News On F1 Forums - Talk Formula 1

This is the place to discuss everything related to the 13th round of the 2016 season taking place in Spa between the 25th and 28th 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 10:00 local time - 08:00 GMT
2nd Practice 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

Saturday
Practice 11:00 local time - 09:00 GMT
Qualifying 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

Sunday
Race 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

The quiet time for we supporters of Formula 1 is at a close. Following the summer break, the season resumes at Spa. All teams have been toiling in their factories searching for that elusive 1 or 2 tenths of a second to allow them to start just that bit further up the grid.

Mercedes will be difficult to topple at this event. The sheer speed of the F1 W07 Hybrid will assure us of a race at the front between the two team mates. I would like to see Nico win this event to tighten up the WDC however this is Lewis' track.

I feel that the Red Bulls have now surpassed the might of Ferrari as the next best team. Ricciardo will out qualify young Max and, this time, will finish ahead.

Ferrari is the next best and Vettel has more drive. He will lead home Kimi.

Now it starts to get interesting. These positions could end up going anywhere but I feel that the Williams of Bottas will get home over the Toro Rosso of Sainz. Force India with Perez should get home in 9th and I add the ever improving McLaren of Alonso for 10th.

That was a thrilling race and it was a relief to see Magnussen walk away from that horrific crash, I supposed crashing backwards must have helped!

It was Nico's race to lose so he did well but had no real pressure, good to see Ricciardo on the podium again and getting Webber to drink from his shoe was hillarious. It is true that Hamilton and Alonso lucked out at the start thanks to Vettel but both made it work, particularly for Alonso who had no straight line speed to finish 7th was impressive. Not sure what Vettel was thinking crossing over Raikkonen like that, even if he didn't know Verstappen was on the inside, it is the start of the race and if you don't see, you have to make some assumptions, afterall Verstappen started ahead so he must be somewhere. This year Vettel is not doing himself much favours, he doesn't seem to be calm anymore and is making more and more mistakes.
Felt sorry for both Raikkonen and Verstappen as they had their races compromised where they could have done something at the front.

Hard to pick a driver of the day, a few drivers really impressed but I think finishing 7th in the underpowered Honda gives Alonso a slight edge today.

Monza is next and I doubt anyone will touch Mercedes and meybe even Force India and Williams!!

I have given my Driver of the Day vote to Lewis Hamilton.
Starting from next to last on the grid, staying out of trouble through the early laps, and then managing to make the podium are my reasons.

I would also like to add that Fernando Alonso also had an excellent day in the still underpowered McLaren and is also a worthy recipient.

Hard to say. Easier to vote for people who got things wrong. Could've voted for Ricciardo, Hulkenberg (who I did back), Alonso, but all were hallmarked by just driving competently. There wasn't really a banzai move, in a good way.

Vettel started badly (he's not been driving that well this year) and Verstappen needs to stop moving late at high speed.