Formula One returns from its mid-season break this weekend and gets underway at one of the best stops in the world championship, at the picturesque Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Join The Roar for a live blog of the Belgian Grand Prix, starting from 11:10pm AEST.
The Belgian Grand Prix is a favourite for many, with its vast 7km circuit doubling as what looks like a scenic drive and then being a treacherous, undulating high-speed circuit.
Spa yields the longest lap of the season, thus only the grand prix being a total of 44-laps. Though is one of the toughest on the calendar.
Lewis Hamilton returns from the break with a mighty 62-point lead in the championship over his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, though are by no means favourites for the race – with Ferrari setting the early pace.
This pace was confirmed in qualifying with a front-row lockout for Ferrari, as Charles Leclerc took his third pole position of the season ahead of his teammate Sebastian Vettel – who won his last race here last year.
Seven-tenths behind the pole car was the leading Mercedes, which was Hamilton despite his crash during the final practice session. The Briton with a repaired car still managed to out-qualify his newly re-signed teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Behind the leading quartet, as for much of the season was Max Verstappen who has already won two races this season. Despite not having the immediate race pace of the leaders, the Dutchman cannot be ruled out.
Grid penalties will see the midfield jumbled up, with some key players to start from the rear of the field – including the Renault drivers who qualified as the best of the rest.
Also joining Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg with grid penalties for exceeding their power-unit limits are Carlos Sainz, Daniil Kvyat and Red Bull’s new recruit in Alexander Albon – who took an upgraded Honda this weekend.
Spa is a circuit that promotes overtaking, so there may be plenty of passing going on from the drivers coming through the field. Strategically, one-stop should be the best way to go.
It has been twelve months since Ferrari last won a race, so can they finally break the duck in Belgium?
Despite the championship not really being a factor for the remainder of 2019, there is still the potential for great racing as was the case before the mid-season break.
Tune in on The Roar from 11:10pm AEST for live blog coverage of the Belgian Grand Prix, as Formula One goes racing again.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
That then wraps up this live blog of the Belgian Grand Prix. Thanks again for tuning in, especially on this difficult weekend for the sport with the tragic passing of F2 racer Anthoine Hubert. We'll go racing again in just a week's time for one of the most special races on the calendar at Monza. Until then, thanks and good night.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Thoughts on the race then Roarers? Another great race and for Ferrari to finally break their 2019 duck and for Leclerc to breakthrough for that first win in F1.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
-------- DRIVER'S -------- 268 - Lewis Hamilton 203 - Valtteri Bottas 181 - Max Verstappen 169 - Sebastian Vettel 157 - Charles Leclerc 65 -- Pierre Gasly 58 -- Carlos Sainz 33 -- Daniil Kvyat 31 -- Kimi Räikkönen 26 -- Alexander Albon 24 -- Lando Norris 22 -- Daniel Ricciardo 21 -- Sergio Perez 21 -- Nico Hulkenberg 19 -- Lance Stroll 18 -- Kevin Magnussen 8 --- Romain Grosjean 1 --- Antonio Giovinazzi 1 --- Robert Kubica 0 --- George Russell
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
----- CONSTRUCTOR'S ----- 471 - Mercedes AMG 326 - Scuderia Ferrari 254 - Aston Martin Red Bull Racing 82 -- McLaren Renault 51 -- Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda 43 -- Renault 40 -- Racing Point Mercedes 32 -- Alfa Romeo Racing 26 -- Haas Ferrari 1 --- Williams Mercedes
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RACE REPORT On a weekend where the entire motorsport community mourns the loss of rising F2 star Anthoine Hubert, the Belgian Grand Prix was going to be a special race for his friend in Charles Leclerc who from pole position won his first ever Formula One race. Leading the race from the start, Leclerc on a one-stop strategy came under threat from Lewis Hamilton towards the end of the race, as Mercedes once again had the better race-pace on the medium tyre. Hamilton made short work of Sebastian Vettel, who had been second up until Lap 32, where after an early pit-stop was unable to keep the quick Mercedes behind. The Ferrari of Leclerc was able to keep Hamilton at bay on the final lap, to clinch his first grand prix victory and become the first Monegasque born driver to win in Formula One. Vettel had to make an additional pit-stop with the hope that he could overturn a deficit to Valtteri Bottas in third, given the fact on the old medium tyres he’d have lost third anyway. There was no such luck for the German, who finished fourth behind the Finn. The start of the race saw an immediate Safety Car triggered, by a first lap incident involving Max Verstappen and Kimi Räikkönen, who clashed upon exiting