Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM

Lewis Hamilton - "Spa was about as good as damage limitation can get, I think! It was a fantastic result for me and for the team. The guys deserved it so much after all that hard work, so I was massively pleased for them and proud of what we achieved together. Now we go to Monza - a track I know well from so many racing categories throughout my career and one it's impossible not to love. The speed, the history, the atmosphere... it's just so iconic in every way. Standing on that amazing podium, looking out over a sea of fans on the straight, has to be up there as one of the most incredible experiences a sportsman can have. I had a perfect weekend on track there last year. If I can repeat that it would be amazing but we'll see how we look when we get there. It's game on for me now with the penalties out of the way and fresh engines ready to use. I can't wait to get back out there."

Nico Rosberg - "It's great to add a classic circuit like Spa to the list of wins. It wasn't a straightforward weekend for us - but everybody did a fantastic job and the car kept improving with every session, so hopefully that puts us on a good curve as we head to another legendary track in Monza. This is a race I really enjoy and one I'd really love to master. The Tifosi create such an incredible atmosphere every single time, no matter who wins the race. Last year obviously didn't end so well for me there, so I'm hoping for a bit more luck and a little less fire this time... I'm really enjoying the battle out there right now. We've got several cars in the mix now which is exciting for us and also the fans. For me, I'm taking every race like a cup final. It's great to know you have the team and the car to just go out there and lay it on the line. I can't wait to make our Silver Arrow fly at Monza."

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - “It’s the characteristics of the track (that allow you to reach such high speeds), primarily a long straight line with a chicane followed by another long straight line. Everyone goes for low down force levels. That’s where we go fast in a straight line. It’s a great track - a temple of speed.

(Overtaking is) not as straightforward as a drag race. You still lose down force when you follow another car out of the low-speed corners. It’s one of those races where you can have a lot of overtaking, a lot of action. It’s always interesting to see how it plays out with the big slipstreams.”

I’m very much looking forward to racing there again. The atmosphere is crazy in Monza. The Tifosi, the fans - they’re just great. The track is in the middle of a park. It’s like nowhere else. There are so many people coming and watching, cheering for the drivers and, of course, for Ferrari. The atmosphere is electric. I love it.”

Esteban Gutierrez - “(Monza’s) interesting because you have a lot of high-speed sections, mainly straight-line sections with very low down force, and this is directly affecting the braking of the slow-speed corners. When you have a long period of time when you’re braking, obviously the down force is important, but the fact that you get very low down force on this track, you need to cope with the car in different ways and you need to adapt the setup for that.

(The overtaking opportunities are) basically, everywhere. You have Turn 1 and you have Turn 4, as well as before the Parabolica. It’s a track that provides a lot of overtaking. It’s one of the classics. The people, the atmosphere, the Italians, Ferrari fans, and we’re using Ferrari engines, so it’s great to come there and enjoy nice support from the Italians, especially for me being part of Ferrari last year directly as a third driver put me very close to Italy.

I won a few championships there - two championships actually, Formula BMW and GP3. I remember exactly how it was. It was actually with a qualifying lap because it was enough to get one point from getting the pole position and that was enough for me to win the championship, so it was a very special moment. It comes always from Monza - a special place for me to get there and get that feeling. My favourite part of Monza is probably the Ascari corner. It’s a triple chicane, very fast turning in, very late braking. It’s actually one of my favourite corners of the calendar.”

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO F1 TEAM

Carlos Sainz - “Monza is another home Grand Prix for me, as it's the land of my Italian team, Toro Rosso. It's a very special track and full of Tifosi.

As you go down into Turn 1 you can see, hear and smell them - they are all doing barbecues in this area of the track and are all so passionate! Getting to the first chicane is one of the best feelings, arriving at nearly 350km/h, surrounded by these incredible fans.. It's fantastic! Obviously, it's a very tough couple of corners, always tight during the first lap of the race and there are very frequently a few tangles there.

You then reach another 330km/h top speed section, before entering another chicane, Turns 4 and 5. Here it's very important to jump over the kerbs. We then go into what is one of my favourite parts of this circuit, the two Lesmo's. These corners have a lot of banking, so it allows you to carry a lot of speed into them. I have to say that lap by lap you go quicker each time through these corners just because of gaining more and more confidence.

Just before arriving to Turn 8 you reach another high speed of around 340km/h, and this just shows that it's a really fast track, it's incredible. Another of my favourite chicanes is Turns 8, 9 and 10, taken in fourth gear and much faster than what it could seem. It's important to ride the kerbs here as well.

After this there's a very long and fast straight, before arriving to Turn 11, a corner that has lost a lot of its beauty - the run off area used to be gravel and it was so much nicer back then! Now its tarmac and everyone can go fast through the Parabolica. It's a shame that they decided to do this.”

Daniil Kvyat - “Monza is an interesting and fast track. The braking into the first chicane is one of the longest and heaviest of the championship. (The top speed here is) between 350 and 360km/h, it depends where the wind is blowing. And my favourite part of the track is.. Wherever I'm faster than him (Sainz)! I have to say it's a circuit that brings back very good memories, as I won quite often in Monza in junior categories. I enjoy the track, it's a cool one, and it's always nice to go back. But I also have a negative memory, as I had a brake disk failure into Turn 1 in 2014… It's a shame, because we were having a really good race!”

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN HONDA FORMULA 1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “As we saw in Azerbaijan, the developments that have been made to these turbo cars mean they’re now incredibly fast, and we’re going to see some serious speeds along the straights at Monza. This is always such a quick race - it’s over in a flash - and while it’s not always the most enjoyable to race with such low grip, the feeling of speed is phenomenal.

Obviously, I have plenty of happy memories of racing in Italy, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have been the subject of both the Tifosi’s approval - and also their disapproval! But they are some of the greatest fans in the world, and their passion is what makes coming to Monza each year such a legendary experience. In many ways, Monza traditionally brings the curtain down on one part of the season, and the beginning of another - so it’s always an exciting place.”

Jenson Button - “What is there left to say about Monza? It’s a unique, incredible racetrack - I love that its history surrounds the place - you just can’t ignore it. I also love that unique blend of Italian passion - and chaos - that engulfs the weekend. It also signals the end of the European season - which seems to have disappeared in a flash - so it’s a time of year when you really start to narrow your focus before the final fly-aways.

