Belgian GP: Qualifying - Re-Cap & Results

Qualifying - Results

After a very very rainy Saturday morning, Qualifying was underway and the skies had cleared up quite a bit. The track, however, was covered in puddles of standing water. 

For those who are new to how qualifying works, there are 3 sessions, the first session is comprised of all the drivers, who get aroud 20 minutes to play. They will head out to set timed laps. The 6 slowest are knocked out and will start in their respective grid slots. Session two is the same with the 6 slowest knocked out but only 15 minutes. In round 3, the last 10 cars battle for the top 10 spots on the grid and they get 12 minutes to do so. The most important thing is to get the front grid slot, which is called Pole Position!

Here is how the grid will line up for the Belgian GP - And make sure to follow our twitter @F1Insider78 for all pre-race updates and news!

STARTING GRID:

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercddes / Great Britain

3. Sebastian Vettel / Red Bull-Renault / Germany

4. Fernando Alonso / Ferrari-Ferrari / Spain

5. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia

6. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland

7. Kevin Magnussen / McLaren-Mercedes / Denmark

8. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

9. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

10. Jenson Button / McLaren-Mercedes / Great Britain

11. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Renault / Russia

12. Jean-Eric Vergne / Toro Rosso-Renault / France

13. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

14. Adrian Sutil / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany

15. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Renault / France

16. Jules Bianchi / Marussia-Ferrari / France

17. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Renault / Venezuela 

18. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

19. Max Chilton / Marussia-Ferrari / Great Britain

20. Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber-Ferrari / Mexico

21. Andre Lotterer / Caterham-Renault / Germany

22. Marcus Ericsson / Caterham-Renault / Sweden

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Alexander Rossi to race at Spa for Marussia

Just a few weeks after the announcement of American driver, Alexander Rossi leaving Caterham and joining the Marussia F1 team, it has been confirmed by Marussia that British rookie, Max Chilton has volunteered to sell his race seat for the full Belgian GP Weekend.

Rossi will take Chilton's seat for this weekend, while Marussia sorts out the money problems. It has been speculated recently that Marussia's funding is low. It is unknown whether Max may not race at Monza as well, but for now, Rossi gets to enjoy the circuit of Spa in an F1 car.

Prior to signing as a reserve for Marussia, Rossi was a reserve for Caterham and drove for their GP2 team, before parting ways. He now drives for GP2 team Campos.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Caterham

Preview Quotes - Caterham

Andre Lotterer - "I am delighted to be given the opportunity to take part in a Formula One race weekend - I want to thank Caterham F1 Team for this chance. I'm ready for this challenge and I cannot wait to jump in the car and make the most out of the weekend ahead. I will need to get settled and used to the car quickly, as the team has worked on a number of updates and we will need to have as much time as possible out on track to optimise the car's performance. I really enjoy racing at the legendary circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, it's one of my favourite tracks and it's very close to where I grew up, so this makes the weekend even more special and one to remember."

Marcus Ericsson - "Spa is one of the races I've been most looking forward to since we first announced my F1 drive back in January. I love the track, it's been a very good circuit for me, especially in the last couple of years in GP2 when I won in 2012 and was on the podium last year, so it'll be good to be back, this time in an F1 car. We're aiming to make real progress in Belgium, and that will make the whole weekend even better for the team and for me. We haven't had new parts on the car for quite a while, so to be coming to a track like Spa with a package that gives us a chance to take a step forward, that's a good feeling, but we're taking nothing for granted. We have a lot of work ahead of us to get the most out of that parts but everyone is prepared for that and if we achieve what we're setting out to, and have good reliability, it could be a really good weekend for us."

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

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Quotes made by Drivers.

Andre Lotterer will drive for Caterham for Belgian GP Weekend

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This weekend at Spa, Kamui Kobayashi will not drive for Caterham, but instead, the Renault-powered team has brought in 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Andre Lotterer.

