(I missed Qualifying because I was on a photo walk; I’ll watch it later today.)
Grid: HAM, VET, WEB, ROS, DIR, BUT, GRO, RAI, ALO, MAS; HUL, SUT, PER, VDG, BIA, CHI; MAL, VER, RIC, BOT, GUT, PIC.
Tyre choices are prime=hard (orange), option=medium (white) compound
Looks like most of the grid will start on options; starting on primes are BIA, CHI, RIC & GUT
It’s currently dry at the Spa Francorchamps circuit but the weather can change in a moment.
Air temperature 19°C; track 25°C; wind 0.9m/s; humidity 54%
My GridBids picks are: VET, ALO HAM & HUL.
HAM leads everyone away on the formation lap
Field reforms, taking up their grid spots
01/44: Clean start for HAM
Looks like everyone cleanly through Turn 1
VET steals P1 on the Kemmel Straight
ALO is up to P5
VET opening a gap over HAM already
02: VET, HAM, ROS, BUT, ALO, WEB, DIR, HUL, GRO, RAI
BUT ran a little wide in Turn 1; ALO closes up but he doesn’t have the pace
RAI takes P9 from GRO
03: DRS enabled
VET fastest lap 1:54.624
Radio for MAS – front wing is fine – did he have contact?
Radio for VET – need to look after tyres – “don’t need any more of this”, presumably meaning him pushing to open a gap
04: Radio from MAS – KERS not working
ALO alongside BUT – takes P4 on Kemmel straight
05/44: VET, HAM, ROS, ALO, BUT, WEB, DIR, HUL, RAI, GRO
WEB past BUT for P5
07: DIR in P7 holding back HUL, RAI, GRO, PER and MAS
08: PER pushes GRO wide to take P10; forces GRO wide, so MAS takes P11 too
RAI attacking HUL but can’t take P8
09: WEB looking for a way past ROS
RAI past HUL for P8
Lots of brake dust coming from RAI’s front-left
Incident involving cars 6 (PER) and 8 (GRO) under investigation – forcing another driver off the track
10/44: VET, HAM, ALO, ROS, WEB, BUT, DIR, RAI, PER, GRO
HUL and MAS pit; HUL takes primes, MAS on options; MAS exits the pit lane ahead of HUL
Timing chart shows PIC has retired
11: DIR and VER pit
Drive through penalty for car 6 (PER) – forcing another driver (GRO) off the track
12: HAM pits from P2; more options; rejoins P9 behind GRO
MAS f/lap 1:54.244
SUT and MAL pit too
13: ROS pits
HAM inside GRO to take P8
GRO fights back – reclaims P8
14: ALO and WEB pit – options and primes respectively
PER serves his drive through penalty
15/44: VET pits from P1 – hands lead to BUT
HAM f/lap 1:53.984
HAM runs wide in Turn 1; ALO dives through to take P4
HAM uses DRS to re-pass ALO
VET easily past BUT to reclaim P1
16: WEB f/lap 1:53.458
17: VET f/lap 1:52.804
yet to pit are BUT, GRO, PER, RIC & GUT
RAI closing on PER – can’t find a way past
18: BUT pits – primes – looks like they’re going with a 1-stop plan
Lots of action up and down the field
RAI past GUT for P9
19: PER pits – his first stop for tyres
BUT around MAS for P7
20/44: VET, ALO, HAM, ROS, WEB, GRO, BUT, MAS, RAI, GUT; retirements: PIC
GUT pits; SUT inherits P10
only GRO yet to pit
21: VET has 8.0sec lead over ALO, who in turn is 2.6sec ahead of HAM
22: Radio from HAM saying he’s getting everything he can out of the car
BUT past GRO in the chicane, taking P6
Half-distance; no rain so far
23: GRO finally pits; rejoins P13
RAI harrying MAS for P7
24: RAI suddenly drops back from MAS but picks up his pace
25/44: VET, ALO, HAM, ROS, WEB, BUT, MAS, RAI, SUT, DIR; retirements: PIC
RAI looks to pass MAS into the final chicane; runs wide; dives into the pit lane
26: ROS pits, as do RAI and DIR
RAI pushed into the garage; retires
Radio from RAI – brake failure
27: HAM pits from P3; clean stop; primes
MAS and SUT pit too
28: Radio for BUT asking if he prefers prime or option … so not 1-stopping then?
MAL tries to turn right into the pit lane from the left side of the chicane – hits DIR
DIR stranded at pit entrance – will this bring out the safety car? (no)
MAL makes it into the pits
29: ALO pits from P2; clean stop; rejoins P3
Replay shows MAL and SUT contact before MAL ploughs through DIR
30/44: Turn 18/19 incident under investigation (that’s the SUT, MAL, DIR incident)
WEB pits
31: VET pits from P1; rejoins still in the lead
ALO f/lap 1:51.417
WEB f/lap 1:51.397
32: Radio for BUT – back to plan A (presumably 1-stop)
33: VET f/lap 1:50.885
Radar forecast says no rain in next 30 minutes
Drive through penalty for car 23 (CHI) – ignoring blue flags
34: Radio for HAM – need to pick up the pace – need to pass BUT
35/44: VET, ALO … BUT pits from P3 – didn’t expect that
BUT rejoins P6 between WEB and GRO
order now VET, ALO, HAM, ROS, WEB, BUT, GRO, MAS, SUT, PER; retirements: DIR, RAI, PIC
36: VER squeezes past HUL; both push the other wide
37: 10second stop/go penalty for car 16 (MAL) – causing a collision
BUT f/lap 1:50.823
38: WEB pushing ROS for P4
MAS closing on GRO for P7
Also RIC on the tail of VER for P11
39: Drive through penalty for car 12 (GUT) – leaving the track and gaining an advantage
40/44: VET, ALO, HAM, ROS, WEB, BUT, GRO, MAS, SUT, PER
MAL serves his stop/go penalty
MAS around the outside of GRO to take P7
41: VET f/lap 1:50.756 – almost 15sec ahead ALO
RIC takes P10 from PER
42: GUT serves his penalty
43: VET leads ALO by over 16secs
44: VET starts the final lap
Radio for VET – “stay away from the kerbs” – is it starting to rain?
VET takes the chequered flag – his 5th win of this season
ALO over the line in P2
HAM home for P3
Provisional result: VET, ALO, HAM, ROS, WEB, BUT, MAS, GRO, SUT, RIC; PER, VER, HUL, GUT, BOT, VDG, MAL, BIA, CHI
DNF: DIR, RAI, PIC.
Next race = Monza, September 6-8.
My GridBids picks were: VET (P1), ALO (P2), HAM (P3) & HUL (P13).
“You scored 58 points for this race and have a total of 589 points this season. You ranked 4 for this race and 27 overall.”