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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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Preview Quotes: Williams


Felipe Massa - "We’ve completed two weeks of testing in Barcelona over the winter so we know how our car can perform around the circuit and are probably more prepared for this race than any other race on the calendar. It’s a nice track with a lot of fans in the grandstands and a great city on the doorstep. We have shown in the first few races that we have a good car and a few upgrades will be appearing in Spain that we need to make the most of if we are going to close the gap to the cars in front. It’s good to be back in Europe and I hope we can start this part of the season with a strong result."

Valtteri Bottas - "Barcelona is a track everyone knows really well as we’ve done plenty of laps there this season in testing. It’s one of those tracks where if you are good in qualifying you can have a good race as overtaking isn’t that easy. I’m confident that we will have a good chance to fight for a strong position. We will be bringing some upgrades for the car as well, so it will be interesting to see if they work as expected. I imagine most teams will be bringing something new to the race and would have made good use of the three week gap and the circuit's relative closeness to each team's factory. Being in Europe also eliminates the jet lag we experience so we can get a bit more training in before the race. I’m really looking forward to starting the European season."

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Italian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Preview Quotes - Force India

Nico Hulkenberg - "It's a fantastic weekend and I really enjoy everything about the event: the town, the people and the track. The atmosphere is just brilliant with the energy of the fans and the history of the place. It's also a fun track to drive. It looks simple, but hooking up a quick lap is still a challenge and it's easy to make mistakes. I expect us to be quite competitive there - it should be better for us than Spa. It's all about power and top speed and we know the engine will be strong. We also have a new low downforce rear wing that we will use for Monza only. Braking from top speed for the chicanes with a skinny rear wing is always tricky."

Sergio Perez - "Monza is another favourite of mine. I think everybody enjoys going there because it's such a beautiful location. I raced there a few times before Formula One and always had good results. I was on the podium two years ago (finishing second) – it was one of my best races in Formula One and a very special memory. I think it's going to be a good track for us. It's important to qualify in the top ten to have a chance of scoring good points. It's difficult to overtake at Monza and if you are out of position it's hard to recover."

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Feature: Belgian GP - Our Post-Race Quotes

Frances Fry, F1Insider78 - "This weekend's race was in no way short of thrills and excitement, living up to the reputation Spa has earned through the years, being one of the most anticipated races on the calendar. Following in the tracks of previous world champion, Vettel, Hamilton had shot past his team mate, Rosberg, and stolen first place by the first corner. On the second lap, the two Mercedes drivers experienced contact. Both Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff have since expressed much concern on the matter. 

The first few laps are consistently the most thrilling. The start gives the drivers a chance to shuffle around in order. This is why Hamilton was kept out after asking for retirement for 20 laps. As mentioned over the team radio, the team were waiting, hoping the safety car would make an appearance in order for a mock start to occur.

 Although this is without a doubt a clever tactic, you can't help doubting their decision to keep him out on the track. After the race Lewis said he had already used several aspects of the power engine and didn't see the point in putting himself at risk of a 10 place grid penalty, which is given to a driver after they have a new power unit aspect five times. It was a decision that was justified whatever the decision. What would you have done? Kept him out, hope for a safety car or brought him in and kept the power unit in a good condition? 

In other disappointing news, Lotterer, who was driving Kamui Kobayashi's Caterham on his Formula 1 debut found himself retired after his car simply broke down on the side of the track. The 32 year old shrugged at the camera before continuing on his way back to the pit lane, practicing sporting maturity and quite possibly earning a few fans. 

Now, on the more positive side of the event, Sauber have quite clearly brought some improvements to the team with both Gutierrez and Sutil finishing the race. Adrian Sutil was in 14th with Esteban Gutierrez in 15th, one of their most promising finishes of the season! Things are certainly looking up. Despite this, after qualifying on Saturday Gutierrez said that it was "Not acceptable to have a weekend like this" before going on to say that he believes the team has already lost too many sessions due to technical issues. He clearly feels he is doing all he can.  Hopefully we can see Sauber win some points in Monza next time to give them something positive to concentrate on. 