Andre will drive all 3 days in Spa and then Kobayashi will return for the Grand Prix of Italy. It is unsure at the moment if Andre could take Kobayashi's place on the team in 2015, but for now, he will make his F1 Debut at one of the most loved circuits on the calendar.

Caterham is also bringing a new nose to the Belgian GP weekend, saying it is part of a 'Package' that they'll be debuting. 

More info to come.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Photo belongs to: www.flickr.com - All rights go to owner.)

Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

Preview Quotes - Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel - “The race in Spa started our series of nine victories last year, which I always like to remember. The Belgian circuit offers all possible turns and manoeuvres: ultra-fast, medium-speed, heavy braking and fast straights. The height difference is so great that you always have the feeling of riding a roller coaster - especially in Eau Rouge. The weather can also be very unpredictable and a challenge for drivers and teams, it should never be underestimated: within minutes it can change from heavy rain to sunshine. As well as that, the safety car often comes out at Spa. The track is one of my favourites of the year because it feels like it has grown out of the nature that is all around it - it blends with the natural setting perfectly.”

Daniel Ricciardo - “Above all, Spa is a racing circuit - one that really encourages exciting wheel-to-wheel action. That said, F1 has changed over the years and whereas Eau Rouge and Blanchimont were once the standout sections, now it’s probably the Pouhon downhill left-hander at Turns 10 and 11. That’s seriously, seriously fast - and probably a good place to watch the race from for anyone prepared for a bit of a hike through the Ardennes. Of course, given the Belgium Grand Prix draws in all the petrolheads, everyone’s perfectly happy to slog through the woods to find the best view. You bump into people who’ve been going to the race for five decades. And if you ever go into a pub or restaurant in one of the villages around the circuit, chances are you’ll see pictures on the wall of great drivers from back in the day, standing where you are and doing what you’re doing. It’s great stuff.”

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Quotes made by Drivers.

Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Preview Quotes - Williams

Felipe Massa - "I love Spa, it's one of my favourite tracks because of the long straights and high speed corners, and it's a track we all look forward to racing at. The long straights should suit our car and we can kick the second half of the season off with some success. I won here in 2008 and so I know what it takes to win. I have had a really nice summer break but am ready to get back to racing. We have some great tracks to look forward to and I hope we can carry on developing our car like we did the first half of the season, and continue to be near the front."

Valtteri Bottas - "Spa is always a great place to go; it's one of the best circuits in the world. The elevation changes and high speed corners make it a real pleasure to drive, especially in an F1 car. Because of the long straights and variable weather conditions races can be very interesting for the driver and for the fans. To be competitive in Spa you need a car with efficient aerodynamics, so we expect to be strong and are aiming for a good result. The break has been long so I am really looking forward to getting back in the car."

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Quotes made by Drivers.

Belgian GP: Circuit Preview

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Circuit Preview:

Now that F1 is heading into the 12th round of the 2014 season, it's time for us to take a look at the circuit used for the Belgian GP. Not only is this the longest circuit on the calendar, but Belgium is also homeland for GP2 driver and McLaren Tester - Stoffel Vandoorne.

The Circuit De Spa-Francorchamps is located in Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium. The circuit was first created in the early 1920's and has a capacity of 70,000. This circuit runs Clockwise like most.

With a length of 4.352 Miles, the race only contains 44 laps. There is a total of 20 turns on the current version of the circuit. In the past, there was a varrying number of turns.

2013 Belgian GP Look-Back:

Last year we saw Lewis Hamilton start in Pole Position, but finish in 3rd. Fernando Alonso grabbed 2nd, but the win went to Sebastian Vettel, who was enjoying a winning streak in the 2013 season. The season he also grabbed his 4th Championship win.

Retirements Included: Charles Pic (Oil Leak), Paul Di Resta (Accident) & Kimi Raikkonen (Brake Failure).

For more information on the race, you can check out our 2013 Belgian GP Race Re-Cap & Results.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Photo belongs to: historicmotorsportonline.con