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Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage of the Belgian Grand Prix. --- 14:02: Nope, Hulkenberg won't be starting. He waves his hands in the air and there will be an extra formation lap. An extra formation lap is what cooked Hamilton's clutch in Hungary, remember... Now Sainz complaining he doesn't have any power. Hulkenberg is wheeled back into the pit lane. Sainz told to enter the pits, so there won't be a repeat of the Hulkenberg moment. --- 14:01: Sounds like those problems haven't been sorted at Force India. Hulkenberg told to pit this lap. He's then told not to pit and that he will take the start. Bit of a shambles but he'll be lining up for the race. --- 14:00: Off come the tyre blankets and Lewis Hamilton leads the pack away. --- 13:59: Team personnel are starting to filter off the track ahead of the formation lap. --- 13:57: Still no sign of the forecasted rain. If it doesn't rain today it will be the first dry Belgian Grand Prix weekend since 2006. Current air temperature is 23 degrees, track temp 38 degrees. ---
At least Honda's social media game is the strongest out there. --- 13:55: Hulkenberg is on the grid after his earlier power problem. Seems Force India has solved whatever the issue was that initially prevented him from leaving the garage this morning. --- 13:52: Alain Prost has just told Sky Sports Red Bull has a contract with Renault, as far as he is concerned. Expect that story to dominate the new two weeks until the race at Monza. --- 13:50: I'm pretty sure someone just bowed at Bernie Ecclestone. I've never seen Bernie look so happy. --- 13:48: The crowd applauds as the national anthem comes to a close and the drivers scamper back to their vehicles. --- 13:46: And here it is - national anthem time with a proper brass band. What a lot of fun. --- 13:44: Just over 15 minutes until lights out and the drivers are making their way to the front of the grid for the Belgian national anthem. Valuable time they could be talking about bite points - everyone's favourite topic of conversation. --- 13:40: Keep an eye on Sergio Perez this afternoon. The Force India is one of the quickest in a straight line, meaning Perez will fancy his chances of taking a position or two on the run down to Les Combes, especially if he's stuck behind Bottas' Williams. Perez lines up fourth and might fancy his chances of being even higher at the end of lap one given those slow-starting Mercedes boys are in front... --- 13:38: Some potential early problems at Force India, with Nico Hulkenberg reporting a loss of power as he left the garage. He was pulled into the garage but is now completing his out-lap. One to keep an eye on, though. --- 13:36: The other talking point ahead of this race is the Red Bull/Renault relationship, which looks set to end in a premature divorce. ESPN caught up with Christian Horner this weekend and you can read what he had to say here --- 13:33: It's grid penalty central out there today. The two McLarens start on the back row after their 105-place penalty (insert jokes about them starting from Holland here). Max Verstappen starts 19th after a ten-place penalty for a new power unit. Kimi Raikkonen drops two places for a gearbox penalty, while Romain Grosjean's fourth place turns into ninth once he has served his own gearbox penalty. The reason Raikkonen only drops two places instead of five is because there are three drivers behind him serving penalties of their own. Nice and simple, isn't it? --- 13:30: Thirty minutes away from the action and that means the pit lane is open. Nico Rosberg the first man to emerge from the pit lane. Bit of a step into the unknown for these drivers with the new start procedures. --- 13:28: The big starting point ahead of the race is the new start procedures. Confused about what they are? Read James Allison's explanation here |
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Lap 1 |
Good start from Hamilton but a brilliant start from Ricciardo! Disaster from Rosberg, he's already having to fend off Vettel! Perez up to second in the Force India! Perez gets alongside Hamilton coming into Les Combes but can't take the lead. Good driving from Hamilton to keep him at bay. Rosberg down in fifth after that start. Vettel has risen to sixth, great start from the Ferrari man. Rosberg takes Bottas for fourth at the final chicane, using every bit of the tarmac at that corner. |
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Lap 2 |
Vettel takes Bottas into La Source! Terrible couple of corners for Bottas. Maldonado is slowing on the run down to Les Combes, appears to be a problem for the Lotus man. "I lose the engine," he tells the team via the radio. Replays of the start show a lot of smoke coming from Rosberg's tyres ahead of the start. Hamilton also got very wide at the top of Eau Rouge and that gave Perez the chance to have a sniff into Les Combes. |
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Lap 3 |
