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The gap between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg is now back to nine points, and despite Rosberg winning the race, it can be argued that Hamilton is the big winner from this weekend as a whole.
Obviously the podium finish from the back of the grid is an achievement, but having taken the hit of the penalties – he now has fresh power-units to take him to the end of the season.
Mixed fortunes for Red Bull though, with the Belgian born Dutchman in Max Verstappen ending up in that first corner melee that involved both the Ferraris.
Daniel Ricciardo, however, scored a well-deserved podium with a lonely drive towards second.
Verstappen continues his feud with Kimi Räikkönen, following several encounters on track during this race which left the Finn rather furious. The Red Bull driver’s defense tactics once again being questioned by the 2007 world champion.
Both Force Indias were stars in the race, with their dual top five finish putting them ahead of Williams in the constructor’s standings at last.
Great drive from Fernando Alonso too, which yielded six points in the end, despite running up as high as fourth at one point in the race.
Renault have confirmed that after being taken to the trackside medical centre following that huge shunt at Raidillon, Kevin Magnussen has a small cut to his ankle and has been transferred to a nearby hospital for further checks. I
And on his debut, Esteban Ocon came home in the Manor to finish sixteenth and ahead of Sauber’s Felipe Nasr, who was the last classified finisher.
Finishing order:
1. N.Rosberg
2. D.Ricciardo
3. L.Hamilton
4. N.Hulkenberg
5. S.Perez
6. S.Vettel
7. F.Alonso
8. V.Bottas
9. K.Räikkönen
10. F.Massa
11. M.Verstappen
12. E.Gutierrez
13. R.Grosjean
14. D.Kvyat
15. J.Palmer
16. E.Ocon
17. F.Nasr
RET. K.Magnussen
RET. M.Ericsson
RET. C.Sainz
RET. J.Button
RET. P.Wehrlein
Nine races remain now in the 2016 Formula One championship, as the racing resumes following the annual mid-season break. Join The Roar from 10pm (AEST) for a live blog of the race.
The legendary Spa-Francorchamps plays host to the perennial Belgian Grand Prix, an event regarded by many as the best on the bustling calendar.
A lap of the colossal 7km circuit sees the drivers ebb and flow through the Ardennes forest, challenging both man and machine across the 44 laps during the race.
Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton emerges from the summer break as the standings leaders. Ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg by 19 points.
Hamilton faces a race of damage limitation, following his team’s decision to undertake numerous power-unit changes which consigns the Briton to the rear of the grid due to penalties.
On the positive hand, the Mercedes AMG driver now has a fresh pool of power-units to take him to the end of the season – barring any other reliability hardships.
This setback has presented Rosberg the opportunity to claw back the deficit to his teammate and he’s on track towards doing that, having claimed pole position during a sweltering qualifying.
The Silver Arrows may not have it all their way for the race, if qualifying are anything to go by. The Belgian-born Dutchman in Max Verstappen joins the German on the front-row of the grid, separated by only a tenth of a second, whilst Kimi Räikkönen in the Ferrari lines up third.
A disadvantage for Verstappen is that he’ll start the race on the non-preferred supersoft tyre, which is predicted to survive as little as a single lap in anger during the race.
Could Räikkönen’s astonishing record of four victories at the circuit guide him to the Scuderia’s first win in 2016?
The likes of Sebastian Vettel in fourth and Daniel Ricciardo in fifth cannot be ruled out also. Both drivers being previous race winners at Spa also.
Force India seem primed to have the edge in the midfield, with both cars in the top seven. 15 points is all that separates them from Williams, who sit fourth in the constructor’s standings.
A fascinating race beckons then under the baking Belgian sun. Will it be Rosberg that regains that winning feeling? Or shall the Bulls come out of the pen raging? Lest we forget the Prancing Horse.
It’s great to be back – join The Roar from 10pm (AEST) for the live blog of the Belgian Grand Prix.
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