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Hello and welcome to ESPNF1's coverage of the Belgian Grand Prix from Spa-Francorchamps. ---- 2:02: kevin Magnussen tells McLaren there's a bit of rain but nothing severe. --- 2:00: Nearly a disaster for Fernando Alonso! His car is still on the jacks as the formation laps start, but he gets released and going before the last car and retakes his position in fourth. That incident, with Ferrari personnel still on the grid when the formation lap started, already under investigation. Still not very good news for the Spaniard though he will start fourth. --- 1:59: Everyone but Adrian Sutil on the soft tyre. --- 1:58: Rosberg and Hamilton both in their cars with their cars on the front row, taking in the view of the run down to Eau Rouge. As Hamilton said yesterday, not the easiest task for the pole man to keep the lead on the first lap here - as he found out last year with Vettel flying past him on the Kemmel Straight. --- 1:55: Nearly time for the formation lap. ---
--- 1:53: McLaren also says its radar suggests rain at mid-race. But after its debacle in Hungary I'd take that one with a pinch of salt.... --- 1:51: Mercedes now reporting it is hearing a 40% chance of rain this afternoon. A lot of teams now expecting rain mid-race this afternoon. --- 1:48: It's now spitting rain at Spa. ---
--- 1:46: Really interesting to see how Red Bull does with its low downforce set up today. It was surprising to see how quick Red Bull looked through the speed trap yesterday - their strategy has banked on the race remaining dry today but could make it more competitive against the likes of Mercedes and Williams. It will, however, make that middle sector rather sector tricky. Mercedes has opted instead for a more conservative approach to its package this weekend, but still expect it to be quickest around here. ---
Important to note, this is sarcasm.... --- 1:42: The chatter in the paddock today is all about Fernando Alonso's trip last night to the Red Bull motorhome, made in full view of anyone who cared to watch. To make it so public must mean he's sending a message to Ferrari but it could well mean the silly season explodes into life after this weekend. Alonso holds the key to it all - if he does leave Ferrari then there will be movement all over the place. Watch this space. --- 1:40: I expected more from Force India in qualifying yesterday but they could only manage 13th (Perez) and 18th (Hulkenberg). The latter being very disappointing, Hulkenberg losing all confidence in his brakes during Q1. Mercedes power will work to its advantage today, however, so don't write them off for a strong result in the points today. --- 1:38: Outside the top ten the Toro Rossos will be looking to make up for the disappointment of missing out of Q3. Daniil Kvyat will be partnered by young Max Verstappen next season - what an exciting line-up that will be. The unfortunate Jean-Eric Vergne starts his search for a new F1 team this weekend. At least he is in the position where he knows he has eight races to show the rest of the grid what he could do. He's gone from having a shot at the Red Bull seat to staring into the F1 abyss in the space of a year. --- 1:36: Kevin Magnussen continues to impress and starts seventh, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen - the man with four wins to his name at Spa. Raikkonen needs a good result soon and there is no better to do that than here. --- 1:34: Really interesting to see what happens behind Mercedes today. Sebastian Vettel turned in a few great laps in Q3 yesterday to go P3, very impressive considering his Red Bull spent most of Friday practice in the garage. Fernando Alonso is well-placed behind Vettel, one place ahead of Daniel Ricciardo. As impressive as Ricciardo has been this year, one area he has struggled had been off the line. Valtteri Bottas sits behind that after what must have been a disappointing Saturday for Williams but the team must be confident a strong result is on the cards for F1's new Flying Finn. --- 1:33: Lewis Hamilton struggled with his brakes overnight but will be relieved to have put recent qualifying woes behind him. He won in Britain but he's been fighting much more since he took those four straight wins at the start of the year. Big weekend for Lewis again. 1:30: Yesterday we saw the first Mercedes front row lock-out since the Canadian Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg, who has been the undisputed King of Saturdays this year, took his fourth straight pole position. This will be the first of those four he will have started with a Mercedes alongside him, however, meaning the drive down to Eau Rouge will be thrilling to watch. --- 1:27: A sprinkle of rain not long ago but the sun is out once again - classic Spa. The forecast suggests it will remain dry throughout today but if there's one place the weathermen's opinions should be taken with a pinch of salt, its here. |
