Page 1 of 1
The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:03 am
by cmlean
This is the place to discuss everything related to the 13th round of the 2018 season taking place in Spa between the 24th and 26th of August.
To submit your 10 'n' Pole Picks for Belgium
click here, to register in the competition
click here
Picks for Belgium close at the start of Saturday practice
The event timetable for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Friday
1st Practice 11:00 local time - 09:00 GMT
2nd Practice 15:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
Saturday
Practice 12:00 local time - 10:00 GMT
Qualifying 15:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
Sunday
Race 15:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2018 5:30 pm
by cmlean
This weekend sees the return of the Formula 1 circus.
If there was one circuit that I would like to go to, then this is it.
Don't know if it is the nostalgia of Spa or just the sheer speed that these beasts operate at here.
So, my thoughts.
While the enthusiasts have had their 4 week break, the teams have been pouring over data trying to find that elusive 0.1 sec that could be the difference between starting on pole and controlling the race or starting from P4 trying to work some strategy that could move them closer to the front.
Mercedes have been well and truly surprised by the Ferrari pace in the first half of the season and will have turned over every rock in trying to make up the difference. Ferrari will have done the same to ensure that their cars stay at the front.
Red Bull will recover from the shock of the signing of one of their favourite children to Renault. They will get over it with Pierre Gasly showing maturity beyond his years.
McLaren look like they are blooding (read comparing) Lando Norris in FP1 with Vandoorne. This one session could determine either driver's future. One of these 2 will be joining Carlos Sainz for possibly some time.
I would like to see Haas retain their current drivers only because they have produced some very good results so far this season. This may be to the detriment of Charles Leclerc but he has also given new hope to Sauber. He is on a wave so it wouldn't surprise me if, due to the Ferrari influence, he be given one of the seats. Just who misses out could just be bad luck.
The purchase of Force India by Lance Stroll will also impact one of their drivers. Just who will go to make way for Lance Stroll dropping his bum into one of the seats will be of interest. Maybe one will drop back to Williams and hopefully steer them back to at least a reasonable mid-field position.
Renault seem to be quietly going about their business and the signing of Daniel Ricciardo may be just the thing to stir them onto greater things.
The signing of Gasly to Red Bull may be just the lifeline that Brendan Hartley needs. There is no doubt that he has talent but this will be his last opportunity to show if he has the drive to go onto better things.
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:14 pm
by cmlean
FP1 Results
Code: Select all
Pos Time Driver Team
1 1:44.358 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
2 1:44.509 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
3 1:44.676 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
4 1:44.718 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
5 1:44.724 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
6 1:45.558 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
7 1:45.786 Esteban Ocon Force India
8 1:45.951 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
9 1:46.169 Sergio Perez Force India
10 1:46.210 Carlos Sainz Renault
11 1:46.300 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
12 1:46.387 Romain Grosjean Haas
13 1:46.554 Charles Leclerc Sauber
14 1:46.557 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
15 1:46.932 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
16 1:46.965 Lance Stroll Williams
17 1:47.012 Kevin Magnussen Haas
18 1:47.364 Lando Norris McLaren
19 1:47.367 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
20 1:47.452 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:25 pm
by cmlean
News from FP1
Following the rescue of Force India by Lawrence Stroll and his financiers, the team is now classified as a new.
This means that they are starting with zero (0) manufacturer points. The odd ruling is that they still carry over the component usage from the original team. Does this mean that they aren't so new after all?
Renault announced that Nico Hulkenberg will be taking new power unit components into this event meaning that he will start at rear of grid.
Mercedes followed this up for Valtteri Bottas announcing that they would also be taking multiple components into this event and, due to the timing of the announcement, will now be starting behind the Renault.
I may have to review my 10 'n' Pole entry........