Speaking of positive, my driver of the weekend was without a doubt, Valtteri Bottas, taking Williams to the podium yet again! I can do nothing other than praise this man. Congratulations to him and his team, I can't wait to see how far he can take them!"

Amy Hawk, F1Insider78 - "First of all, I'd like congratulate Daniel Ricciardo on another well-deserved win. This race was definitely another exciting one. Fans got to experience the wheel-to-wheel racing that they arrived for. 

Where the situation at Mercedes is concerned, I don't really want to comment on it at the moment. I think what happened is now in the past. I do feel bad for Lewis though, you could clearly see the disappointment after the race. It was tough.

As for Force India, after Kevin's (Magnussen) penalty, the team came away with another double-points haul which is great. Also, the team is only a handful of points away from surpassing their record points-tally, which will be a great accomplishment.

Sauber is obviously improving and I couldn't be happier to see both cars finishing and in the top 15. It's a better pace than in the previous race and I think Monza will be another good weekend to show the improvements. I think in this later-half of the season there is a chance of points.. You can't count it out, nothing is impossible.

So, yes, Italy is next and it's one of my favourite races, so I'm really looking forward to it."

Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

Quotes belong to their rightful owners and are available for use with permission.

Please contact at formula1insider78@gmail.com and ask for media permission.

Belgian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

Belgian GP Results:

Once again, another fantastic race for the 2014 season. Be assured, it was filled with wheel-to-wheel racing and drama. And that drama started before the first lap. Fernando Alonso had mechanics around his car, on the starting grid after the 15 second mark. When the officials call the 15 second mark, all staff, media and team engineers and workers must be off the grid. But due to some issues with Alonso's car, the mechanics ran off at the very last moment. Due to this, the Spaniard was given a 5-second-stop-go-penalty during the first few laps.

On lap 2, the two Mercedes AMG Petronas drivers made pretty bad contact when Rosberg's front wing clipped Hamilton's rear tyre, which caused a puncture and forced him to pit early. Rosberg pitted early as well, needing a new front wing. Of course, this caused much drama afterwards and both drivers aren't really wanting to comment on the situation. Unfortunately for Lewis Hamilton, more damage was sustained to his car than originally thought and both he and the team decided to safe the car and engine by retiring from the race.

Both Pastor Maldonado & Andre Lotterer were unable to complete the first few laps when both had to stop and retire due to failures in the car. Andre, who was debuting his first F1 race with Caterham, in place of Kamui Kobayashi for the Belgian GP, said he noticed a loss of power right at the start. Pastor Maldonado, saw smoke coming from his Lotus right before he retired. Pastor's team-mate, Romain Grosjean ended up retiring later on in the race due to damage to his car from debris. 

Ricciardo was quick to jump into the lead after the drama with the Mercedes drivers. Another finding himself in a good position was Kimi Raikkonen, who has had a particularly rough start to his first season back with Ferrari. Valtteri Bottas, was eager to get up into the front rows as well.

For Force India, they were already looking strong half-way through the race. Nico had jumped from 18th all the way to 12th. Sergio from 13th to 9th.

In the final laps, Alonso found himself in a cluster of cars, with Magnussen and Button surrounding him and Vettel behind. During this situation, Magnussen forced Alonso off the circuit while they were trying to pass eachother. While this wasn't on purpose, it was called to the FIA and Magnussen was given 20 seconds added to his final race time. So in end, he went from placing 7th to 12th. 

Vettel also made contact with Alonso, causing some debri to fly off of the cars. Both went on to finish the race, although maybe not in the positions they had hoped for. 

Someone who also didn't get the race he'd hoped for was Jules Bianchi who had to retire due to a gearbox issue, however, his team-mate, Max Chilton finished 16th. Max originally had sold his race seat for the weekend, to Alexander Rossi, but ended up stepping back in after Rossi drove in FP1. Much drama is still surrounding the situation. 