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Lap 1 |
Great start Hamilton, who snatches the lead into La Source! Vettel jumps past Rosberg into the first corner. Awful start from Rosberg. Yellow flags for an incident at the hairpin. Vettel on the outside of Hamilton at Kemmel Straight but has to bail out over the chicane! Rosberg reclaims second and now Alonso has fallen behind Ricciardo. Bianchi appears to have had some contact at the first corner and is going slowly. |
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Lap 2 |
Hamilton leads Rosberg by 0.5s and Vetterl has dropped back a full second behind Rosberg after his early charge. Hamilton goes defensive down Kemmel and there's contact! Something comes off the front wing of Rosberg but Hamilton has a puncture!!! Hamilton is crawling around the track! That could be a huge moment in the championship fight. Hamilton took the racing line and Rosberg, who was being aggressive into that corner clipped Hamilton's left rear wheel. Looks like a racing incident but I doubt that will be how Hamilton sees it... |
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Lap 3 |
Rosberg leading but how will that moment have hampered his Mercedes? Alonso sets a fastest lap, a 1:56.398. Hamilton pits and makes his way out on track. Another race where Hamilton has to fight from the back of the pack. Somebody call in the crisis management team at Mercedes. Rosberg in a lot of trouble, he's lost front downforce but Mercedes tells him to "hang it out". |
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Lap 4 |
Lotterer appears to have stopped on track, while Maldonado is also recorded as out on the timing screens. Bottas now sets a fastest lap, a 1:56.094. Ricciardo dives past Alonso down the Kemmel Straight after using the DRS. Alonso has another sniff but can't get it done around the outside of Rivage. Hamilton, now 19th, reporting his floor might be damaged. Watching that again, I think there is blame to be attached to Rosberg there. When you are behind a car like that you can't drive like that. |
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Lap 5 |
Hamilton tells Mercedes his car is "all over the place". The Red Bulls both look really good here and Ricciardo sets a fastest lap, a 1:55.694. Surely, we aren't going to see Ricciardo make this title battle a three-horse race... are we? Vettel the man best placed at the moment though, he's 0.9s behind Rosberg. |
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Lap 6 |
Ricciardo has got past Vettel for second! Ricciardo passes his team-mate and now is just over a second behind Rosberg. Lewis Hamilton now sets a fastest lap, a 1:55.346. Hamilton now in recovery mode. Seeing the replay, Vettel got wide on the kerb coming through Pouhon and Ricciardo took advantage. Yet again the world champion watching his team-mate take the fight to a Mercedes out in front. Lotterer trudges back to the pit lane, his F1 debut lasted just two laps. Big shame for the former Le Mans 24 Hours winner. |
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Lap 7 |
Bottas within DRS range of Alonso ahead. Vettel now having to defend from Alonso but the real story is Ricciardo chipping away at that lead of Rosberg's out in front, so clearly the Mercedes has some problems with his front end after that early incident with Hamilton. Alonso has been given a five second penalty to take at his pit stop, by the way, for that incident at the start of the formation lap. |
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Lap 8 |
Bottas uses the DRS zone to sweep past Alonso into Les Combes. Raikkonen now in range of Alonso. Ricciardo still seven tenths off Rosberg but the pit crew are out in Mercedes and the race leader comes in! Ricciardo now leads from Vettel. |
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Lap 9 |
A change of front wing taking place for Rosberg as Raikkonen also comes in for fresh soft rubber and gets out ahead of Rosberg. The German comes out ahead of Ericsson in 16th. He's gone out on the hard tyre, interestingly. So, it's been a while since we had a Red Bull one-two but that's what we've got here. Ricciardo leads by 1.6s over Vettel. |