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 7:57 am
by cmlean
FP2 Results
Code: Select all
Pos Time Driver Team
1 1:43.355 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
2 1:43.523 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
3 1:43.803 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
4 1:44.046 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
5 1:44.129 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
6 1:44.250 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
7 1:44.662 Sergio Perez Force India
8 1:45.481 Carlos Sainz Renault
9 1:45.537 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
10 1:45.622 Charles Leclerc Sauber
11 1:45.753 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
12 1:45.817 Romain Grosjean Haas
13 1:45.935 Esteban Ocon Force India
14 1:46.078 Kevin Magnussen Haas
15 1:46.080 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
16 1:46.153 Fernando Alonso McLaren
17 1:46.337 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
18 1:46.451 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
19 1:46.470 Lance Stroll Williams
20 1:46.496 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 6:57 am
by cmlean
FP3 Results
Code: Select all
Pos Time Driver Team
1 1:42.661 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
2 1:42.724 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
3 1:42.798 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
4 1:43.464 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
5 1:44.048 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
6 1:44.479 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
7 1:44.963 Charles Leclerc Sauber
8 1:45.341 Sergio Perez Force India
9 1:45.464 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
10 1:45.485 Esteban Ocon Force India
11 1:45.536 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
12 1:45.814 Romain Grosjean Haas
13 1:45.925 Carlos Sainz Renault
14 1:46.087 Kevin Magnussen Haas
15 1:46.182 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
16 1:46.259 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
17 1:46.502 Lance Stroll Williams
18 1:46.630 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
19 1:46.942 Fernando Alonso McLaren
20 1:47.061 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 7:13 am
by cmlean
Qualifying Results
Code: Select all
Pos Time Driver Team
1 1:58.179 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2 1:58.905 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
3 2:01.851 Esteban Ocon Force India
4 2:01.894 Sergio Perez Force India
5 2:02.122 Romain Grosjean Haas
6 2:02.671 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
7 2:02.769 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
8 2:02.939 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
9 2:04.933 Kevin Magnussen Haas
10 No Time Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
_________________________________________________________
11 1:43.844 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
12 1:43.865 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
13 1:44.062 Charles Leclerc Sauber
14 1:44.301 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
15 No Time Nico Hulkenberg Renault
_________________________________________________________
16 1:44.489 Carlos Sainz Renault
17 1:44.917 Fernando Alonso McLaren
18 1:44.998 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
19 1:45.134 Lance Stroll Williams
20 1:45.307 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
It sort of looked like Noah's ark. The teams were being eliminated 2 by 2.
And then to throw the cat among the pigeons, the rain came at the start of Q3.
Bottas had a spin while at the front of the field before most teams decided that the conditions weren't suitable for slicks.
Both Force India's did one extra lap but Perez had a couple of huge moments and sanity prevailed.
The session was drying at the end but many teams were not really prepared to be on intermediates when the rain hit. Inters not ready, cars without enough fuel for the 10 minute plus 1 lap session. Raikkonen finished frustrated skulking around his pit as others were finishing their runs.
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 7:18 am
by cmlean
Hulkenberg to start from p19
Bottas to start from p20
The rest of the grid moves up accordingly.
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:11 pm
by cmlean
Results
Code: Select all
Pos Driver Team
1 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
4 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
5 Sergio Perez Force India
6 Esteban Ocon Force India
7 Romain Grosjean Haas
8 Kevin Magnussen Haas
9 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
10 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
11 Carlos Sainz Renault
12 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
13 Lance Stroll Williams
14 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
15 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
DNF Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
DNF Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
DNF Charles Leclerc Sauber
DNF Fernando Alonso McLaren
DNF Nico Hulkenberg Renault
Bottas given a 5 second penalty for colliding with Sirotkin
Hulkenberg given a 10 place grid penalty for colliding with Alonso, who then flew into Leclerc and Ricciardo.
Re: The 2018 Belgian GP Thead
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 10:19 am
by cmlean
Well. What do you say?
Following the carnage at La Source at the start, the race was really a case of just how far the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel would win by. Hulkenberg must have had some brain snap to have driven so hard into the rear of Alonso's McLaren causing it to take off over Leclerc's Sauber and take Daniel Ricciardo's rear wing off his Red Bull. I think that part of the field must have left their race craft in their transporters. Even Valtteri Bottas drove hard into the rear of Sirotkin's Williams but both were fortunate enough to continue their individual races, abet Bottas needing a new front wing at the end of lap 1. Kimi Raikkonen was an unfortunate victim of Ricciardo's front wing slicing through his right rear tyre in the same chaos effectively ending his race there and then. The distance to the pit and the shredded tyre doing the damage.
Hulkenberg receives a 10 place grid penalty for his part in causing this incident.
Whether you like or loath the halo, there is one young man who is still with us following this incident. The tyre marks all over the right side and the deformities in the structure show close the wheel of Alonso's McLaren came to doing some serious damage to Leclerc. At least we get to talk about what the halo had done rather than the other scenario of what might not have happened if a halo was fitted.
On to Monza next weekend.......