A good day for the Sauber team, who saw both of their drivers finish in the top 15. This means things are looking up after a tough first half of the season. They are currently 10th in the Championship but we know they have the power to score points before the end of the season.

In the end, Daniel Ricciardo took home his 3rd win of the season, with Rosberg finishing second and Bottas in 3rd. Rosberg was booed on the podium by what were said to be fans upset about the accident involving Hamilton early on in the race. 

Here are the final results from the race and please note that the standings did change after Magnussen's penalty, so we are giving you the standings post-penalty.

RACE RESULTS:

1. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia / + 25 Points

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points

3. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 15 Points

4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points

5. Sebastian Vettel / Red Bull-Renault / Germany / + 10 Points

6. Jenson Button / McLaren-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 8 Points

7. Fernando Alonso / Ferrari-Ferrari / Spain / + 6 Points

8. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 4 Points

9. Daniil Kvyat / Toro Rosso-Renault / + 2 Points

10. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / + 1 Point

11. Jean Eric Vergne / Toro Rosso-Renault / France / + 0 Points

12. Kevin Magnussen / McLaren-Mercedes / Denmark / + 0 Points

13. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 0 Points

14. Adrian Sutil / Sauber-Ferrari / Germany / + 0 Points

15. Esteban Gutierrez / Sauber-Ferrari / Mexico / + 0 Points

16. Max Chilton / Marussia-Ferrari / Great Britain / + 0 Points

17. Marcus Ericsson / Caterham-Renault / Sweden / + 0 Points

RETIRED - Jules Bianchi / Marussia-Ferrari / France / Gearbox Failure

RETIRED - Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / Collision Damage

RETIRED - Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Renault / France / Debris Damage

RETIRED - André Lotterer / Caterham-Renault / Germany / Exhaust Failure

RETIRED - Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Renault / Venezuela / Power Unit Failure

Thank you all for joining us on Twitter for our live commentary for the Belgian GP weekend. We'll be preparing for Monza this week so look for our Circuit Schedule and Circuit Preview, where we'll also re-cap the 2013 Italian GP! You can follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78

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

Free Practice 3 - Results

The last practice session before qualifying has been completed & We'd like to thank everyone for joining us on our twitter for our live coverage during the 3 sessions!

The weather has certainly changed since yesterday, as it was raining during the GP3 Qualifying earlier before FP3. Luckily, however, there were no crashes or huge issues in this session, so everyone got a fairly good run in!

Not a Mercedes 1-2 this time around though, as Valtteri Bottas topped the time sheets. And now, here are the full times.

TIMES:

1. Valtteri Bottas - Williams-Mercedes / 1:49.465

2. Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull-Renault / 1:49.733

3. Nico Rosberg - Mercedes-Mercedes / 1:49.739

4. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari-Ferrari / 1:49.817

5. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes-Mercedes / 1:49.818

6. Fernando Alonso - Ferrari-Ferrari / 1:49.890

7. Daniil Kvyat - Toro Rosso-Renault / 1:49.893

8. Jenson Button - McLaren-Mercedes / 1:50.203

9. Felipe Massa - Williams-Mercedes / 1:50.423

10. Jean-Eric Vergne - Toro Rosso-Renault / 1:50.535

11. Sergio Perez - Force India-Mercedes / 1:50.592

12. Kevin Magnussen - McLaren-Mercedes / 1:50.748

13. Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull-Renault / 1:50.814

14. Nico Hulkenberg - Force India-Mercedes / 1:50.866

15. Adrian Sutil - Sauber-Ferrari / 1:50.962

16. Romain Grosjean - Lotus-Renault / 1:51.509

17. Pastor Maldonado - Lotus-Renault / 1:51.610

18. Esteban Gutierrez - Sauber-Ferrari / 1:51.898

19. Jules Bianchi - Marussia-Ferrari / 1:52.457

20. Max Chilton - Marussia-Ferrari / 1:52.984

21. Marcus Ericsson - Caterham-Renault / 1.54.294

22. Andre Lotterer - Caterham-Renault / 1:55.008

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

Free Practice 2 - Results

Weather stayed dry for the second session of Practice at Spa-Francorchamps, but that didn't mean that there were not going to be any accidents.