I love the notion of coming to a racetrack that’s distinctly different from the others. We saw that in Spa last weekend - it’s no secret that, along with places like Monaco, Singapore and Suzuka, it’s also one of the circuits that the fans most love - and Monza is no exception. People often think that Monza is all about the straights, with tight, small corners - but that’s not really true: corners like the Lesmos, the Ascari chicane and Parabolica are big, fast corners that require precision and commitment. It’s a great track.

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - Monza is a great place to go racing. There are so many different destinations on the calendar and there is something special about each one of them, but Monza is legendary. It’s a unique track, with very high speeds and low down force. The setting in the park of Monza is beautiful: the moment you drive through the gates, you feel all the history of the place coming at you. The Tifosi, the Italian fans, add to this combination and create a fantastic vibe.

Monza is just on the outskirts of Milan, which is a very interesting place, but during a race weekend you’re just too busy to go and explore. The parties on Sunday night are not too bad, though! We go to Italy at the end of the summer and the weather is usually still quite hot. Great weather, great fans, great food - it all adds up to make a very cool race.

Few tracks push the car to the limit as Monza does. There is no margin for error in the braking zones and every mistake costs you time. In terms of set-up, you need to strike a balance between high speed on the straights and down force in the corners, but the focus is firmly on top speed. You also need good traction, to make the most of the long straights. We have been doing well on these sort of tracks, so I expect us to be competitive and fighting for points.”

Sergio Perez - “Italy is one of my favourite places: the people are very warm and welcoming, and they’re absolutely crazy for Formula One. The passion you see from the Italian fans reminds me of the atmosphere we saw in Mexico. There’s so much support; everyone is chanting and waving flags and there are so many people asking us for a photo when we arrive at or leave the track.

I have great memories from Monza and it’s where I’ve had some of my best races. When I was racing in F3, I had the best weekend of my career there: I started 14th in both races and went on to win both. I scored a podium there in Formula One and I’ve always had a special relationship with the track. It’s not just what happens at the venue - I have a lot of good friends living nearby and it’s just a very enjoyable experience.

As a fan of our sport, I know Monza has a special place in the history of Formula One. It’s one of the circuits where Formula One should always race. It’s so incredibly fast and the key to a quick lap is to be good under braking and have good traction out of the corners. You brake really hard at the end of the straights and the car moves a lot: you run with very little wing and having a good balance is very important.

You feel the lightness of the car in every corner because you’ve got so little aero load and it’s even hard to keep the steering wheel level on the straights. The two Lesmo corners are crucial: you need to be stable under braking and control your traction - get wheelspin out of the corner and you’ll destroy your tyres. Then you have the Parabolica: it lost a little of its challenge with the tarmac run-off but you still need to be very precise and use the very last inch of track in this interesting corner.”

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL RACING FORMULA 1 TEAM

Max Verstappen - “Monza, it’s really cool because of the history of the track as well as being a really fun track to drive. The food, though, is of course the best in the world. I have spent a lot of time in Italy so to go back, eat some local food and see some old friends will be very nice. I can’t wait to get back there.”

Daniel Ricciardo - “We are straight in to Italy after Spa. It has the best pizza place in the world, it’s ridiculous and I love it. The fans in Italy are cool too, they are crazy about racing and extremely passionate. I like the track through the park, racing there is good and there are plenty of overtaking opportunities

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Italian GP: Circuit Preview

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX 2016 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW & 2015 STATS 

Name: Autodromo Nazionale Monza

Location: Monza, Italy

Opened: September 3rd 1922

Length: 3.600 Miles

Capacity: 113,860

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 11

Race Laps: 53

2015 STATS

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Lewis Hamilton

2nd Place: Sebastian Vettel

3rd Place: Felipe Massa

Retirements: Pastor Maldonado (Collision Damage), Romain Grosjean (Collision Damage), Fernando Alonso (Electronics*), Nico Rosberg (Engine Failure*)

* - Qualified as finished

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Italian GP: Track Schedule

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX 2016 - TRACK SCHEDULE

September 1st / Thursday

15:00 - Drivers Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

16:00 - 18:00 - Public Pit-Lane Walk (3-Day-Ticket-Holders-Only)

18:00 - 20:00 - Champions Football Charity Cup (STARTING GRID)

September 2nd / Friday

08:45 - 09:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

10:00 - 11:30 - Free Practice #1

12:50 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2

16:00 - 17:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

September 3rd / Saturday

08:30 - 09:15 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

08:30 - 09:30 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:00 - 12:00 - Free Practice #3

13:00 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:00 - Qualifying

September 4th / Sunday

12:15 - 13:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

12:30 - Drivers Track Parade

12:45 - 13:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

13:45 - Moment of Silence (Italian Earthquake Victims)

13:46 - National Anthem

14:00 - 16:00 - Race

(Times subject to change)

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Belgian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

    With Nico Rosberg on Pole Position, the German driver knew he had to win this to close the points gap between himself and team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, who leads the drivers championship by 19 points.

    When the lights went out, it was Verstappen who tried to take the lead from Rosberg as quick as possible. Both Force India drivers were quick to try and get to the front as well. Things turned bad quickly though when the drivers approached the first corner. Vettel took the outside line too tightly and collided with Raikkonen, which caused Raikkonen's car to hit Verstappen. Vettel ended up spinning, causing Perez and Button to have to drive off track to avoid the sitting Ferrari.

    Both Ferrari's sustained damage as well as Verstappen's Red Bull. Both Verstappen and Raikkonen had to pit early for a front wing/nose change. Raikkonen's car also suffered a minor fire during the pit-stop.

    Jenson Button and Pascal Wehrlein were also victims of an early on collision when Wehrlein tagged the back of Button's car, causing the McLaren to sustain rear suspension damage. Both drivers retired soon after the accident.

    On lap 2, Carlos Sainz had a tyre failure and his car ran off track before spinning back on track. He then ended up in the grass before attempting to get back to the pits. However, the tyre damage had caused the back wing set up of the Toro Rosso to collapse. He ended up heading back off track and stopping the race. It was day over for him.

    By lap 4, Lewis Hamilton had already made it up to 12th after starting all the way back in 21st. Alonso had caught up as well, from 22nd and was running in 10th. 

    Marcus Ericsson was the next to retire but not due to a collision. It was a gearbox failure that ended his race early. Team-mate, Felipe Nasr also had a less-than perfect race and finished last.

