowered some fun is lost. I look forward to tomorrow. I hope Ferrari at least make it to Q3. For some time they have one car not making it beyond Q2. Fingers (and toes) crossed.

[Makin Rulesz]

Here are the Free practice results.





It should be an interesting weekend with rain expected on both the days.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

This is one of my favorites. However, with Ferrari being underpowered some fun is lost. I look forward to tomorrow. I hope Ferrari at least make it to Q3. For some time they have one car not making it beyond Q2. Fingers (and toes) crossed.

By looking at Ferrari performance in free practice sessions, I doubt them even getting out of Q1

[mayankk]

Looking forward to this. Eau rouge is the only section in the entire f1 calender where the speed of an f1 car becomes visual, for me at least. I know that they do 300 + on other sections of other tracks too,but they look it only here. Maybe it's just the layout, or the camera setup, but it's a joy watching them run down and climb up.
And yeah, go Lewis baba!

[mayurhuria]

Well, Now that Ferrari is underpowered this season, also to some extent their issues with Vettel, made it so easy for Mercedes. The downside is the battle for top is so boring with obvious expected results.

Although Kudos to Max Verstappen and Red Bull for giving a little excitement (this chap has always amazed me).

The real interesting battle is at midfield with Lando, Ricciardo, Carlos, Perez, is what keeps excitement high.

The Spa has been one of my favourite tracks (as a spectator and also in video games) and I am sure it will make mid-field battle even more interesting.

[sgiitk]

Did you notice Ferrari on day one had very poor handling. Day 2 is better, right now as I write both Vettel and LeClerc are in the elimination zone in Q1.

[Mat095]

Ferrari out in Q2, was expecting a better race from them as this is a more driver focused track and I still consider Vettel to be a better driver despite everything going on with Ferrari. Vettel had the track record in 2018 with 1:41:501, so looks like Ferrari has been evolving backwards.

Also, seeing some good performances by Riccardo in the last few races!

[shibujp]

My favourite section in F1. Eau Rouge! Never fails to fill me with a sense of excitement season after season watching Formula 1 cars on full tilt and insane moves being pulled off be it Mark Webber on Fernando Alonso 2011 or Sebastian Vettel out dragging Hamilton on the succeeding Kemel straight in 2018. There is a section of road here at TVM that is a bit similar and it always reminds me of this section of Spa!

I was able to catch the last few minutes of Q3 and scanning the list made me realise that Ferrari has conquered new heights...er...depths. A saving grace is that they barely scraped through Q1. Neither is Vettel the source of their problems nor is Leclerc their ticket to redemption. There is something fundamentally wrong with that car and the team. If they don't figure what, they are looking at a drought similar to that after Jody Scheckter in 1979. The competition is not what it was back then - these are some razor sharp outfit - Mercedes, RB, McLaren - top class outfits and then some.

Talking of competition - Lewis Hamilton 0.5s clear of Bottas - and a new lap record. 1:41.252. Daniel Riccardo at P3 lining along his former team mate Verstappen. I hope that Renault holds together and gives the RB a run for it's money. Riccardo is really pulling ahead of Ocon.

I was surprised to see a muted qualifying result from the Racing Points - after having consistently seeing them in P4/P5 for the last few races arguably the second best package. What's happened here?

The team that has impressed me the most is Mclaren. And it's drivers especially Norris are just gems. They have really sorted out that car from it's lows with Honda and it's improving from race to race. Awesome.

Except for the Mercedes' at the top setting up for a boring lead I like the grid very much with a good mix of teams and drivers.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[ds.raikkonen]

I am betting Verstappen will take Bottas by the time they reach La Source at the start. Possibly Hamilton if he manages to stay within DRS range by lap 3, but given the form Hamilton is, only wet conditions can come in between him and certain victory. Rain is expected but not likely during the race, most probably afterwards (bummer).

Verstappen though, what a lap in the Red Bull during Q3, almost dethroned an unremarkable Bottas from P2 at the end, missed out by a couple of hundredths!

[neo_narender]

I happen to listen to Verstappen's radio a while ago, he complained "I ran out of energy a bit early!". If it weren't for ERS management, I think he could have attained that pole position. Just a 0.015 sec difference from Bottas & 0.526 sec off of Hamilton. All eyes on him in the race start.

Qualifying timings:


Neo

[ds.raikkonen]

Originally Posted by neo_narender

I happen to listen to Verstappen's radio a while ago, he complained "I ran out of energy a bit early!". If it weren't for ERS management, I think he could have attained that pole position.

Pole would have been unlikely, but yes would have been close with Hamilton. Bottas was simply nowhere in Q3, terrible lap.

Would be interesting if they start showing where they are deploying electrical energy around the lap. Although its almost certainly on the Kemmel straight and then perhaps the run up to Blanchimont.

Red Bull chose to sacrifice the middle sector in favour of more top end speed, something which will come in very handy in race trim. Go #Max33!

[shibujp]

Originally Posted by ds.raikkonen

Pole would have been unlikely, but yes would have been close with Hamilton. Bottas was simply nowhere in Q3, terrible lap.

Would be interesting if they start showing where they are deploying electrical energy around the lap. Although its almost certainly on the Kemmel straight and then perhaps the run up to Blanchimont.

Red Bull chose to sacrifice the middle sector in favour of more top end speed, something which will come in very handy in race trim. Go #Max33!

Bottas is thinking that second is a good place to be but cannot figure where Hamilton got the 0.5 second advantage from! Hamilton was "in the zone" today.

I just saw the replay of quali today having been unable to see it yesterday. The Ferrari's really came so close to not making Q1 especially Leclerc which trumped Raikkonen by eight tenths. Phew! It's going to be a difficult two races for them - this and Monza.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[neo_narender]

Another boring race comes to an end! The first three positions were never changed at all even with a pit stop, after the nasty crash of Giovinazzi who spun-hit the barricade & Russell who couldn't avoid the aftermath.

I feel bad for Vettel & Leclerc, who I think gave their best in today's race with Leclerc gaining 5 positions in the start, but eventually losing those positions due to lack of straight line speed. Vettel suffered all throughout even with brilliant tire management. A swap in race result from Qualifying, P13 & P14.

The only surprising thing perhaps was Ricciardo's race. If there were 46 overall laps instead of 44, he may have passed Verstappen. His push in the last lap awarded him an extra point with a Fastest Lap finishing in P4.

Gasly, although was 3rd at one point without a pit stop, eventually finishes in P8 with some points in bank from P12 in qualifying.

Race Result:


Neo

[Hatari]

Highlight of the race for me was Renault's pace, including PU performance.

Hope the improvements continue.

[motorworks]

What a disaster for Ferrari! I couldnt get the courage to watch qualifying last evening after seeing the dismal times during free practice. And I was kind of hoping that the Ferrari is better in its Race Trim, and Leclerc did get my hopes up in the initial 2 laps, but in no time he lost so many positions, all because of the lack of speed in the straight. So Ferrari have an engine thats massively down on power, and we can see all its customer teams too suffering in high speed tracks.

To make this worse, the next race, Monza is going to be similar to Spa, im sure the entire Ferrari team is dreading performing so badly in front of their home crowd.

I just Hope Ferrari know the reason behind this issue and are already deploying resources for the next years car, cause this year is done.