Pastor Maldonado spun off and ended up with the Lotus going into the wall at Pouhon. He was alright, but that ended his session way early. 

Sebastian Vettel did not compete in the second session after a turbo/exhaust issue ended his run 5 minutes early in FP1. The team has decided to use the engine from Hungary to escape a 6th engine penalty. However, they can't avoid it for long.

Max Chilton, who has returned and will now indeed be racing this weekend, was also experiencing turbo issues.

Esteban Gutierrez found himself unlucky in the session when the Sauber spun out about halfway through the session, with a gearbox problem. We're not sure if the team is changing the gearbox or not, but as always, we'll be covering FP3 on our twitter @F1Insider78 - So make sure to follow us for updates prior to the session.

Here are the times from this session.

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes-Mercedes / 1:49.289

2. Nico Rosberg - Mercedes-Mercedes / 1:49.793 

3. Fernando Alonso - Ferrari-Ferrari / 1:49.930

4. Felipe Massa - Williams-Mercedes / 1:50.327

5. Jenson Button - McLaren-Mercedes / 1:50.659

6. Valtteri Bottas - Williams-Mercedes / 1:50.677

7. Daniil Kvyat - Toro Rosso-Renault / 1:50.725

8. Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull-Renault / 1:50.977

9. Kevin Magnussen - McLaren-Mercedes / 1:51.074

10. Nico Hulkenberg - Force India-Mercedes / 1:51.077

11. Jean-Eric Vergne - Toro Rosso-Renault / 1:51.383

12. Adrian Sutil - Sauber-Ferrari / 1:51.573 

13. Sergio Perez - Force India-Mercedes / 1:51.573

14. Romain Grosjean - Lotus-Renault / 1:52.196 

15. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari-Ferrari / 1:52.234

16. Jules Bianchi - Marussia-Ferrari / 1:52.776

17. Esteban Gutierrez - Sauber-Ferrari / 1:53.955

18. Max Chilton - Marussia-Ferrari / 1:54.040

19. Marcus Ericsson - Caterham-Renault / 1:54.050

20. Andre Lotterer - Caterham-Renault / 1:54.093

21. Pastor Maldonado - Lotus-Renault / No Time Set

22. Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull-Renault / No Time Set

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

Free Practice 1 - Results

We are back after the long F1 Summer Break and the first session of the Belgian GP weekend has been completed. Some teams dealt with a few issues, while others had smooth sailing for the session.

Button had a DRS issue that took awhile to fix, while Raikkonen mentioned an ERS problem. 

Vettel ended the session 5 minutes early with a burnt exhaust, while Giedo Van Der Garde, who was driving in place of Gutierrez for the session, mentioned over the radio that he had no power, multie times.

One thing that didn't change over the Summer Break was the Mercedes domination, as it was another 1-2 for Hamilton and Rosberg.

Here are the times from the session:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:51.577 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:51.674 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Fernando Alonso - 1:51.805 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Jenson Button - 1:52.404 / McLaren-Mercedes

5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:52.818 / Ferrari-Ferrari

6. Sergio Perez - 1:52.903 / Force India-Mercedes

7. Kevin Magnussen - 1:52.922 / McLaren-Mercedes

8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:52.937 / Force India-Mercedes

9. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:52.972 / Red Bull-Renault

10. Valtteri Bottas - 1:53.172 / Williams-Mercedes

11. Sebastian Vettel - 1:53.369 / Red Bull-Renault

12. Daniil Kvyat - 1:53.594 / Toro Rosso-Renault

13. Romain Grosjean - 1:53.597 / Lotus-Renault

14. Adrian Sutil - 1:53.703 / Sauber-Ferrari

15. Felipe Massa - 1:53.968 / Williams-Mercedes

16. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:54.189 / Toro Rosso-Renault

17. Giedo Van Der Garde - 1:54.335 / Sauber-Ferrari

18. Pastor Maldonado - 1:55.336 / Lotus-Renault

19. Jules Bianchi - 1:55.782 / Marussia-Ferrari

20. Alexander Rossi - 1:57.232 / Marussia-Ferrari

21. Andre Lotterer - 1:57.886 / Caterham-Renault

22. Marcus Ericsson - 1:57.977 / Caterham-Renault

Make sure you're following us on Twitter @F1Insider78 - Live Commentary Coverage of FP2 will start later.

