Who fills in the blanks on the F1 2019 grid?
The Formula One silly season appears to be winding down, with the championship petering away to the reigning premiers and with only two seats left on the grid for 2019.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Joined November 2013
195k
Views
349
Published
7.6k
Comments
Motorsports writer, collector of caps (and fez) and one half of the 'Hit The Apex' F1 podcast. Follow me on Twitter @Doctor46th and or @HitTheApexMedia.
Published
Comments
Supercars Bathurst 1000 talking points
Another memorable edition of Australia’s Great Race has been run and won, and as always there is plenty to digest after one of the most iconic sporting events on the Australian calendar.
Japanese Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Five races remain in the 2018 Formula One world championship and following the controversial race in Russia a week ago, the title appears as good as Lewis Hamilton’s. Join The Roar for a live blog from 4pm AEDT.
Australia's Great Race: Bathurst 1000 preview
With the grid determined and the anticipation built, the time has come to at last go racing at Mount Panorama for the biggest motorsport event on the Australian racing calendar – the Bathurst 1000.
Bathurst 1000 Top Ten Shootout: Supercars live blog
Apart from the 1000km spectacle itself on Sunday, the most important session of the Bathurst weekend is the Top Ten Shootout and the opportunity for the ten fastest drivers from qualifying to have the entire Mount Panorama to themselves. Join The Roar for a live blog from 5:10pm AEST. The ten fastest drivers from Friday’s […]
Lap of the gods and mountain goats: Reliving 2017's Bathurst magic
Magical, mystical, elusive, daunting, glorious – no one word in the English language can quite do justice in describing the Bathurst 1000.
Does F1 qualifying need to change?
The phrase ‘if ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ has been applied whenever Formula One’s bosses have openly discussed the subject of format changes.
Russian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
The 2018 Formula One world championship lies on a knife-edge coming into the Russian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton on the cusp of a finishing blow on Sebastian Vettel’s title aspirations. Join The Roar for a live blog of the race, starting from 9:10pm AEST.
The case for expanding the F1 grid
Next to a championship battle that seems to be falling into the hands of the reigning title holders, the biggest topic of debate in Formula One is the shape of the grid for 2019 and – more importantly – the lack of seats available.
Alexander Rossi and the case of another lost F1 talent
With the impending likeliness of Esteban Ocon’s departure from the Formula One grid for the 2019 season, the topic of talented young drivers having their opportunities at the pinnacle of open-wheel motorsport cut, has been brought to light.
Supercars Sandown 500 talking points
The season of endurance is among us and the curtain raising Sandown 500 has been completed, with the familiar faces of Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell winning their fourth as a partnership.
Singapore Grand Prix: Formula One live blog, highlights
With the European leg of the Formula One tour concluded, the motorsport spectacle heads back to the Far East for the original night race in Singapore. Join The Roar for a live blog, starting from 10:10pm AEST.
Top five Enduro Cup pairings
Spring is here, that means the Season of Endurance for the Supercars championship has arrived and in 2018, it could not be more a pivotal series of races for the title.
McLaren's problems lie within the team and not the drivers
Such is the predicament for McLaren. It almost seems unimportant which driver of their shortlisted quartet is chosen; the onus is on them to deliver a competitive car and to provide continuous development, which they have failed to do in 2018.
Ferrari drop Kimi Raikkonen to Sauber, but is it a demotion?
The inevitability is now reality: Kimi Räikkönen will not be a Ferrari driver beyond the end of the 2018 Formula One season.
Lewis Hamilton spoils Ferrari's day with win in Italy
On a day that was poised to be one of celebration for Ferrari, it is Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes AMG that have spoiled the Scuderia’s party by winning the Italian Grand Prix and extending their lead in the championship.
Ferrari have the best car, but can they use it?
It has been universally agreed that Ferrari now have the best package on the grid, but it still isn’t convincing enough that they’ll claim the 2018 Formula One world championship.
Supercars The Bend SuperSprint talking points
The Supercars championship saw a massive shift in the standings this weekend, and while it has not been as comical as Australia’s political leadership spill over the past week, there is a new leader atop the table.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
After a month’s vacation and much movement amongst the driver market, Formula One racing returns with the already intense championship battle set to resume in the Ardennes Forest in Belgium. Join The Roar for a live blog of the race, starting from 11:10pm AEST.