    On lap 6, Renault driver, Kevin Magnussen suffered a heavy crash at the top of the hill at Eau Rouge. The Renault plowed into the tyre-barriers, causing the collar of the car to fly off. Magnussen was able to to get out of the car and walk away from the crash with help. He was limping slightly and taken to a local hospital, suffering only a small ankle injury.

    The race was red flagged due to the damage to the barriers at Eau Rouge and drivers had a chance to change tyres and make small legal adjustments to their cars. Some drivers even opted to get out of their cars and talk to their crew on the pit-walls. After 10-15 minutes, the race was restarted under a safety car.

    Rosberg continued to lead with Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg close behind. Fernando Alonso was up to 4th but Hamilton was closing in on him and soon passed him just a lap later.

    Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen had a battle of their own back in 14th and 15th. Raikkonen passed the Red Bull, then made contact and ran off the track. The two continued to race wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen back ahead of Raikkonen and the younger driver had no plans of letting Raikkonen past.

    Lewis Hamilton made it up to 3rd by lap 18, by passing Hulkenberg, who ended up having a slightly hair raising pit-stop. He was on his way down pit-lane when McLaren released Fernando Alonso and the two nearly collided while making their way back on track.

    Nico Rosberg took the win with Daniel Ricciardo finishing close behind in 2nd. Lewis Hamilton managed to finish on the podium in 3rd despite starting the race all the way back in 21st. Unfortunately for Max Verstappen, it was a home race to forget as he finished just outside the points in 11th. 

    While Force India made an impressive double points finish with Hulkenberg in 4th and Perez in 5th, it was a less than perfect race for Hulkenberg, who narrowly missed out on his first podium.

    Esteban Ocon managed to make his F1 race debut count by finishing in 16th. He may not have scored points, but he finished the race and stayed out of the way of any collisions. He'll be looking forward to Monza, where F1 returns next weekend. 

RESULTS:

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 25 Points
2. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 18 Points
3. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 15 Points
4. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 12 Points
5. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 10 Points
6. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 8 Points
7. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / + 6 Points
8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 4 Points
9. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 2 Points
10. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 1 Point
11. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands
12. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico
13. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
14. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia
15. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
16. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France
17. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

RETIRED - Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark / Accident
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Gearbox 
RETIRED - Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain / Tyre Failure
RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / Collision Damage
RETIRED - Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany / Collision Damage

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Belgian GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - QUALIFYING

    It's Nico Rosberg who starts the Belgian Grand Prix from Pole Position, while team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, faces a 60-Place-Grid-Penalty after multiple power unit changes and the team breaking the seal on his gearbox. Fernando Alonso, Esteban Gutierrez and Marcus Ericsson also have grid penalties.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the six slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the six slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

2. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands

3. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

4. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

5. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia

6. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

9. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

10. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

11. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France

12. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark

13. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain

14. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain

15. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany

16. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

17. Esteban Ocon / Manor-Mercedes / France

18. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico*

19. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia

20. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden**

21. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain***

22. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain****

* - (Gutierrez) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for impeding Wehrlein during FP3

** - (Ericsson) 10-Place-Grid-Penalty for turbo change

*** - (Hamilton) 55-Place-Grid-Penalty for multiple power unit changes

**** - (Alonso) 60-Place-Grid-Penalty for multiple power unit changes

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Belgian GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Times

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #3

    Lewis Hamilton's grid penalty has been moved up to a total of 55 spaces due to multiple power unit changes, and he's not the only one either. Both him and McLaren's Fernando Alonso will be starting from the very back of the grid and possibly even pit-lane depending on Post-Qualifying results. They could face having to get permission from stewards to even start the race.

    Esteban Gutierrez was given a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for impeding Pascal Wehrlein during the session. The Manor driver expressed his frustration with Gutierrez after the accident and the team was quick to assure Wehrlein that it would be dealt with. Gutierrez was recently under fire in past races due to ignoring blue flags multiple times and getting in the way of race leaders.

    Max Verstappen was unable to take part in the session due to mechanical issues, which ended up being gearbox related. It is unlikely he will take any penalties. 

    It was both Ferrari drivers and Red Bull that led this session, with only one Mercedes AMG car in the top 5. Kimi Raikkonen took the top spot with a 1:47.974. Ricciardo was second and Vettel third. Bottas and Hamilton rounded up the top 5.

TIMES:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:47.974 / Ferrari-Ferrari

2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:48.189 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:48.297 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:48.504 / Williams-Mercedes

5. Lewis Hamilton - 1:48.635 / Mercedes-Mercedes

6. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:48.739 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Nico Rosberg - 1:48.742 / Mercedes-Mercedes

8. Felipe Massa - 1:48.783 / Williams-Mercedes

9. Sergio Perez - 1:48.915 / Force India-Mercedes

10. Romain Grosjean - 1:49.272 / Haas-Ferrari

11. Fernando Alonso - 1:49.453 / McLaren-Honda

12. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:49.631 / Haas-Ferrari

13. Jenson Button - 1:49.665 / McLaren-Honda

14. Kevin Magnussen - 1:49.716 / Renault-Renault

15. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:49.761 / Manor-Mercedes

16. Daniil Kvyat - 1:50.023 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

17. Carlos Sainz - 1:50.078 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

18. Jolyon Palmer - 1:50.241 / Renault-Renault

19. Felipe Nasr - 1:50.420 / Sauber-Ferrari

20. Esteban Ocon - 1:50.693 / Manor-Mercedes

21. Marcus Ericsson - 1:51.319 / Sauber-Ferrari

22. Max Verstappen - NO TIME SET / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

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Belgian GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Times

  

'

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #2

       It was both Red Bull drivers topping the second practice session, with Verstappen in 1st with a 1:48.085. This will be the race that Verstappen considers his home race as the driver is part Belgian.

    Lewis Hamilton had more power unit changes, taking his grid penalty up to 30 spaces. Fernando Alonso and Marcus Ericsson are also taking grid penalties this weekend for power unit changes.

    Force India continue to have a good weekend, with Hulkenberg finishing in third and Perez in 5th. The duo finished inside the top 10 in the first practice session as well.