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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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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Ferrari

Preview Quotes - Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen - “Spa is probably my favourite circuit because it’s an old-style track which climbs and drops through the forest and I like the fact it’s fast and flowing. Also, it usually provides good racing to watch for the spectators. I think you can make a difference as a driver at every part of the circuit, but as with every track, it’s a combination of factors. At Turn 1, the hairpin, you can actually lose or gain a lot of time and you need good speed out of it because after it comes the very long straight including Eau Rouge. That corner has been easily flat out for quite a long time now, although actually, with this year’s cars, that might not be the case. Last time I drove here in a Ferrari (in 2009) I won, and that was in a year when we had been struggling since the start. But in Spa we managed to get things going a bit more in the right direction and it would be good if the same thing could happen this year. That would hopefully mean the racing would be a bit more fun. It’s always more fun when we get the results!”

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Jean-Eric Vergne - "Spa is undoubtedly one of the best circuits on the calendar and I think I'd have to say it's also my favourite track. I love it for so many different reasons, starting with the track itself. Then I also like the country and the area where the circuit is, which is very beautiful. In Belgium I also always have a lot of Belgian fans waiting for me and the place just feels like home. It's a great race weekend. Of course, this place is famous for its strange weather, with rain at one part of the track and not at another, which is an aspect I actually enjoy. It also has that mix of the high speed sections, where you need good engine power and the slower more technical section on the part of the track that links up the two bits from the original old 14 kilometre circuit. Always a great weekend!"

Daniil Kvyat - "I have very good memories, as I won here three times. But once you get to the track, everything starts again from zero and how well you do depends on how good a job you do starting on Friday morning. Spa is a legendary track, I've enjoyed driving there in the past, so I am really looking forward to tackling it in a Formula One car for the first time. It is definitely one of my favourites. What do you need there? A powerful engine combined with high downforce, which you need on the second sector, which is technically challenging and for the first and third sectors you also want good stability under braking with plenty of straight line speed. If it rains that's fine for me, as it's the same for everyone."

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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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Andre Lotterer will drive for Caterham for Belgian GP Weekend

(Image credit goes to: www.flickr.com - All rights belong to the owner.)

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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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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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton - "The summer break was a good chance to relax and to reflect on what's been an incredible start to the year for us as a team. But personally, I can't wait to get back in the car and back into the battle for the championship. I had some difficult weekends in the first part of the season, but then a bit of good fortune at the last race in Budapest kept me from damaging my car on the wall during that first lap, so hopefully that was a sign that my fortunes are changing at just the right time. There were so many positives to take from the opening 11 races, but both myself and the team always want more and know we are capable of more. The aim is to put the more difficult times of some of the previous weekends behind us and to recreate the best moments at every race from now on. I love driving at Spa, so there are few better places to start. I had good results there in 2008 and on my first visit to the circuit with this team last year, plus the win in 2010 of course. I haven't won there as many times as I'd like but that win was a really special one, so I really want to add to that and that's definitely the target this weekend."

Nico Rosberg - "It's good to be back after the break and to see everyone looking really refreshed and up for the fight in the remaining months of the season. The last race didn't turn out how I had hoped after taking pole in tricky conditions the day before, but I still managed to come away with my championship lead intact and that's a good place to be heading into the next part of the year. Although we have had a great start with plenty of good results, that race showed that the other teams are never too far away. In Formula One you just can't afford to give away any advantage and I know that both the team and myself will be working harder than ever to keep improving and maintain our position right to the very end. On top of that, the battle with Lewis has been so close all season - and it could well stay that way right up to the final race - so every last point will be crucial in that contest too. Next up, of course, we have Belgium, which is definitely one of the most spectacular races of the year. The circuit is just unreal and it's one I think every driver looks forward to. My record there hasn't been as good as at some other circuits in the past, but I'm determined to change that and get the season kicked off again in style!"