Fastest lap from Hamilton as he gets a bit of clear air, a 1:56.039. He's already 1.6s up on Perez and this one is already looking like his race to lose. Perez has one second in hand over Ricciardo. Another replay of the start shows an awful lot of wheelspin from Rosberg at the start. Could be wheelspin that costs him the championship because he cannot afford to lose any more ground to Hamilton in the standings. Maldonado pits after those issues and it looks like that's his race over. He'll join Sainz and Hulkenberg in the retirements table. |
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Lap 4 |
Maldonado's team-mate Grosjean has moved up to seventh. Verstappen swoops past Ericsson on the run down to Les Combes with his old friend Mr DRS. Sainz is still out on track, but is a lap down, and he's now crawling around the circuit. Raikkonen is 12th, but currently all over the back of the Sauber of Ericsson. Two Ferrari power units tussling for position. Radio messages suggest Sainz was slowing to let traffic by, he's now told he can push again but he's already a lap down. |
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Lap 5 |
Another fastest lap from Hamilton, a 1:55.782. That gap is growing and now stands at 2.6s. Rosberg not quite within DRS range of Ricciardo but is chipping away at the Red Bull's gap. He'll catch him on the first and third sector but struggle to catch him on that middle sector. Raikkonen passes Ericsson at Les Combes for 11th. |
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Lap 6 |
Button asking McLaren if they can see any problem with his left rear, not sure if that's following contact. Button has been passed by Alonso (13th) and is running in 15th currently. The gap between Ricciardo and Rosberg is growing, not shrinking. Kvyat does very well to pass Massa around the outside of Les Combes - that Williams struggling in a straight-line, too much drag on that car. Those two cars could be sharing a Mercedes engine next year.... |
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Lap 7 |
Hamilton is pumping out the fastest laps, his latest a 1:55.722 and his lead is almost at the five-second mark. The overhead shot of the run down to Les Combes shows just how much Williams is losing out in a straight line, with Grosjean closing in on Bottas at a rate of knots. He can't get close enough to challenge the Finn for sixth but he'll have DRS next time around. "It feels like you forgot to connect the batteries," Button tells McLaren. That accounts for around 160BHP and would explain why he's lapping five seconds slower than Hamilton. |
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Lap 8 |
Ricciardo pits to free Rosberg in what was shaping up to be quite an interesting tussle for third. He switches from softs to mediums, possibly to go for a longer middle stint. A 2.4s pit stop from Red Bull, remarkable. Interesting call from Red Bull. Grosjean gets alongside Bottas into Les Combes and makes the move stick. Bottas now has Kvyat all over his gearbox - an awful start to Williams' evening so far. Radio would suggest Ricciardo's pit stop was to undercut Perez in the battle for second, but that would suggest a three-stop race. There's also the threat of rain to consider, of course. Rosberg twitching through Blanchimont and Perez pits from in front of him, so Rosberg now inherits second place. |
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Lap 9 |
Perez's stop a 3.5s and Ricciardo's undercut has worked perfectly! He leapfrogs the Force India driver. The pit stop was 1.1s slower and you can see how costly it is as there was barely anything in that. Replays show Kvyat locking up coming into Les Combes and only just missing Bottas, who was having his own little moment and running a little deep. |
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Lap 10 |
Hamilton starts his tenth lap of the afternoon and leads by 8.3s over Rosberg. Grosjean, Kvyat, Massa and Verstappen all pit from fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. Grosjean gets out ahead and they stay in the same order. Grosjean emerges right behind Bottas and will have to pass the Williams man again. He eases past on the run down to Les Combes. Williams has made an incredible mistake - Bottas has a medium on the rear left and a soft tyre on the rear right. He'll have to pit. |
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Lap 11 |
Raikkonen, currently running fifth but yet to pit, complains about losing the rear tyre. Wow, take a bow Max Verstappen. He gets alongside Ericsson on the start of Blanchimont, keeps the power down and then passes the Sauber man on the inside of the final chicane. They were side-by-side coming through that straight. The kid can drive. |
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Lap 12 |
Raikkonen pits from fifth position. Team-mate Vettel currently third but only has 13 seconds in hand over Ricciardo and Perez. Perez swings past Ricciardo on the run down to Les Combes. That's what Mercedes power and that DRS flap gets you at Spa. Rosberg to pit this lap. "We can beat Ricciardo if we have a hard in lap," Mercedes tells Rosberg. They're putting the second-placed man first because they're so concerned about the undercut. |