Will Pierre Gasly be Red Bull's next Daniil Kvyat?
Following the announcement that Daniel Ricciardo would be leaving Red Bull Racing at season’s end, there was only really one driver destined to fill his vacancy.
Yeah, the Mercedes junior programme isn’t really as up to scratch compared to others, as far as giving their drivers seats in F1. I am surprised that Williams didn’t earlier stick (or be told by Mercedes to) its hand up to accommodate Ocon. Both Ocon and Russell could very well comprise the line up at Williams next year.
The case for expanding the F1 grid
That’s why the idea of having that base Cosworth engine from 2021, which would be taken by McLaren and Aston Martin to be beefed up in house and badged as they please, was a really good idea. Cost wise, McLaren won’t want to develop their own power-unit in house, but if they were provided a base – they could certainly work off it. As much as their automotive business is enjoying success currently, their F1 team need to be back at the front.
McLaren's problems lie within the team and not the drivers
Given Ferrari’s strength this season, it would be great for Kimi to at least win one race in the remaining events on the calendar. But even one race seems to many, given Seb’s current championship predicament.
Ferrari drop Kimi Raikkonen to Sauber, but is it a demotion?
Not at all Keith, the coverage was fantastic. I’ve been a fan of the Fox Sports coverage since day dot and am one to say the sport has benefited from having Pay TV coverage, though hopefully when the next TV deal is done, there is more in the FTA package for the fans missing out.
The coverage has been that good on Fox Sports, that there were NASCAR bosses present for the Bend SuperSprint to investigate the Supercars TV model, to hopefully use in the US for their own product.
Supercars The Bend SuperSprint talking points
I can imagine that in the flesh that it would be even more impressive than it was through the TV images. Already from the GT race earlier in the year to the Supercars in August, the circuit has continued to develop.
Yeah, hopefully they bring the soft tyre next season given that there was no degradation with the conservative hard tyre this time.
Supercars The Bend SuperSprint talking points
That was the race that the championship needed then, with a response from Vettel and Ferrari. What will be the outcome in seven days time when F1 heads to Monza and the home race of the Scuderia?
Thanks again for tuning into this live blog of the Belgian Grand Prix on The Roar and until the next race in Italy, it’s good day!
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
——– DRIVER’S ——–
231 – Lewis Hamilton
114 – Sebastian Vettel
146 – Kimi Räikkönen
144 – Valtteri Bottas
120 – Max Verstappen
118 – Daniel Ricciardo
52 — Nico Hulkenberg
49 — Kevin Magnussen
44 — Fernando Alonso
40 — Sergio Perez
37 — Esteban Ocon
30 — Carlos Sainz
28 — Pierre Gasly
27 — Romain Grosjean
13 — Charles Leclerc
8 — Stoffel Vandoorne
6 — Marcus Ericsson
4 — Lance Stroll
2 — Brendon Hartley
0 — Sergey Sirotkin
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
—– CONSTRUCTOR’S —–
375 – Mercedes AMG
360 – Scuderia Ferrari
238 – Aston Martin Red Bull Racing
82 — Renault Sport
76 — Haas Ferrari
52 — McLaren Renault
30 — Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda
19 — Alfa Romeo Sauber
18 — Racing Point Force India Mercedes
4 — Williams Mercedes
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
RACE REPORT
Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari have come out of the mid-season break firing, as they claimed an emphatic victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, to reduce the lead of Lewis Hamilton atop the championship.
Starting from second, having been out-qualified by the Mercedes AMG in a wet Q3, Vettel avoided the first lap chaos to immediately blast past Hamilton down the Kemmel Straight and then kept that lead following a Safety Car restart.
The Safety Car was brought out on the first lap, following a horrific crash involving Nico Hulkenberg, an airborne Fernando Alonso and the Sauber of Charles Leclerc, who’s Halo head protection device even suffered a whack.
All three drivers walked away from the crash, but the collateral from the first corner chaos spilled over to damage on Kimi Räikkönen’s Ferrari and even Daniel Ricciardo – who despite re-joining the race, had eventually retired.
A regulation one-stopper saw Vettel extend his lead over Hamilton to 10-seconds in the back half of the race, leaving the Silver Arrow gasping in the might of the Prancing Horse.
