Belgian GP: Race - RE-CAP & RESULTS

BELGIAN GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Sebastian Vettel took his 5th win of the 2018 season after a nerve-wracking race at Circuit de Spa Francorchamps.

    The race got off to an incredibly rocky start when a first lap accident caused by Nico Hulkenerg set off a quick chain reaction of collision-induced retirements. 

    Hulkenberg, who admitted to misjudging his braking, started the whole incident by plowing into the back of Fernando Alonso, who was then launched into the air and sent flying over the Sauber of Charles Leclerc. One of Alonso's front tyres was seen bouncing and scraping against Leclerc's Halo. 

    When Alonso's car finally came to a rest, it was then clear how much damage had actually been done. The engine cover had been torn off and the front wing set-up was completely gone.

    Alonso, Hulkenberg and Leclerc were all out of the race due to the accident and Kimi Raikkonen was next to retire after a puncture and collision damage that he sustained as well.

    Nico Hulkenberg was handed a 10-Place-Grid-Penalty for Monza for causing the collision and was also given 3 Penalty Points to his license. Bottas was handed 2 Penalty Points as well for colliding with Sergey Sirotkin in the opening lap.

    Both Racing Point Force India drivers were lucky enough to miss the tangle in the back, with Perez and Ocon following Vettel and Hamilton without any damage. While it looked like a potential podium finish for one of them, they finished the race in 5th (Perez) and 6th (Ocon). This brought them a total of 18 points, which is a good start as they now much catch up in the constructors after losing all their points from when they were entered as Sahara Force India.

    Max Verstappen was able to secure third to finish in front of his home-crowd, making it another well-driven race for the Half-Dutch/Half-Belgian driver. Vandoorne, who was also a home-crowd favorite, finished back in 15th after a tough weekend of mechanical woes.

    While Leclerc never got a chance to show what he could do around Spa, Marcus Ericsson, in the lone Sauber, was able to bring home the last point by finishing in 10th. Just ahead of him in 9th was Pierre Gasly. Gasly's team-mate, Hartley, finished in 14th.

    Both Haas drivers were also celebrating as they finished within the top 10 with Grosjean in 7th and Magnussen in 8th. There is yet to be any word of who will drive for the American team in 2018, but there is rumours that Grosjean will not be keeping his seat.

    Valtteri Bottas just missed out on a podium as he brought home his Mercedes in 4th, while Lewis Hamilton secured 2nd, missing out on the win.

    Daniel Ricciardo was the only other retirement of the race due to collision damage as well.

RESULTS:

1. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 25 Points
2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 18 Points
3. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 15 Points
4. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 10 Points
6. Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France / + 8 Points
7. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France / + 6 Points
8. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / + 4 Points
9. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France / + 2 Points
10. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / + 1 Point
11. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain 
12. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
13. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
14. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
15. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium 

RETIRED - Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia / Collision Damage
RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Collision Damage
RETIRED - Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco / Collision Damage
RETIRED - Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain / Collision Damage
RETIRED - Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany / Collision

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Formula 2 - Belgium - Sprint Race - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - BELGIUM - SPRINT RACE - RESULTS

1. Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada / + 15 Points + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)

2. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain / + 12 Points

3. Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand / + 10 Points

4. Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands / + 8 Points

5. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia / + 6 Points

6. Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy / + 4 Points

7. George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 2 Points

8. Arjun Maini / Trident / India / + 1 Point

9. Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil

10. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

11. Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan

12. Ralph Boschung / MP Motorsport / Switzerland

13. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland

14. Roy Nissany / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel

15. Alessio Lorandi / Trident / Italy

16. Maximilian Gunther / BWT Arden / Germany

17. Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan

18. Dorian Boccolacci / MP Motorsport / France*

19. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy

RETIRED - Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia / Mechanical

* - Notes Boccolacci is replacing Roberto Merhi for the rest of the season at MP Motorsport

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GP3 - Belgium - Sprint Race - RESULTS

GP3 - BELGIUM - SPRINT RACE - RESULTS

1. Nikita Mazepin / ART Grand Prix / Russia / + 15 Points + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)
2. Anthoine Hubert / ART Grand Prix / France / + 12 Points
3. Callum Ilott / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 10 Points
4. Jake Hughes / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 8 Points
5. Pedro Piquet / Trident / Brazil / + 6 Points
6. Giuliano Alesi / Trident / France / + 4 Points
7. Richard Verschoor / MP Motorsport / Netherlands / + 2 Points*
8. Ryan Tveter / Trident / USA / + 1 Point
9. Tatiana Calderon / Jenzer Motorsport / Columbia
10. Juan Manuel Correa / Jenzer Motorsport / USA
11. Gabriel Aubry / Arden International / France
12. Niko Kari / MP Motorsport / Finland
13. Simo Laaksonen / Campos Racing / Finland
14. Julien Falchero / Arden International / France
15. Jannes Fittje / Jenzer Motorsport / Germany
16. Diego Menchaca / Campos Racing / Mexico
17. Joey Mawson / Arden International / Australia / RETIRED / Mechanical**