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Lap 13 |
Rosberg pits from second... he gets out ahead of both Perez and Ricciardo! Great job from Mercedes. Perez has a great run on Rosberg coming down Les Combes but Rosberg out-brakes the Force India man down the inside and keeps the position. Good driving from both men. Hamilton called in to pit at the end of this lap. Bottas under investigation for that tyre mix-up. I'm surprised Bottas hasn't been told to pit immediately to rectify the issue. |
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Lap 14 |
Hamilton pits from the lead and is in the box for 2.4 seconds. Absolutely rapid. Hamilton concedes the lead to Vettel, but the Ferrari driver is still yet to come in for his first pit stop. The Ferrari hoping to get itself in the mix in that battle forming for the third spot on the podium. Hamilton 18 seconds ahead of Rosberg, who is effectively second. Race control confirms Bottas will have a drive-through penalty. That means he'll have to serve that penalty and then pit again for new tyres. Vettel pits from second.... he gets out in front of Valtteri Bottas for sixth. |
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Lap 15 |
Unless Williams doesn't fancy changing his tyre, but I can't imagine the stability of that car is all that good currently. Very hairy moment at the top of Eau Rouge for Ricciardo, who suffers an almighty wobble at the top of the hill and does very well to keep his wobbling Red Bull out of the wall. |
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Lap 16 |
Rosberg now the man pumping out fastest laps and he's now cut the gap down to 3.4s. He's benefiting from that earlier stop. Bottas drives through the pits to serve that penalty. |
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Lap 17 |
Williams tell Bottas they will continue on with that mis-match of tyres. We haven't heard his response but I can't imagine he's all that impressed. Nasr passes Alonso for 13th. That one looked very easy with DRS. |
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Lap 18 |
Ricciardo and Grosjean both lapping quicker than Perez in third. He's going to be coming under a bit of pressure soon and behind him he will soon see the black Lotus of Grosjean as he passes Ricciardo on the run down to Les Combes. Behind that Kvyat re-passes Massa in the battle for seventh. Raikkonen lurking in the background. |
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Lap 19 |
I can't understand the logic behind not making Bottas pit to rectify that issue. His lap times don't seem to be that badly affected by any stability issues he may be having with that inbalance. Grosjean the fastest man out there, while Vettel is also flying on these soft tyres. Raikkonen really needs to get past Massa soon - he's losing nearly a second compared to his team-mate in that spot of traffic. |
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Lap 20 |
Grosjean all over the back of Perez's Force India. He looks like a good bet for a podium right now. Perez goes early on the brakes into La Source and Grosjean does well not to clatter into the back of the Mexican. Grosjean gets a great run on Perez down to Les Combes and swoops past for third! Great stuff from the Lotus man. He's not had a podium since the 2013 United States Grand Prix. Dark clouds hanging over the back end of the circuit. "Well done mate. Keep pushing, keep pushing," Lotus tells Grosjean. He's on the maximum engine mode so he's currently giving it everything that car has. |
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Lap 21 |
Big issue for Ricciardo at the final chicane! He's pulled over very suddenly as it looked like he was about to size up Perez. Perez dived into the pit lane just before that. They should be able to remove that car safely. Virtual Safety Car deployed Replays show Ricciardo just appeared to completely run out of drive as he approached the corner. He very nearly came to blows with Vettel. Possibly hydraulic failure? He was playing with the gear paddles pretty dramatically and that's when he seemed to lose the majority of his power. |
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Lap 22 |
For those not aware, the VSC keeps the drivers to a lap delta time. If they exceed it, there are penalties. It controls the pace of the race for moments which don't require a safety car. A few drivers using this opportunity to pit, including Grosjean and Massa. Looks like Massa has all four correct tyres on. "Nico is definitely closer since the VSC came out," Hamilton tells Mercedes. The timing screens confirms that is the case, he's cut about four tenths. The VSC has ended and Raikkonen immediately has a sniff on the outside of Massa into Les Combes but can't get past the white car. |
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Lap 23 |