    Jolyon Palmer had more car troubles and even came to a stop on track, resulting in yellow flags during the session. Palmer was able to get the car restarted however and brought the Renault back to the pits.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:48.085 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER
2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:48.341 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER
3. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:48.657 / Force India-Mercedes
4. Sebastian Vettel - 1:49.023 / Ferrari-Ferrari
5. Sergio Perez - 1:49.100 / Force India-Mercedes
6. Nico Rosberg - 1:49.161 / Mercedes-Mercedes
7. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:49.244 / Ferrari-Ferrari
8. Romain Grosjean - 1:49.419 / Haas-Ferrari
9. Jenson Button - 1:49.419 / McLaren-Honda
10. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:49.648 / Haas-Ferrari
11. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:49.716 / Manor-Mercedes
12. Fernando Alonso - 1:49.772 / McLaren-Honda
13. Lewis Hamilton - 1:49.782 / Mercedes-Mercedes
14. Daniil Kvyat - 1:49.916 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari
15. Marcus Ericsson - 1:50.083 / Sauber-Ferrari
16. Valtteri Bottas - 1:50.151 / Williams-Mercedes
17. Felipe Massa - 1:50.157 / Williams-Mercedes
18. Carlos Sainz - 1:50.194 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari
19. Kevin Magnussen - 1:50.375 / Renault-Renault
20. Jolyon Palmer - 1:50.562 / Renault-Renault
21. Esteban Ocon - 1:50.659 / Manor-Mercedes
22. Felipe Nasr - 1:50.719 / Sauber-Ferrari

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Belgian GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Times

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - FREE PRACTICE #1

    After a much needed Summer Break for the drivers, teams and everyone else, F1 has made its return for the second half of the 2016 season. Its first stop? Belgium. Weather was shockingly sunny and nearly cloudless, something a race weekend at Spa isn't usually used to. 

    Lewis Hamilton is starting the weekend off with a change of his TC and MGU-H, which results in a 15-Place-Grid-Penalty for Sunday. He's not the only driver either. Marcus Ericsson will take a 10-Place-Grid-Penalty for a Turbo change. 

    Fernando Alonso missed the session due to an initial water leak and has had a complete power unit change. This gives Alonso a 35-Place-Grid-Penalty. Jolyon Palmer missed half the session due to mechanical issues as well. He had been lapping the circuit when his car suddenly slowed and he had to force it back to the pits. 

    A few drivers ran the 'Halo' concept during the session while other drivers tested out the 2017 Pirelli prototype tyres. While the wider tyres are a confirmed deal for next year, the Halo was scrapped until at least 2018.

    It was Mercedes that topped the session with Rosberg in 1st and Hamilton in 2nd. Raikkonen, Perez and Vettel rounded up the top 5, showing a mix of Mercedes and Ferrari power at the top of the time sheets.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:48.348 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:49.078 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:49.147 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Sergio Perez - 1:49.274 / Force India-Mercedes

5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:49.768 / Ferrari-Ferrari

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:49.782 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

7. Max Verstappen - 1:49.865 / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER

8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:50.088 / Force India-Mercedes

9. Valtteri Bottas - 1:50.394 / Williams-Mercedes

10. Esteban Gutierrez - 1:50.583 / Haas-Ferrari

11. Romain Grosjean - 1:50.899 / Haas-Ferrari

12. Felipe Massa - 1:51.122 / Williams-Mercedes

13. Marcus Ericsson - 1:51.125 / Sauber-Ferrari

14. Carlos Sainz - 1:51.424 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

15. Felipe Nasr - 1:51.768 / Sauber-Ferrari

16. Esteban Ocon - 1:51.787 / Manor-Mercedes

17. Daniil Kvyat - 1:52.308 / Toro Rosso-Ferrari

18. Jenson Button - 1:52.407 / McLaren-Honda

19. Pascal Wehrlein - 1:52.837 / Manor-Mercedes

20. Kevin Magnussen - 1:53.053 / Renault-Renault

21. Jolyon Palmer - 1:53.089 / Renault-Renault

22. Fernando Alonso - NO TIME SET / McLaren-Honda

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Esteban Ocon - “I’ve raced here before in F3 and GP3, so that will help for sure. I couldn’t have wished for a better place to start my F1 racing career. Spa is a magical circuit, with so much history and such a technical challenge for a driver. Plus it’s pretty close to being a home race for me. All of that makes this weekend pretty special.

It’s a moment I’ve dreamed of for so long. I can’t wait to get started. The last two weeks have seemed like an eternity, but I’ve had a good break with plenty of time to think about how I’m going to approach things, so I’m ready to go! I want to do a good job of getting to know the car, my crew, the whole team and get a really good weekend as something to build on. That’s my goal. I have some family here this weekend to cheer me on. We’re all very close, so this is a big weekend for them after all the support I’ve had getting to this point. I want to do well for them.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I missed the racing! It was nice to spend time with family and friends though and think about the first 12 races. I’m glad the guys in the team had a good rest and I’m looking forward to picking up where we left off in Germany. There’s a lot to play for in the next nine races and we have a good base to build from. Every driver loves Spa. Lots of long straights and fast corners, and a real challenge. I’m excited about my first F1 race here.”

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING 

Valtteri Bottas - "This is definitely one of my favourite tracks, mainly because of the high speed corners. It’s extremely enjoyable to drive. It’s normally quite a good track for us, the only thing with Belgium is that the weather can be quite unpredictable across the weekend. It’s definitely one of the best circuits in the world so I’m really looking forward to going back. We were on the podium there in 2014, so that’s a good memory. I’ve also had quite a bit of success in Belgium with Formula Renault, Formula 3 and GP3 so it’s always one of the best tracks to go to for me."

Felipe Massa - "Belgium is one of the best tracks in Formula One. Most of the drivers love the old style, including me. I’m really looking forward to having a great race at Spa. It’s a place that can be wet and dry pretty much at the same time, so I hope it will be a good weekend for us and that we have a fantastic race. It’s always a pleasure to race there and feel the car perform at one of the best tracks in the world. I’ve got great memories from Belgium – I’ve been on the podium and I won there in 2008. It’s definitely a place I always enjoy visiting and a great pleasure to race around."