RETIRED - Devlin DeFrancesco / MP Motorsport / Canada / Throttle
RETIRED - Leonardo Pulcini / Campos Racing / Italy / Mechanical

DID NOT START - David Beckmann / Trident / Germany / Mechanical

* - Notes Verschoor is replacing Dorian Boccolacci who has stepped up to Formula 2 for the rest of the season

** - Notes Mawson completed at least 90% of the race distance and qualified as finished, despite his retirement

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Formula 2 - Belgium - Feature Race - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - BELGIUM - FEATURE RACE - RESULTS

1. Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands / + 25 Points + 4 Points (Pole) + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)
2. Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil / + 18 Points
3. George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 15 Points
4. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain / + 12 Points
5. Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand / + 10 Points
6. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia / + 8 Points
7. Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy / + 6 Points
8. Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada / + 4 Points
9. Maximilian Gunther / BWT Arden / Germany / + 2 Points
10. Roy Nissany / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel / + 1 Point
11. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain
12. Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan
13. Alessio Lorandi / Trident / Italy
14. Arjun Maini / Trident / India
15. Dorian Boccolacci / MP Motorsport / France*
16. Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia
17. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy

18. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland

RETIRED - Ralph Boschung / MP Motorsport / Switzerland / Mechanical
RETIRED - Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan / Mechanical

* - Notes Boccolacci is replacing Roberto Merhi for the rest of the season at MP Motorsport

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Belgian GP: Qualifying - RE-CAP & RESULTS

BELGIAN GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton took pole position ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix while 4 drivers took grid penalties for multiple component changes and were forced to the back of the grid

HOW IT WORKS:

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

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five 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. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
2. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
3. Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
4. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
5. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
7. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
8. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
9. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
10. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
11. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
12. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
13. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
14. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain
15. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
16. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
17. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland*
18. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany*
19. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain*
20. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium*

* - (Bottas, Hulkenberg, Sainz & Vandoorne) All drivers to start from the back of the grid due to multiple engine component changes

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Belgian GP: Free Practice #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

BELGIAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Sebastian Vettel led the way in the third and final practice session of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.

    Vettel's quickest time was a 1:42.661 while team-mate, Raikkonen, was close behind in 2nd with a 1:42.724

    Both Mercedes drivers followed the order with Hamilton in 3rd and Bottas in 4th. Rounding out the top 5 was Max Verstappen.

    Gasly, who will be Verstappen's team-mate next year, finished in 15th with a 1:46.182. He had a bit of a moment heading out of pit-lane during the session but other than that it was trouble free for the Frenchman. Brendon Hartley in the other Toro Rosso was one place behind in 16th

    There was a bit of a moment between Bottas and Vandoorne when the Belgian driver got pushed over onto the grass by Bottas. He then spun out of control and hit the barriers. Bottas was handed a reprimand for the incident after being found guilty by the stewards

    It was another good session for Sauber with Charles Leclerc finishing up in 7th with a 1:44.963. Ericsson was just a few spaces behind in 11th with a 1:45.536.

    The same couldn't be said for McLaren as the session saw both drivers finish at the bottom of the time-sheets with Alonso in 19th and Vandoorne again in 20th after struggling with multiple mechanical issues in FP1 and FP2.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:42.661 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:42.724 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:42.798 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:43.464 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
5. Max Verstappen - 1:44.048 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:44.479 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
7. Charles Leclerc - 1:44.963 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
8. Sergio Perez - 1:45.341 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
9. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:45.464 / Renault-Renault / Germany
10. Esteban Ocon - 1:45.485 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
11. Marcus Ericsson - 1:45.536 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
12. Romain Grosjean - 1:45.814 / Haas-Ferrari / France
13. Carlos Sainz - 1:45.925 / Renault-Renault / Spain
14. Kevin Magnussen - 1:46.087 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
15. Pierre Gasly - 1:46.182 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
16. Brendon Hartley - 1:46.259 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
17. Lance Stroll - 1:46.502 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
18. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:46.630 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
19. Fernando Alonso - 1:46.942 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
20. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:47.061 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