Rosberg's last lap under the VSC was nearly a second quicker than Hamilton's. Perez is going the distance on this tyre - that's 22 laps on a medium compound. The gap at the front now 2.2s. A big, big cloud currently hanging over the last section of the circuit. Bottas is now on a complete set of new medium tyres. |
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Lap 24 |
Replays show Bottas passing Ericsson for the final points paying position at La Source. Alonso told there "could be a shower" before the end of the race. Doesn't sound like anyone is too certain about rain happening yet. Massa sets the fastest lap of the race, a 1:54.093. He's currently down in seventh. Hamilton still complaining about that gain from Rosberg under the VSC. As I said, the data certainly showed Rosberg had gained but the key will be whether Rosberg's time was within the delta required or not. If it was, then it's just a good job from Rosberg and over-cautiousness from Hamilton. |
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Lap 25 |
Hamilton responds to renewed pressure with a personal best, which is seven tenths quicker than Rosberg. Vettel has jumped ahead of Grosjean but is yet to pit again. Vettel still flying though, with a personal best of his own last time around. How long can he keep this set working? If it rains before he pits it will be an absolute dream for Ferrari as it will effectively wipe out a pit stop. |
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Lap 26 |
Hamilton back on it and pumps out another personal best, eight tenths quicker than Rosberg. The gap back to the four-second mark. |
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Lap 27 |
Still very difficult to call the podium right now ... after the two silver cars, of course. Vettel, Grosjean and Perez, who is closing down Kvyat, all must fancy their chances and be keeping one eye on the skies above the circuit. Keep an eye on Massa too, that Williams has suddenly found some pace from somewhere and is lapping quicker than all six of the cars in front of him. |
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Lap 28 |
Perez having to show his reflexes as Kvyat dives into the pits just in front of him at that rather complicated final chicane. Good job by Perez to avoid that car. Replay again shows Kvyat losing the back end and the reactions of Kvyat have to be praised there, he did well to keep that car pointing in the right direction. Vettel talking calmly about Ferrari strategy out there. Will Ferrari try and get this set of tyres to the end? |
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Lap 29 |
Bottas having a terrible afternoon and he's passed by Kvyat again on that long run down to Les Combes. Looking at the bottom end of the timing screens, Alonso and Button are over a second off the pace in clear air. If Vettel pits I estimate he'll come out between Massa and team-mate Raikkonen, showing you the benefit of trying to get to the end on these tyres. The tyres look OK so far and he's just done his best lap of the afternoon. Hamilton asking Mercedes for another turn of front wing at his next pit stop. |
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Lap 30 |
Kvyat sets a fastest lap from ninth as Mercedes calls the race leader into the race. A massive 29 seconds between Hamilton and Vettel in third. A bit of back and forth between Hamilton and his team, sounds like he wanted to do another lap but Mercedes told him this was the optimum time to stop. Not the quickest stop for Hamilton, 2.9s. Expect Rosberg in at the next lap and, unless the German drives the greatest lap of all time, Hamilton to be back in the lead next lap. Mercedes calls Rosberg in for the end of the lap. Doesn't seem like Mercedes are too concerned about the threat of rain. |
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Lap 31 |
Rosberg pits from the lead and re-joins behind Hamilton as expected. Still no pit stop from Vettel. |
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Lap 32 |
"Tyres from the data looks pretty good to go to the end," says Ferrari. Everything's coming up Sebastian Vettel at the moment - unless the weather changes dramatically in the next 11 laps this is his podium to lose. Grosjean 4.1s behind the Ferrari. |
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Lap 33 |
"A shower has developed about 40km from the circuit," McLaren tells Alonso. Is there enough time left in this race for the rain to have an impact? Perez has the flying Williams of Massa within one second of him now. Massa still one of the quickest drivers out there. |
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Lap 34 |
Those new tyres are working wonders for Mercedes. Personal best lap from Hamilton, before Rosberg posts the fastest lap of the race - a 1:52.669. He's a whole five seconds off the lead however. |
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Lap 35 |
Grosjean chipping away at the gap to Vettel but it doesn't seem to be suggesting there's enough to pit the Ferrari before the end of the race. Another fastest lap from Rosberg, a 1:52.416, but he's still five seconds behind Hamilton after near-identical laps. Sainz finally retires from the race. He's been a couple of laps down for a while after those issues at the start. |