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Lap 10 |
In that clear air Ricciardo now sets a fastest lap, a 1:55.236. Bottas in third now hunting down Vettel. Rosberg has some debris flailing around in his cockpit! How on earth has that happened? At the moment Rosberg not doing anything to remove it but I don't know how he will do that. Mercedes tells Rosberg he has to get past Raikkonen as soon as possible. Massa comes in to pit, as does Perez. |
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Lap 11 |
Vettel comes into the pits and releases Bottas into second. So Bottas staying out despite Massa's recent stop. Vettel takes on the soft tyre. That debris is still clinging onto Rosberg's cockpit. Vettel has rejoined in between Raikkonen and Rosberg, with Kvyat also in the mix as well. What drama in these opening laps. Raikkonen now sets a fastest lap, a 1:54.727. Kvyat and Hulkenberg both pit as well. |
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Lap 12 |
Ricciardo pits from the lead of the grand prix, with Magnussen also coming in for fresh rubber. Raikkonen suddenly in a really strong position, he's fourth and just two seconds behind Ricciardo. That early stop working well for the Finn. It looks like Rosberg still has a bit of that debris attached to his aerial. |
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Lap 13 |
Bottas and Alonso pit. Alonso comes out alongside Perez and concedes the position on the run down the hill. Lovely stuff from Alonso, who passes Perez around the outside of Rivage. Bottas rejoins sixth. Button now leads from Ricciardo and Raikkonen. |
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Lap 14 |
Button pits and releases Ricciardo into the lead again. Magnussen slides past Vergne through the Bus Stop for seventh, lovely move from the Dane. Rosberg told he's on the opposite tyre to those in front of them, Mercedes tells him he needs to pass the cars in front of him. Rosberg needs to prove he can effectively dispatch rivals in these sort of situations. |
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Lap 15 |
Real train behind Vettel now with Rosberg and then Bottas right behind the world champion. This the battle for third. Out in front Ricciardo is edging clear from Raikkonen. |
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Lap 16 |
Hamilton's pace is nowhere at the moment. The floor of his car is so damaged he will be lucky to even score a point this afternoon. Ricciardo sets another fastest lap, a 1:54.226. Mercedes tells Rosberg he needs to pass Vettel if he wants to win the race but he is still sat behind the world champion. Ricciardo's lead over Raikkonen now 3.5 seconds. |
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Lap 17 |
Rosberg had a look down the outside of Vettel at the Bus Stop but overcooked it and ran wide meaning he had to defend from Bottas through La Source and the Williams driver takes Rosberg down the Kemmel Straight! Rosberg going backwards. So being questions being asked of Rosberg's ability to overtake this afternoon. |
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Lap 18 |
Vettel is told to respect track limits in 15 and now has to defend from Bottas down Kemmel but that low downforce package Red Bull has here doing the job - Vettel keeping the Finn at bay for now but the gap definitely came down. Hamilton pits from 16th. He's got a really miserable afternoon ahead of him. |
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Lap 19 |
Ricciardo's lead now six seconds. Vettel still holding a gap over Bottas behind him, Raikkonen starting to appear on the horizon for this little scrap for third. This could soon become a four-car duel. Rosberg asks Mercedes to check the vibration on his front tyre. It looks like he's starting to lose track of Bottas. |
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Lap 20 |
Rosberg pits, for another set of medium tyres. Very, very strange. Hamilton is out on the option so no idea why Mercedes is opting for that tyre on the championship leader. Hamilton says "let's just save this engine, guys" but is told, while Mercedes is discussing it, to stay out for now in anticipation of any safety cars. He sets the fastest lap, though, a 1:53.926. |
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Lap 21 |
If Bottas can get past Vettel here he must be in with a shout of victory. Rosberg has dropped down to ninth. Alonso all over the back of Magnussen coming through Pouhon, this is the battle for fifth. Alonso much quicker than the McLaren in front of him. Button hovering not far back. |