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GP3 - Belgium - Qualifying - RESULTS

GP3 - BELGIUM - QUALIYING - RESULTS

1. David Beckmann / Trident / Germany

2. Anthoine Hubert / ART Grand Prix / France

3. Pedro Piquet / Trident / Brazil

4. Jake Hughes / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

5. Nikita Mazepin / ART Grand Prix / Russia

6. Callum Ilott / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

7. Simo Laaksonen / Campos Racing / Finland

8. Ryan Tveter / Trident / USA

9. Giuliano Alesi / Trident / France

10. Joey Mawson / Arden International / Australia

11. Tatiana Calderon / Jenzer Motorsport / Columbia

12. Leonardo Pulcini / Campos Racing / Italy

13. Juan Manuel Correa / Jenzer Motorsport / USA
14. Gabriel Aubry / Arden International / France

15. Julien Falchero / Arden International / France

16. Niko Kari / MP Motorsport / Finland

17. Diego Menchaca / Campos Racing / Mexico

18. Devlin DeFrancesco / MP Motorsport / Canada

19. Jannes Fittje / Jenzer Motorsport / Germany

DISQUALIFIED - Richard Verschoor / MP Motorsport / Netherlands*+

* - Notes Verschoor is replacing Dorian Boccolacci who has stepped up to Formula 2 for the rest of the season

+ - Notes Verschoor was disqualified for not stopping at the weigh bridge during the session

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Formula 2 - Belgium - Qualifying - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - BELGIUM - QUALIFYING - RESULTS

1. Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands

2. George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

3. Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil

4. Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy

5. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain

6. Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand

7. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy

8. Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan

9. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland

10. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia

11. Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan

12. Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada

13. Ralph Boschung / MP Motorsport / Switzerland

14. Maximilian Gunther / BWT Arden / Germany

15. Arjun Maini / Trident / India

16. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

17. Roy Nissany / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel

18. Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia

19. Alessio Lorandi / Trident / Italy

20. Dorian Boccolacci / MP Motorsport / France*

* - Notes Boccolacci is replacing Roberto Merhi for the rest of the season at MP Motorsport

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Belgian GP: Free Practice #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

BELGIAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Kimi Raikkonen led the way in the second practice session of the Belgian GP weekend.

    The Ferrari driver set a 1:43.355 to put himself in 1st, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

    The two Mercedes drivers proved once again to be in top shape as they held on to 2nd and 3rd on the time-sheets. 

    Max Verstappen came 4th with a 1:44.046, ahead of Sebastian Vettel, who finished in 5th with a 1:44.129.

    Fernando Alonso was back in his McLaren after Lando Norris had a go in it for FP1. Alonso, who will leave F1 after this season, finished in 16th with a 1:46.153. Team-mate, Vandoorne, endured more car issues, resulting in the team even having to change the floor. Vandoorne finished last again with a 1:46.496.

    Wasting no time to show that they still have the pace, Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc both finished in the top 10. Ericsson, in 9th, placed a 1:45.537 while Leclerc was right behind in 10th with a 1:45.622. The question still looms if Leclerc will be wearing red next year or if he will remain with the Swiss team for at least one more season.

    One driver who doesn't have to worry about his future is Pierre Gasly, who is freshly signed to Red Bull Racing for 2019 onward. The young French driver finished the session in 15th with a 1:46.080, while team-mate, Hartley, was a few spaces behind in 17th.

TIMES:

1. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:43.355 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:43.523 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

3. Valtteri Bottas - 1:43.803 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

4. Max Verstappen - 1:44.046 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:44.129 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:44.250 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

7. Sergio Perez - 1:44.662 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

8. Carlos Sainz - 1:45.481 / Renault-Renault / Spain

9. Marcus Ericsson - 1:45.537 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

10. Charles Leclerc - 1:45.622 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:45.753 / Renault-Renault / Germany

12. Romain Grosjean - 1:45.817 / Haas-Ferrari / France

13. Esteban Ocon - 1:45.935 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France

14. Kevin Magnussen - 1:46.078 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

15. Pierre Gasly - 1:46.080 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

16. Fernando Alonso - 1:46.153 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

17. Brendon Hartley - 1:46.337 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

18. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:46.451 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

19. Lance Stroll - 1:46.470 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

20. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:46.496 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

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Formula 2 - Belgium - Free Practice - TIMES