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Lap 36 |
It's getting tasty between Vettel and Grosjean now, the gap down to 2.2s. Vettel has to make his tyres last for another seven laps against a car with superior straightline speed and, in a couple of laps, the advantage of DRS. Even if Vettel loses third, staying out seems to be the right call as he would have probably been sixth or seventh with another stop. |
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Lap 37 |
Vettel's pit stop was on lap 14, so this is already a pretty mega stint from the four-time world champion. Kvyat told he's got to get past Raikkonen as a matter of urgency and he does on the approach to Les Combes. He's now eighth and will set his sights on Perez and Massa. |
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Lap 38 |
A real battle forming between Perez, Massa and Kvyat. The Force India will do well to hang on for fifth here as both cars behind have DRS. This one could get a little bit tasty. Kvyat all over the back of Massa and nearly clips the Williams coming through Pouhon. Grosjean nearly within DRS range of Vettel's Ferrari. |
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Lap 39 |
Amusing radio message from Button. He's wondering why the cars that have just lapped him are going so slow as his new tyres are so much quicker. Grosjean goes back to maximum engine mode - strat seven. This will be a huge moment for Lotus given their current financial problems and legal issues. Will their collision in Canada last year be in the back of Perez and Massa's minds? It's all very tense in that battle for fifth with Kvyat's charging Red Bull keeping both men on their toes. Just over a tenth between three drivers. |
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Lap 40 |
Kvyat warned about track limits at Turn 4 but is told to keep pushing. Grosjean five tenths down on Vettel now. Replays show Verstappen passing Bottas for ninth but the real action is happening up the road. Vettel holding firm and doing everything to keep Grosjean at bay. Late lunge from Kvyat on Massa at Les Combes and that's a superb pass for sixth! Perez the next man up the track. Can the Russian get past the Force India? |
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Lap 41 |
Grosjean has DRS again, can he get a good run down to Les Combes this time? He's inching closer and closer and he has a look down the inside but is nowhere near close enough. Further down the road Kvyat swings past Perez, leaving it oh-so-late to pull out from behind the Force India before moving around the Force India down the inside. A great late charge from Kvyat here. |
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Lap 42 |
Grosjean running out of time to get Vettel. He's just not able to get close enough but he'll have two more stabs at it with DRS. Here comes his first one and Vettel's right rear tyre has blown!!!! Late drama in Belgium and everything has fallen apart for Vettel and Ferrari. The gamble to not pit proves to be the wrong call. Cars passing Vettel at either side as he tip-toes around the circuit - he's picked a bad place to get a puncture in the first sector, this is the longest track on the calendar. |
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Lap 43 |
The replay of that looks very scary. A couple of 100 metres earlier and that's a tyre blowout in the middle of Eau Rouge. That has elevated Grosjean up to third. Perez still holding a big train of cars behind him - he's got one lap to cling on to fifth position. Verstappen has a go at Raikkonen on the Kemmel Straight and he gets past but runs too deep at the chicane! Raikkonen regains the position and it looks like Verstappen got distracted by the Williams in front of him. |
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Lap 44 |
While all that is happening, Lewis Hamilton wins the Belgian Grand Prix to extend his championship advantage. Grosjean claims a brilliant podium for Lotus! What a weekend for the Enstone team. Kvyat fourth, wonderful drive from Perez as he clings on to fifth position. Massa stays ahead of Raikkonen, who in turn stays ahead of Verstappen. Dramatic ending. "Top job Lewis, top job Lewis!" Peter Bonnington tells the world champion. Hamilton immediately into parc ferme as they pull immediately into the pit lane in Spa. He rubs the side of his Mercedes and pats the lid - must be quite a treat driving that car. Grosjean runs over to Lotus with his arms waving in the air. What a moment for the Lotus team and a great drive from Grosjean. |
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Hamilton looks so relaxed on the podium. He's now 28 points ahead in the championship and it's hard to see where Rosberg is going to turn this one around. Grosjean has that beaming smile we got used to in 2013 all over his face. |
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