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Lap 22 |
Raikkonen pits for the medium tyre. Magnussen defends well through La Source and then Alonso catches a wobble through Eau Rouge, he has a look down the outside of Les Combes but can't get by. Alonso has another sniff around the outside of Rivage but Magnussen defending supremely. Thrilling stuff for fifth. |
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Lap 23 |
Vettel now pits from third, and takes on the medium tyre as well. Possible he could finish the race on those tyres. Ricciardo now in a race of his own, 14 seconds clear of Bottas. Rosberg flies past Button coming through Les Combes and now sizes up Alonso, who has been unable to get past Magnussen. Rosberg lets Button back through coming out of Pouhon so not sure whether he was ordered to do so, as he just suddenly slowed down. Toto Wolff shakes his head on the pit wall. |
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Lap 24 |
Magnussen pits and releases Alonso from that little scrap. Ricciardo's lead still 14.6s over Bottas, both those men yet to make their second stops. Rosberg powers past Button again down the Kemmel Straight. |
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Lap 25 |
Raikkonen dives down the inside of Button in the final corner, while out in front Rosberg is sizing up Alonso. Surely his best chance is down the Kemmel Straight with his superior power unit. Interestingly, Rosberg says: "Ask Charlie if that pass was OK?", apparently he is being warned consistently about track limits at Eau Rouge. Rosberg gets a great run out of Eau Rouge and makes light work of Alonso down the Kemmel Straight, he's now third. Vettel goes around the outside of Button on the run up to the last corner, where those two collided in 2010. |
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Lap 26 |
Alonso now pits, he takes on the medium tyre so will be able to stay out until the end of the grand prix. This race falling into Rosberg's hands now, both men ahead of him need to pit. He gets told to push like mad to force Red Bull to pit Ricciardo. |
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Lap 27 |
Magnussen dispatches Hulkenberg through La Source. Hulkenberg on old tyres, he's still got to pit again. Hamilton tells Mercedes he has no downforce. Mercedes tells him to keep his head down and keep plugging away. |
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Lap 28 |
Ricciardo pits and rejoins behind Bottas, but he is yet to pit. Now the race between Rosberg and Ricciardo for victory this afternoon, surely. Hamilton's tone on the radio suggests he ready to throw in the towel. |
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Lap 29 |
Bottas pits and Ricciardo regains the lead. Rosberg is now second, he's three seconds behind the Red Bull out in front. Rosberg told he's "safe P2 now" but he has victory in his sights. It will be a controversial result, whatever it is. |
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Lap 30 |
Bottas three tenths behind Vettel in the battle for fourth. Ricciardo faster than Rosberg through the speed trap and the gap is now 3.3s. |
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Lap 31 |
Vettel defends from Bottas down Kemmel Straight but the Finn takes the champion around the outside through Les Combes. Superb driving, he's now fourth. His fellow countryman Raikkonen the next man up the track. |
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Lap 32 |
Ricciardo not able to shift Rosberg yet, and Rosberg can go faster than his current lap times based on earlier pace. Hamilton is being brought in but not to retire, it's for the prime tyre. |
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Lap 33 |
Ricciardo has opened the gap up a bit now, it's up to 3.6s. Rosberg not catching Ricciardo as you would expect him to. Behind that, Raikkonen is slowly falling into the clutches of Bottas. Vettel tells Red Bull his tyres don't feel very good when asked if they can survive until the end of the race. |
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Lap 34 |
Grosjean now told he needs to pit and retire. Another horrible weekend for Lotus. The gap between Raikkonen and Bottas now 1.9s. |
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Lap 35 |
Rosberg pits. He puts on the yellow-striped soft tyre, so now the championship leader will be in full attack mode but surely he can't win this race. This is Ricciardo's to lose. Vettel also pits. Rosberg rejoins behind Bottas but can't keep the Williams behind, the Finn swinging past at Les Combes. Not what that strategy needed but Rosberg powers past Bottas through Blanchimont. Nicely done. |