Max Verstappen started from seventh, but finished a lonely third, having avoided the chaos that ensued around him at the start of the race. The Dutchman, with the support of his army of fans in orange, wasted little time in passing the new Force Indias en route to the podium.
Having come to Spa as a new entry, Racing Point Force India have opened their new account with a solid fifth and sixth from Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon. With their constructor’s points having been reset to zero, the Silverstone squad has already jumped Sauber and Williams in one race.
A solid recovery effort from Valtteri Bottas has seen the Finn finish a commendable fourth, having started from seventeenth following a demotion to the rear of the grid – with a complete change of power-unit beyond the allocated three.
Double points for Haas complimented the range of midfielders who scored amidst the high-profile retirements.
Pierre Gasly was ninth for Toro Rosso, as the Honda power-unit held its own against the more powerful rivals. Brendon Hartley also proved to be competitive prior to his late stop, having had a spectacular exchange with Marcus Ericsson – who ultimately claimed the final point in tenth.
With a short turnaround to the next race in Ferrari’s backyard of Monza, Vettel has now cut Hamilton’s lead to 17-points – with the championship leader full of concern over the raw pace of the red car.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
POST-RACE INTERVIEWS – Hosted by Martin Brundle
VETTEL – “More wins than Alain…” “Seems like it was better this year and timing was crucial.” “As soon as I was ahead, I was relieved.”
HAMILTON – “Congratulations to Seb.” “He drove past me like I wasn’t even there on the straight.” “They have a few trick things going on in the car.”
VERSTAPPEN – “Initially it was a bit chaotic and we stayed out of trouble.” “Before we had been a bit unlucky and today I’m really happy.”
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
RESULTS FROM THE 44-LAP BELGIAN GRAND PRIX
1 S. Vettel
2 L. Hamilton
3 M. Verstappen
4 V. Bottas
5 S. Perez
6 E. Ocon
7 R. Grosjean
8 K. Magnussen
9 P. Gasly
10 M. Ericsson
11 C. Sainz
12 S. Sirotkin
13 L. Stroll
14 B. Hartley
15 S. Vandoorne
16 D. Ricciardo
RET K. Räikkönen
RET C. Leclerc
RET F. Alonso
RET N. Hulkenberg
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
SEBASTIAN VETTEL WINS THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX!
It’s the championship leader in Lewis Hamilton who has to settle for second.
And in front of the adoring Belgian and Dutch fans, it is Max Verstappen who completes the podium for Red Bull.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 43/44:
Seb’s now all of a sudden extended his lead to 10 seconds over Hamilton! Such has been the speed advantage of the Ferrari during this race.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 41/44:
Verstappen gets a bit of overtaking action then, albeit he is lapping the Toro Rosso!
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 40/44:
The move complete then by Bottas going into Les Combes on this occasion. Perez drops to fifth.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 39/44:
DRS engaged then for Bottas, as he doesn’t quite get close enough down the Kemmel Straight to Perez.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 38/44:
Bottas cuts the gap to Perez down to 1.5 seconds and is nearing the DRS range of the Force India.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 37/44:
VET HAM VER PER BOT OCO GRO MAG GAS ERI SAI SIR STR HAR VAN is the order then, with a handful of laps to go.
The retirees are Ricciardo, Räikkönen, Leclerc, Alonso and Hulkenberg.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 36/44:
Bottas honing in onto the Force India of Perez, with that 3 second gap coming down.
A stellar race it must be said for Force India, if they still finish fifth and sixth at the end of the race.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 35/44:
Hartley then had made his pit-stop a couple of laps ago and has dropped down to P14 now. A relief for Ericsson, who looks to be established in tenth now.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Lap 34/44:
5 second lead now for Vettel over Hamilton, as it appears the Silver Arrow has no answer to the sheer pace of the Ferrari with 11-laps to go.
Belgian Grand Prix: Formula One live blog
Well, most of the midfield teams are doing the best job they can given the circumstances with the manufacturers dominating out front. It isn’t like a few years ago when even Sauber and Toro Rosso were sort of nothing teams and then the likes of Hispania and co weren’t even qualifying within the 107% time for the races.
The case for expanding the F1 grid