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Looking back to last year’s Belgian and Italian Grands Prix, my memories are not too bad. I was able to score points by finishing both races in the top ten - in tenth and ninth. I remember we had a decent pace in both races last year, and I hope we can achieve similar results this time as well. In comparison to other circuits, the track at Spa is quite long with some interesting corners and passages - Eau Rouge, Blanchimont, Pouhon and so on. Engine power is the crucial factor - as it also is in Monza. On this circuit, which is the fastest on the calendar, we need to find a compromise with the down force level giving us a high straight-line speed, but also finding the right set-up for a stable and fast car through the chicanes. There is always a thrilling atmosphere in the Autodromo, and the Italians are really passionate about motorsport.”

Felipe Nasr - “Spa-Francorchamps is the opener of the second part of the season - and my favourite circuit on the calendar. The track is unique, having a lot of high-speed corners and a great corner combination. As a driver you get a nice flow going - up and down - through these corner combinations. From the technical side, the combination of low down force and traction is essential to be competitive. At Monza we also need to find an efficient balance for being fast on the straights and not losing too much time in the corners. The flow is really nice too, with Parabolica being my favourite corner. Monza is an historic and unique circuit for me. I know the circuit well from every series I have come through. It reminds me a lot of the time when I moved to Italy in 2009 as a young racing driver. Back then I lived very close to Monza.”

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO F1 TEAM

Daniil Kvyat - “When I think of Spa-Francorchamps, the first thing that comes to my mind is Eau Rouge - it's a corner I really enjoy and where you need to be brave and go for it! The straight after that is quite long and a good spot to try and overtake your rivals. You then arrive to Turns 5 and 6, a fast chicane, and you then need to prepare the exit out of Turn 7 well. Turns 12 and 13 form another fast chicane, and the exit out of Turn 14 is important as you then drive flat out until the end of the lap. This is a very special track which I really enjoy; it's high-speed, full of elevation changes and with many fast-flowing corners which make it very exciting for the driver. The second sector in particular is the part I enjoy the most, as it includes a lot of cool corners. I can't wait to race there again!”

Carlos Sainz - "Spa-Francorchamps is, together with Silverstone, my favourite track. I'd describe it as the best track in the world! Turn 1, the La Source hairpin, is a good overtaking spot. Turn 2 is the famous Eau Rouge, which is flat out, even though you always doubt if to do so during your first lap in FP1… It's probably the best corner in the world, it's amazing! We then get to Les Combes, another good place for overtaking and Turns 5 and 6 form a fast chicane which is taken in fourth gear - it's nice and flowing. Turn 8 is a very long corner and then we arrive to another of my favourite corners, Turn 10, which I'd say is as nice as Eau Rouge. Turns 12 and 13 create another fast chicane and the key to Turn 14 is to get a good exit. It's then all flat out from Turn 15 until the last chicane, where you can also try and overtake the car in front. I am really looking forward to racing here, it's a unique race weekend!”

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS FORMULA 1 TEAM 

Lewis Hamilton - “It’s crazy how quickly this year is going by. It seems like a few weeks ago we were in Barcelona for winter testing and now we’re through the summer break, heading to Spa. The first half of the season was a bit of a rollercoaster, so it’s great to be in the position I’m in with more than half of the races behind us. There will be more up and downs to come, I’m sure. But the way myself and the team have performed so far gives me huge confidence. I’m feeling refreshed, re-energised and ready to go after a fun few weeks off, so hopefully everyone else has had a good rest too and we’ll come out fighting. Spa is a great track - one that every driver enjoys. It was great to finally get back on the top step there last year, so fingers crossed I’ll be able to have another strong race this time around. It’s been such a proud few weeks for British sport, with the Olympics and then Cal Crutchlow becoming the first British MotoGP winner in more than 30 years. I’ll do my best to keep the flag flying this weekend. A big shout-out to the British fans heading out to this one. I’m sure they’ll be out in force as always!”

Nico Rosberg - “It’s been great to have a couple of weeks with the family to relax and recharge the batteries. I’ve loved every minute - but now it’s time to get back to work! For me, it’s like a clean slate at this stage. What’s happened so far this season is in the past. I can’t wait to get in that car, put my foot down and get everything I can from these next races. Belgium is a great place to kick start the year after the break. It’s such an awesome track, with so many challenges and usually some crazy weather just to mix things up even more. If you ask any driver they will tell you how much they love racing here. And, if you look back through the years, there have been some great moments too - that mega move from Mika Hakkinen on Michael Schumacher down the Kemmel straight, for example. All of that history just makes it even more special, so I’d love to add my name to the winner’s list. I’m feeling strong in myself, I know I’ll have the best car out there and I’m massively pumped to be back on track, so let’s see how it goes.”

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - "It’s just a great track. There are very high-speed corners and there are a lot of turns, different types, some high speed, some low - just a good variety overall. It gives you a good feeling to drive. I can’t choose just one part and say it’s my favourite. The whole circuit just comes together nicely.

The first lap you go through (Eau Rouge and Raidillon) flat out, you feel sick, like you’re on a rollercoaster because it goes up and down. You’re thinking, will I make that for the race? But, once you’ve done it once, it’s all OK and you just enjoy the G-forces. (Eau Rouge is) certainly a corner where you don’t want to have a mistake. Qualifying in clean air is certainly quite good. On the other hand, if you get a big tow, you can have a massive advantage going into turn five. There’s a bit of an argument for both philosophies there.You always see different approaches at Spa. Either you’re fast in sector one and sector three, which are the high-speed sectors, or you’re fast in sector two, which has more of the corners. Both work pretty well, so it’s a matter of how you want to approach the race.

We had a good car in Belgium last year. I had qualified fourth, but started ninth due to a gearbox penalty. We had a good strategy and good timing with a safety car, too. I managed to overtake a few cars and get on the podium. Honestly, it was one of those weekends where everything just goes to plan.It was great for all the guys, and for myself. We had a perfect weekend on the track. For everyone involved, it was a very good feeling. I guess it was kind of the same feeling as scoring the first points for Haas earlier this season. I (also) won the GP2 title there in 2011. That was a great year.”

Esteban Gutierrez - “I think (the unpredictability of the weather at Spa means) you need to make quick decisions throughout the weekend, especially during the race as it’s a way to gain an advantage. Making a wrong decision can be very detrimental, but that’s what’s special about Spa. It’s a very long track and it can sometimes only rain on one part of the track, on one or two corners, and if you’re on slicks you just need to deal with it. Ultimately, you only want to come in for full wets if it’s raining throughout. You really have to be ready and open minded during the weekend.