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Lap 36 |
Raikkonen's the next man in line for Rosberg and this is a much easier one for the championship leader, who powers past Raikkonen down Kemmel and reclaims second place. How quick can he be on this soft tyre? Eight laps down and he's a huge 21 seconds behind Ricciardo. From the pace we saw from Rosberg at the end of the Hungarian race, this is very doable. Mercedes has put Red Bull up against the wall, Ricciardo now has to hold on with what must be incredibly worn tyres. |
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Lap 37 |
Rosberg sets a fastest lap, a 1:50.511. Three seconds quicker than Ricciardo, so if he keeps lapping like that he should be back in range. Alonso is back up behind Magnussen and trying it again around the outside of Rivage but he has to bail out, and he gestures at the rookie from the cockpit. I don't know what he's complaining about, superb defensive driving from the Dane. "Guys, you need to stop me and save my engine," a clearly frustrated Hamilton says. Peter Bonnington tells him, politely, that the answer is no. Hamilton must be absolutely fuming. I don't see what is to be gained from keeping him out on track at this point. |
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Lap 38 |
Rosberg told he's due to catch Ricciardo "at the very end" on current pace. Hold on to your seats. Bottas has taken a second off Raikkonen over the last two laps, he looks good for a podium this afternoon now. Hard not to want Raikkonen to score a podium here given his season so far. |
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Lap 39 |
Amazingly, if Ricciardo wins this race, he will be just 35 points behind Hamilton in the standings. Bottas having a look around the outside of Raikkonen through Les Combes but can't get by. Hamilton is told to pit because there is something coming apart on the car. I think Hamilton wanted to do that about 20 laps ago. |
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Lap 40 |
Hamilton pulls into the pits and wheel the Brit back into the pit lane. |
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Lap 41 |
Bottas takes Raikkonen down the Kemmel Straight, that looked pretty straightforward for the younger Finn. Ricciardo's lap times suggest he is just on the limit of what his car has left. The gap now 9.5 seconds. The lead out in front now 13 seconds. Rosberg definitely due to catch him at the very end - does Ricciardo have anything left in the tank? |
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Lap 42 |
Rosberg gains another 2.4 seconds on the race leader. There is no traffic for a good half a lap either, so this one looks like a straight fight brewing. Bianchi retires in the pit lane. Alonso tries to pass Magnussen on the grass in Kemmel, loses a place to Button, but he gains it back through Rivage! Vettel then jumps past Button! What a scrap for fifth, four cars all involved. |
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Lap 43 |
The gap in front now just 6.2 seconds. Really breathtaking stuff in that battle for fifth. Magnussen is defending supremely, he's weaving around all over the place. He switches to the left this time and Alonso can't find a way past, Vettel waiting patiently in the wings for any scraps. The FIA will investigate after the race. Magnussen defends strongly again and Alonso is forced wide on the exit of Rivage, Vettel jumps through for sixth! Superb stuff. |
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Lap 44 |
Final lap, 4.3 seconds in it out in front.... that might not be enough for Rosberg. Vettel passes Magnussen through La Source, superb driving from the world champion. Alonso runs wide at Eau Rouge, Button now sizing up the Spaniard, he gets past at Les Combes! Out in front there's plenty in it for Ricciardo, who wins his third grand prix of the season by three seconds! Wonderful afternoon for the Australian. What a star. Rosberg takes a handy 18 points in the title fight with second. Bottas takes third, Raikkonen fourth. Vettel fifth and Magnussen holds Button off as the McLarens cross the line. Wonderful drama. |
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Boos for Nico Rosberg as he walks out onto the podium. Daniel Ricciardo laps up the plaudits for a sensational victory but once again the post-race will be dominated by the war for the title at Mercedes. |
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