La Source – damaging the Alfa Romeo and terminally damaging the Red Bull. Also involved in that incident was Lance Stroll, who was able to recover and finish tenth – whilst Daniel Ricciardo, who pitted at the end of the first lap and ran the rest of the race on those set of mediums. The Renault driver was then mugged towards the end of the race, falling behind even the Haas cars in fourteenth, who themselves had another challenging race dealing with tyre wear. Alexander Albon was solid on his debut for Red Bull after starting from the rear of the grid. The Anglo-Thai was involved in a few wheel-to-wheel battles, including one with the driver he replaced at Red Bull in Pierre Gasly. Fifth for Albon came courtesy of Lando Norris having an engine failure on the final lap. The McLaren driver made a stellar start to jump into fifth and even after his pit-stop was sitting lonely in that position and was on track to his best finish this year before the failure. Also on track for points was Antonio Giovinazzi, who on the final lap crashed heavily at Pouhon. Thankfully the driver was unharmed.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
STANDBY FOR RACE REPORT AND UPDATED STANDINGS
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
POST RACE INTERVIEWS - Hosted by David Coulthard: LECLERC - "It has been a very difficult weekend since yesterday. I want to dedicate by first win to him [Hubert]." "Struggling with the tyres towards the end of the race, but a good weekend performance wise." HAMILTON - "I gave it absolutely everything." "A really difficult race for us today with Ferrari fast on the straights." BOTTAS - "Ferrari from the beginning were really strong." "No chance really for me."
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RESULTS FROM THE 44-LAP BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 1 C. Leclerc 2 L. Hamilton 3 V. Bottas 4 S. Vettel 5 A. Albon 6 S. Perez 7 D. Kvyat 8 N. Hulkenberg 9 P. Gasly 10 L. Stroll 11 L. Norris 12 K. Magnussen 13 R. Grosjean 14 D. Ricciardo 15 G. Russell 16 K. Räikkönen 17 R. Kubica 18 A. Giovinazzi RET C. Sainz RET M. Verstappen
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
CHARLES LECLERC WINS THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX! Leclerc wins his first ever grand prix on one of the most emotional weekends of his young career and he beats Lewis Hamilton by a whisker! Valtteri Bottas crosses the line in third, making it a two-three finish for Mercedes.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 44/44: Yellow flags out in Sector 2 as there is an Alfa Romeo in the wall at Pouhon. It is Giovinazzi and he is thankfully ok. This should be a reprieve for Leclerc.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 44/44: FINAL LAP and it will have to be all or nothing from both these drivers, with Leclerc chasing his first win in F1.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 43/44: 2 LAPS TO GO Leclerc who is struggling for grip will have to do everything to keep his Ferrari ahead of Hamilton, who now is within 2 seconds of the leading car.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 42/44: Ricciardo also struggling on the medium tyres he has had on since the first lap of the race, dropping behind Hulkenberg and Stroll. Leclerc now heading towards these backmarkers, as he holds a 2 second lead over Hamilton.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 41/44: 4 LAPS TO GO Grosjean has just tumbled down to P14, with Hulkenberg and Stroll flying past the struggling Haas car. The Frenchman is now only ahead of his teammate Magnussen. Hamilton has the gap to Leclerc down to 3 seconds now. A chance yet for the Mercedes.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 40/44: LEC HAM BOT VET NOR PER ALB KVY GIO GAS RIC GRO HUL STR MAG RUS RÄI KUB is the order with 5 laps to in the race. Sainz and Verstappen are out.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 39/44: Hamilton suffers a slide coming out of the Bus Stop chicane, as he still trails Leclerc by 5 seconds. Vettel still 16 seconds behind Bottas, with a podium looking unlikely now. Giovinazzi also pushes Ricciardo down a place, while Gasly pushes the Renault out of the points altogether.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 38/44: Albon on the Kemmel Straight has passed Kvyat for seventh. Solid stuff from the Thai driver on his Red Bull debut. Giovinazzi also snuck ahead of Gasly and into tenth.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 37/44: Gasly and Giovinazzi now scrapping for tenth quite nicely. Grosjean in P12 struggling quite badly on those old medium tyres, as he is once again quite vocal on the radio about the situation.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 36/44: Gap between Leclerc and Hamilton has maintained the status quo for now, with both drivers going toe-to-toe with each other's lap times. Vettel not really making any impression on those soft tyres, as the gap to Bottas remains at 18 seconds.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 35/44: Kvyat and Albon both displace Ricciardo to ninth, as the former Red Bull driver now has another ex-Red Bull driver to contend with in the form of Gasly behind.