It’s a track that has a lot of corners, as well as being a very long track where you can gain a lot of time if you do everything properly and if you’re consistent throughout the lap. This also depends on how much down force you have on the car as the circuit has a lot of high-speed and fluid corners, which are important factors.

It’s a track where you have to compromise a lot because you don’t want to lose too much speed on the straight and you don’t want to lose too much down force in the corners. It’s important to have an efficient car to find the best compromise between aero and the mechanical set up.

(Eau Rouge and Raidillon) are usually flat out. It’s an amazing feeling approaching Eau Rouge. It goes up and you can feel the compression at the beginning of the corner and as the car is moving though the corner. As you go uphill, sometimes the car is jumping on the curb at high speed. It’s amazing. It’s difficult to describe it because you have to experience it.

Even in the race sometimes you have to be flat out if you are running behind someone you want to overtake. It’s a corner you don’t require much down force to make it flat out. Usually, we reduce the down force at Spa because of the long straights and you want to have the least drag possible in those areas. It’s a compromise of how much down force you set. Even with a low configuration of down force, Eau Rouge becomes quite challenging, but usually very nice if you can take it flat out. I would say Eau Rouge (is my favourite part of Spa). It’s a great corner. It’s iconic and it’s great to drive.

I’ve had a few incredible races in the wet at Spa. One of the most fun races I’ve had was starting from the back after being disqualified. I manage to overtake my way up the grid but, unfortunately, at the end I was penalized again by overtaking someone on the very last lap when the safety car was out. It’s a great memory of Spa and it’s a track I always enjoy. Hopefully this year will be just as enjoyable and we’ll do our best to make it a successful weekend.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - "It's nice to get back to action after a month without racing. Holidays are fun – you spend time with your friends, take your mind off work and recharge your batteries – but nothing beats the thrill of a Formula One car. So it's great to be back, and I can't think of a better place to return to racing than Belgium.

Spa is one of the best tracks out there. It may sound like a cliche, but it really is great fun to drive it - it's up there with Suzuka. It's got great flow, lots of challenging and ballsy corners, high speeds and changes of elevation. It's just a great place. Everyone talks about Eau Rouge, but my favourite corner in Spa is Pouhon – the very quick downhill double-left hander. Eau Rouge and Raidillon are legendary, but they're not the challenge they used to be.

For all the excitement on track, Belgium is one of the quietest weekends off it. It's the opposite of some of the “lifestyle” events like Barcelona, Budapest or Montreal – but it's a nice change to have some more relaxed events. Hopefully we will be able to pick up where we left off in Germany and continue showing our points-scoring form."

Sergio Perez - "The summer break was a great opportunity to relax, especially as this season is quite long and the races don't leave us too much time to recover. It was nice to spend some time in Mexico, with my family, my dogs and my friends: it's always great to go home and I can't wait to be back there later in the year when we come racing in Mexico City.

Spa is one of the most historical tracks; one of those kids dream about, with legendary corners like Eau Rouge. You never get a boring race there. There are many fast corners and you pay a price for all mistakes because it's an old-school track with not much run-off. It's one of the circuits where the driver can make a difference and bravery is rewarded. I have got some great memories from Spa: I won there in GP2 and I had a battle for the lead against Hamilton on the first lap last year.

The key to being fast around Spa is having a good rhythm and enough down force to be quick in the corners without losing too much on the straights. You want to be able to attack and defend in sector one, but not have too little wing to be struggling in the twisty parts of sector two. It's a fine balance you need to strike and it can make or break your weekend.

We have been really strong in the last few races before the break and hopefully we can keep this form in the second part of the season. Being in the battle for fourth place in the championship gives us a lot of motivation and we approach every weekend knowing we can be strong. I am enjoying my driving and working with the team, and I think we have everything in place to be competitive this weekend."

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA 1 TEAM 

Kevin Magnussen - “I love it (Spa-Franchorchamps). I remember the first lap I did there in 2009 in a Formula Renault 2.0 car. That car is way too slow for the track! You need an F1 car as it is just so big. I feel very lucky to have done it now as you can appreciate the flow and speed of the corners. I love Eau Rouge - even though it’s flat now it’s still so enjoyable to go through. On top of Eau Rouge you can run the kerb and straight-line a lot so it’s a bit of a shame it’s not gravel or wall on the outside as would make it even more of a challenge. In the wet it is still a massive corner and you can guarantee it will be wet at some point over the weekend! It’s one of my favourite corners.

The track is so long that it can be wet in one part of the track and dry in the other. In these cases your normal cut off points for intermediate, wet and dry tyres go out of the window as you have to judge how much you will gain on slicks in some corners versus the risk of wet in other. It’s one of the main difficulties of Spa. I have won in everything I have raced (there), except F1, but I have had some fun races. I held back Alonso for the whole race… he was very annoyed with me and I actually ended up getting a penalty for defending too hard, but I definitely enjoyed that one!

The car felt good (at the last round in Germany) and we were competitive in the first two stints on the supersoft tyre but ran too long on them. The two stop strategy didn’t really work but at least we showed at the start that we were competitive. With the right strategy we could have fought with Toro Rosso at the end of the race. I hope we can be at this level in Spa again.”

Jolyon Palmer - “When I first drove it (Spa) thought, I remember I thought it was incredible. The first thing that hits you is Eau Rouge. It’s just awesome. You see it on TV, or on the on-boards or on the Xbox, but it is even better the first time you drive it. Nothing prepares you for heading flat out down the hill and then coming up the other side and down that straight. In the dry we are now easily flat, maybe just slightly under with high fuel in the race, but it’s a real corner.

The whole circuit feels very flowing and you can appreciate the size of it. Pouhon is a very quick double apex left and it is probably the biggest challenge now. It also goes downhill so you pick up so much speed - even with the run off, if you get it wrong you’ll be off. Blanchimont is now easy flat but leads into the Bus Stop chicane, which is a great overtaking place when you scream round at the end of a fast lap. It’s very easy to get wrong, but hard to get right.

I actually won my first race at Spa, which was in Formula Palmer Audi. I remember it was wet - as always for Spa! I’ve had podiums in GP2 since but have always missed a win somewhere. I also started on the front row last time I went there. I’ve had some good memories but I’m eager to make some more!