FORMULA 2 - BELGIUM - FREE PRACTICE - TIMES

1. Nyck de Vries - 1:58.125 / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands

2. Sergio Sette Camara - 1:58.135 / Carlin / Brazil

3. George Russell - 1:58.600 / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

4. Lando Norris - 1:58.779 / Carlin / Great Britain

5. Ralph Boschung - 1:58.794 / MP Motorsport / Switzerland

6. Luca Ghiotto - 1:58.840 / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy

7. Antonio Fuoco - 1:58.873 / Charouz Racing System / Italy

8. Alexander Albon - 1:59.104 / DAMS / Thailand

9. Maximilian Gunther - 1:59.147 / BWT Arden / Germany

10. Jack Aitken - 1:59.186 / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

11. Artem Markelov - 1:59.241 / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia

12. Nicholas Latifi - 1:59.339 / DAMS / Canada

13. Louis Deletraz - 1:59.448 / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland

14. Sean Gelael - 1:59.458 / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia

15. Dorian Boccolacci - 1:59.490 / MP Motorsport / France*

16. Arjun Maini - 1:59.643 / Trident / India

17. Nirei Fukuzumi - 1:59.757 / BWT Arden / Japan

18. Tadasuke Makino - 2:00.360 / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan

19. Alessio Lorandi - 2:00.793 / Trident / Italy

20. Roy Nissany - 2:00.816 / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel

* - Notes Boccolacci is replacing Roberto Merhi for the rest of the season at MP Motorsport

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Belgian GP: Free Practice #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

BELGIAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Sebastian Vettel topped the first free practice session of the weekend for Ferrari, setting a 1:44.358. 

    Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were close behind in 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

    Vettel's team-mate, Raikkonen, finished in 4th with a 1:44.718. Valtteri Bottas completed the top 5 with a 1:44.724.

    Daniel Ricciardo, who suffered from mechanical issues during the session, still managed to finish in 6th with a 1:45.558.

    Both Mercedes drivers are taking new engine components and Bottas, who has gone over his allowed limit of components, will start the race from the back, along with Hulkenberg, who has also gone over his allowed number of components.

    There was a bit of spotty rain throughout the session, but it didn't phase Lando Norris, who got to drive the McLaren in place of Fernando Alonso, who leaves the sport at the end of the season. Norris, who currently competes in Formula 2 with the Carlin team, put in a 1:47.364 to finish 17th. Vandoorne, who suffered from brake problems in the session, finished last in 20th with a 1:47.452.

    Force India has undergone a name change as a result of new ownership and has re-entered the sport as Racing Point Force India. The team will lose all their Constructor points but Perez and Ocon will be able to keep their points in the Drivers Championship. Perez, who is looking likely to stay with the team in 2019, finished in 9th with a 1:46.169. Team-mate, Ocon, who may be replaced by Lance Stroll, finished a couple of spaces ahead in 7th with a 1:45.786.

TIMES: 

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:44.358 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
2. Max Verstappen - 1:44.509 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:44.676 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:44.718 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:44.724 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:45.558 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
7. Esteban Ocon - 1:45.786 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France
8. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:45.951 / Renault-Renault / Germany
9. Sergio Perez - 1:46.169 / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
10. Carlos Sainz - 1:46.210 / Renault-Renault / Spain
11. Pierre Gasly - 1:46.300 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
12. Romain Grosjean - 1:46.387 / Haas-Ferrari / France
13. Charles Leclerc - 1:46.554 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
14. Marcus Ericsson - 1:46.557 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
15. Brendon Hartley - 1:46.932 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
16. Lance Stroll - 1:46.965 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
17. Kevin Magnussen - 1:47.012 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
18. Lando Norris - 1:47.364 / McLaren-Renault / Great Britain*
19. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:47.367 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
20. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:47.452 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

* - Notes participating in FP1 only

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GP3 - Belgium - Free Practice - TIMES

GP3 - BELGIUM - FREE PRACTICE - TIMES

1. David Beckmann - 2:06.111 / Trident / Germany
2. Pedro Piquet - 2:06.216 / Trident / Brazil
3. Giuliano Alesi - 2:06.524 / Trident / France
4. Ryan Tveter - 2:06.680 / Trident / USA
5. Anthoine Hubert - 2:07.073 / ART Grand Prix / France
6. Nikita Mazepin - 2:07.091 / ART Grand Prix / Russia
7. Juan Manuel Correa - 2:07.169 / Jenzer Motorsport / USA
8. Jake Hughes - 2:07.194 / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain
9. Tatiana Calderon - 2:07.266 / Jenzer Motorsport / Columbia
10. Callum Ilott - 2:07.494 / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain 
11. Gabriel Aubry - 2:07.544 / Arden International / France
12. Leonardo Pulcini - 2:07.606 / Campos Racing / Italy
13. Simo Laaksonen - 2:07.646 / Campos Racing / Finland
14. Niko Kari - 2:07.684 / MP Motorsport / Finland
15. Joey Mawson - 2:07.733 / Arden International / Australia
16. Richard Verschoor - 2:08.141 / MP Motorsport / Netherlands*
17. Devlin DeFrancesco - 2:08.305 / MP Motorsport / Canada
18. Jannes Fittje - 2:08.498 / Jenzer Motorsport / Germany
19. Diego Mencha - 2:08.638 / Campos Racing / Mexico
20. Julien Falchero - NO TIME SET / Arden International / France