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Toro Rosso Confirms Max Verstappen for 2015

Today, the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team has confirmed their 2015 Driver-Line-Up, consisting of their current driver, Russian rookie, Daniil Kvyat and newly introduced into the Red Bull Junior Team, Dutch FIA Formula 3 driver, 16-year-old Max Verstappen. 

Max will be the breaking the record of youngest F1 driver when he takes over the current seat of driver Jean-Eric Vergne, who will not be continuing on with the team. For JEV, it seems his F1 seat hunting has begun early. Max has also only competed in this year's Formula 3 championship. He has not completed a year with GP3 or GP2, which are both crucial championships that most drivers go through before their step-up into an F1 car.

While Verstappen has a huge amount of talent to prove, it's refreshing to see another young driver get the chance of a lifetime. There is no doubt he's been showcasing his talent, and the Toro Rosso team obviously can see he has a lot to show on their team. This signing will also make Toro Rosso the team with the youngest drivers on the 2015 grid so-far.

We send our congratulations to Max and wish him the best of luck for next year!

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk.
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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

Preview Quotes - McLaren

Jenson Button - "I go into the second half of the season feeling incredibly refreshed and positive. There's no better place to resume the season than at Spa-Francorchamps. It's one of the best circuits in the world, and it's a place where driving a Formula One car always feels incredible. As ever, I'm really looking forward to driving out of the pits for the first time on Friday morning, and just throwing the car into some of the greatest corners in motorsport. I had one of my best weekends of the year at Spa last year, qualifying and finishing sixth after running closely with a bunch of cars through the whole race. It wasn't my best finish of the year, but it was positive because I got the maximum out of the package we had, and was able to fight closely with a number of other drivers, which felt satisfying. Hopefully, there will be positives to take out of this weekend as well."

Kevin Magnussen - "It has felt like an incredibly long four weeks, and I really can't wait to get back into the cockpit, particularly as we're headed to Spa, one of the best drivers' tracks in the world. I love Spa: I won there in British Formula 3 in 2011, and in Formula Renault 3.5 in both 2012 and 2013, and I just love the fast, flowing nature of the circuit. Hooking up a quick lap there during qualifying is just fantastic, because the track just flows from one corner to the next, and the car is so fast and assured that it almost feels effortless. It's fantastic. I think the second half of this season will be incredibly important for us. We need to use these next eight races to assert ourselves, pushing our development strategy to the fore in order to first consolidate and then improve our positions in both the drivers' and constructors' championships. As a team, I know we are up for the challenge."

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Preview Quotes - Force India

Nico Hulkenberg - "I'm feeling refreshed and ready to get back in the car because three weeks is a long time away from racing. We made the most of our opportunities in the first part of the season and we need to do the same in the final eight races. I expect a close battle in the championship until the end of the season so we need to be consistently picking up good points. It's an amazing track and one of my favourites, as it probably is for everybody on the grid. There are so many iconic corners, such as Eau Rouge and Pouhon, which feel very special in a Formula One car. For the high and medium speed corners you obviously need downforce, but it's a trade-off with top speed on the long straights so you need good efficiency."

Sergio Perez - "During the season I don't manage to go home as often as I would like so (the summer break) was a good chance to spend time with my family. I've never scored points at Spa, so that's my first target. We also need to put the disappointment of Hungary behind us. Spa is a power track and I think we can perform well there. It has amazing corners, lots of character and history. The racing is always intense because there are a couple of overtaking opportunities, especially in turn five if you get a good run through Eau Rouge. It will be interesting to see how these cars cope with Eau Rouge this year and whether we can still take it flat. You also have to expect wet weather at some point so it could be quite unpredictable."

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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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