Qualifying is important, but in the race overtaking is easier than at other races. The biggest thing is to keep one eye on the weather as you always need to be on the right tyres at the right time. If you get caught out it’s such a long lap that it can take you two minutes to get back to the pits and change tyres, by which time you would have lost so many positions.”

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL RACING FORMULA 1 TEAM

Daniel Ricciardo - "I spent my summer holidays in the Californian sunshine. It was really good, I have some friends there and some close mates from home came over as well. We had good fun, no racing chat so we just switched off and caught up. It was especially nice to see those friends from Perth who I only see once or twice a year. 

Spa is cool and the track is amazing. It's very historic, fast and flowing. I had a win there two years ago so it has always been a good track to return to for me. I think it's funny how spread out the circuit at Spa is, on one side you can have sun while it rains on the other. You always get a lot of regular fans there, you see them year after year so it's nice to see real F1 fans out there. Food wise fries and waffles seem to be the local cuisine, it's not really race diet but it tastes pretty good. 

We are straight in to Italy after Spa. It has the best pizza place in the world, it's ridiculous and I love it. The fans in Italy are cool too, they are crazy about racing and extremely passionate. I like the track through the park, racing there is good and there are plenty of overtaking opportunities."

Max Verstappen - "It has been a nice relaxing break after a busy start to the summer. I managed to spend some time with my family, get some rest and have a bit of fun. Going into Spa it should be a great weekend, there will be a lot of Belgian and also Dutch fans. They are all coming to one of the most famous tracks on the calendar and from the driver's point of view one of the favourites also. I had a really good weekend there last year so hopefully we can have an even better result this year. 

Spa is the longest track we go to, I did a track walk last year and it felt long so I will probably use a bicycle this year. Also last year I drove part of the circuit the wrong way for a Live Demo, it was definitely interesting and quite a lot different. Downhill into Eau Rouge was pretty scary, the barriers aren't made for that but it went well and not many people get the chance to do it. 

After Spa we head straight to Monza, it's really cool because of the history of the track as well as being a really fun track to drive. The food though is of course the best in the world. I have spent a lot of time in Italy so to go back, eat some local food and see some old friends will be very nice. I can't wait to get back there."

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN HONDA FORMULA 1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “It’s time to go racing again! I’ve enjoyed the summer break, spent some time with my family in Asturias and at my kart circuit, enjoyed a break in California and managed to fit in some training too, so it’s been well spent. It’s also been a good opportunity to reflect on the first half of the year, the progress we’ve made, and channel our energy into the second half of the season. As a team, we’re getting stronger and stronger, and I’m looking forward to getting going again.

Spa is a great challenge and the perfect venue to come to after the summer break. I feel refreshed and raring to go, and ready to take on the incredible twists and turns of this legendary track. There’s a lot to think about at this circuit: strategy, tyres, fuel, power unit management, and then there’s the weather. This is the sort of circuit that always throws up something unpredictable and there’s usually some drama during the race, so I hope we can fight hard and take advantage of any situation that comes our way.

Spa is an incredible circuit that definitely deserves its reputation as a legendary place to go racing. You have to have a strong package there, in terms of performance and reliability. More than 70 percent of the lap is spent at full throttle, which will be a challenge in itself, but we’ve shown over the past few races that, even on the circuits that statistically should be difficult for us, we’ve worked hard and surprised ourselves with our level of performance relative to our competitors.

It’s a long lap, with two very high-speed sections and a twistier section, so we have to find the right balance between the two to get the best car set-up. We’re seeing good correlation between the data back at base and in the car on track, so I hope we can continue our momentum and get the maximum out of the weekend. This circuit is always a tough challenge for car and driver but if we can pull all the elements together we can enjoy a positive weekend. It won’t be an easy race, but as always we’ll be pushing for points as hard as we can.”

Jenson Button - “I love Spa! Eau Rouge is one of those fabled corners that drivers and fans always talk about - but it really is that special. The feeling of the sweep uphill through the corners is just awesome, every time. As well as being the longest circuit on the calendar, it also has an average speed of 230kmh/(143mph), so it’s pretty quick! That means it’s pretty brutal on the cars - you’re at full throttle for almost three-quarters of the lap - so all the team and drivers will be working hard to manage all the different aspects of the car and react quickly to anything that crops up during the race.

The important thing, as always, is reliability, and because of the nature of the Spa circuit it tends to be a race of attrition. The guys and girls back at MTC and also in Sakura are working hard to keep pushing the limits of our package, and I hope we can enjoy a smooth race from that point of view. I’ve always loved Spa right from the early days of my career - it still feels mega with every lap you do and never fails to put a smile on my face. It’s easily one of the best circuits on the calendar and definitely one of my favourites, so let’s see what we can do - I hope we can have a solid weekend.

Spa is one of those legendary classics. It fully deserves its reputation as one of the great circuits on the calendar, and it never fails to provide great racing year after year. I often stay in my motorhome next to the circuit at European races. Spa is one of those special places where the atmosphere is incredible - the fans are really passionate and flock from all over, and everyone is itching to see the F1 cars scream past them and race wheel-to-wheel after a few weeks off.

I’m looking forward to getting back in the car. The summer break has been great - a chance to rest, recharge and spend time with friends and family. I spent most of it in the United States, but still managed to keep up with Team GB’s efforts in the Olympics - incredible! It’s been a great summer of sport and I’m hoping for more positive results as we start the second half of the season. There’s a lot to work on, but we are all pushing hard together towards the same goals, and fighting for more progress. Spa is a great place to get going again, and I can’t wait to get started.”

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Belgian GP: Circuit Preview

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2016 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW & 2015 STATS

Name: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Location: Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium

Opened: 1921

Length: 4.352 Miles

Capacity: 70,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 20

Race Laps: 44

2015 STATS

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Lewis Hamilton

2nd Place: Nico Rosberg

3rd Place: Romain Grosjean

Retirements: Nico Hulkenberg (DID NOT START - Power Unit), Pastor Maldonado (Power Unit), Daniel Ricciardo (Electronics), Carlos Sainz (Power Unit) & Sebastian Vettel (Tyre Failure)*

* - Qualified as finished.

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Belgian GP: Track Schedule

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2016 -  TRACK SCHEDULE 

August 25th / Thursday

15:00 - Drivers Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

16:00 - 18:00 - Public Pit-Lane Walk (3-Day-Ticket-Holders Only)

August 26th / Friday

08:45 - 09:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

10:00 - 11:30 - Free Practice #1

12:50 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2

16:00 - 17:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

August 27th / Saturday

08:30 - 09:15 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

08:30 - 09:35 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:00 - 12:00 - Free Practice #3

13:00 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:00 - Qualifying

August 28th - Sunday

12:15 - 13:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

12:30 - Drivers Track Parade

12:45 - 13:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

13:46 - National Anthem

14:00 - 15:00 - Race

(Times subject to change)

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Ocon Replaces Haryanto at Manor

    Esteban Ocon has joined Manor F1 for the remainder of the season, replacing Rio Haryanto after the Indonesian was demoted to reserve driver.

    Haryanto’s future in F1 was never certain, and there were rumours that the Indonesian wouldn’t be able to race past the Hungarian Grand Prix. Haryanto was able to go one race further to compete in the German Grand Prix, but that’s the Indonesian’s time up.

    The team said on their Facebook page that Rio was “unable to meet his contractual obligations”.

    Ocon, a Mercedes junior, has been brought in to fill the seat for the rest of the season. The nineteen year old comes with a lot more experience than Haryanto. Renault reserve driver, a strong DTM season this year, Formula 3 and GP3 champion – it all bodes well for a successful Formula One career.

Manor racing director, Dave Ryan, said:

    “We are very pleased to welcome Esteban to Manor Racing for the remainder of the season. He is clearly one of the rising stars of F1, shining in his Reserve Driver role with Renault whilst also competing in the DTM with Mercedes-AMG this year.”

    “I’m thrilled that I’ll be making my Grand Prix debut with Manor Racing later this month, and at Spa, of all circuits, which is the next best thing to my home race,” said Ocon. “I’m ready for this exciting step up, thanks to the experience I’ve gained as a Formula 1 Reserve Driver this season.”

    Ocon thanked Renault and Manor, and is excited to build on the progress Manor have already made so far this season. As the Frenchman is a Mercedes junior, the team have been keeping a close eye on the move.

    Toto Wolff said: “We are very pleased that this opportunity has opened up for Esteban, that Manor has again had the confidence to give a chance to a promising young talent… Manor is just the right environment for a young driver to get his first experience of F1: a professional, small team that is on a positive upward trend and where the driver can make a real difference. Esteban did an exceptional job in the works Mercedes at the Silverstone test and we are excited to see him take his first steps in an F1 race environment.”

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring

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German GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

GERMAN GRAND PRIX - RACE

    When the lights went out at the Hockenheimring, it was Lewis Hamilton who easily took the lead from Pole-Sitter, Rosberg. The German failed to make a strong start and had a noticeable amount of wheel spin on the grid. Not only did Hamilton pass him, but both Ricciardo and Verstappen were able to easily make their way around Rosberg.

    Things only became worse for Rosberg when he tried to get around Verstappen. While trying to pass the younger driver, Verstappen was forced wide and run off track by Rosberg and the situation was instantly under investigation by the stewards. Rosberg was handed a 5-Second-Time-Penalty which he served in the pits. However, due to a faulty stopwatch, Rosberg was waiting over 7-8 seconds before being released, which cost him plenty of time that he was unable to make up for.

    Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean were also investigated for the same type of accident, but no further action was warranted.

    Rosberg wasn't the only driver to have a rough start. Felipe Massa was the victim of 1st lap collision damage between himself and Jolyon Palmer. Palmer was able to finish the race and only needed to pit for a new front wing/nose set-up, but Massa had worse damage and retired on lap 37 with damage to the front suspension system. Massa's team mate, Bottas was able to score 2 points for the team by finishing in 9th.

    The only other retirement during the race was Felipe Nasr, who experienced a sudden loss of power and stopped on track. His team mate, Ericsson, also had a tough race and finished in 18th. Another race to forget for the Swiss team.

    Haas also missed out on points, despite being very close once again. Romain Grosjean finished in 13th and Esteban Gutierrez finished in 11th, making it the 4th race this year that he's gotten that result. Gutierrez was also under fire from Daniel Ricciardo after he failed to move out of the way of the Red Bull driver, despite being given blue flags. Gutierrez also ignored blue flags in Hungary and was given a 5-Second-Time-Penalty. 

    While Force India had a less than perfect start to the race, both Hulkenberg and Perez finished in the points, making the gap between them and Williams closer in the Constructors Standings. Perez suffered wheel spin in the start of the race and got pushed back as far as 16th during the 1st lap and Hulkenberg struggled as well, despite having a stronger start. The two battled their way back into the top 10 by the end of the race and brought home a total of 7 points for the team.

    Fernando Alonso lost out to points after a tough battle with Sergio Perez and being passed by Gutierrez. The Spaniard ended up finishing in 12th. Jenson Button was able to score 4 points for the team, finishing in 8th and McLaren continue to look stronger as the season continues. Renault, however, still just has 6 points in the constructors standings after another pointless finish for Magnussen and Palmer. Toro Rosso and Manor also finished outside the points.

   
    Despite efforts from both Raikkonen and Vettel, neither Ferrari driver was able to secure a spot on the podium. Raikkonen ran as high as second during the race, but it was no match for the pace of Red Bull. Both Ricciardo and Verstappen finished on the podium, behind race winner, Lewis Hamilton. Nico Rosberg finished in 4th, missing out on the podium. Hamilton now leads the championship by 19 points.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Australia / + 18 Points
3. Max Verstappen / Red Bull-TAG-HEUER / Netherlands / + 15 Points
4. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 12 Points
5. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 10 Points
6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 8 Points
7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 6 Points
8. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / + 4 Points
9. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 2 Points
10. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 1 Point
11. Esteban Gutierrez / Haas-Ferrari / Mexico 
12. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain
13. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
14. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Spain
15. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Ferrari / Russia
16. Kevin Magnussen / Renault-Renault / Denmark
17. Pascal Wehrlein / Manor-Mercedes / Germany
18. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
19. Jolyon Palmer / Renault-Renault / Great Britain
20. Rio Haryanto / Manor-Mercedes / Indonesia 

RETIRED - Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil / Loss of Power
RETIRED - Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / Suspension Damage

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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