* - Notes Verschoor is replacing Dorian Boccolacci who has stepped up to Formula 2 for the rest of the season

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes

HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - "Spa is a very high-speed circuit with a lot of good fun and good memories, but I’ve got to admit that last year from turn five to the backstraight of turn 15, the whole middle part of the circuit has been much faster. We’ve had that feeling from the extra grip and down force of the new cars.

    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.”

Kevin Magnussen - “I’ve won in every category I’ve raced there with the exception of Formula One. I have many good memories from competing at Spa. It's obviously one of the best tracks in the world and every driver thinks so. It’s fast, challenging and fun. We’re all looking forward to going there.”

McLAREN F1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “Even though Formula 1 has been on its summer shutdown, it feels like a lot has happened since Hungary! I’m pleased to finally confirm my decision for 2019, but that doesn’t in any way deter from what me or the team will be focusing on for the rest of the year.

    We still have a lot of work to do and I’m really looking forward to being back in the car from FP2. Although I’ve raced more recently that anyone else on the grid, at Silverstone in WEC last weekend, I still can’t wait to get behind the wheel at Spa. It’s one of the best circuits on the calendar and usually a lot of fun.

    Spa is the longest track we race on and a lot of it is at full throttle, so it will be a challenging weekend for us. But, I feel fresh, motivated and ready to attack the weekend and the second half of the season.”

Stoffel Vandoorne - “I’ve never felt more ready to come back after the summer break! I’ve really enjoyed the time away, being able to switch off and spend time with friends and family that I don’t often get to see much between races, but I’m definitely looking forward to getting back in the car.

    My home race is always one of the key highlights of the season, and every year I go there we see more and more passionate fans in the grandstands. The feeling is incredible and the whole team always receives a very warm welcome everywhere we go.

    Although the DNF was hugely disappointing in Hungary, I had a much more positive feeling in the car and my main objective is to carry this momentum forward to Spa and these back-to-back races. Spa is also my favourite track – as it is for many other drivers – and I’ve raced there all through my junior career, so it feels like a second home for me and I hope we can put on a good show for the Belgian fans.”

WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Lance Stroll - "I have never really been a huge fan of this track as it has never clicked for me, although I appreciate that many drivers do love it. However, it is my second home race, as my mother was born in Belgium, so it does have a special meaning for me. It is a long lap with some amazing sections and the weather can play an important part - it can change in a second with rain on one side of the circuit and the other side dry, and then anything can happen. It also has a lot of history and I know the fans always enjoy it, whatever the weather!"

Sergey Sirotkin - "Spa is one of the biggest races in the F1 championship, one which everyone is looking forward to racing at. With the current cars and track safety evolution, it has become much less risky and challenging for the drivers, but it is still an exciting track. It’s a great location and after the summer break, it will be nice to come back fresh and race at such a great circuit!"

RENAULT SPORT FORMULA ONE TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - "Spa is up there as one of my favourite tracks in Formula 1 and one I always seem to go well at. The track is located within some nice natural scenery in the middle of the forest, which can throw up some surprises, especially with the weather. Spa is notorious for its elevation changes and fast, sweeping corners.

    Driving at Spa is special, especially in a modern Formula 1 car, as it sticks to these flat-out corners at high-speed, it’s so unique and gives you a thrill. Eau Rouge is of course the corner that everyone talks about, but Pouhon and Blanchimont are also exciting and taken at very high-speed. Spa is really suited to my style of driving."

Carlos Sainz - "Spa is very enjoyable as it has everything: fast corners, long straights, overtaking opportunities, elevation changes and random weather! I like racing in Spa, it’s one of the special Grands Prix in Formula 1, and one all drivers look forward to racing. I enjoy sector two, as it’s quite busy and has a nice flow to it.

    It’s tough to find that perfect car balance between setting up for the flowing corners, which require high down force, while being careful not to take off too much straight-line speed, which you need for the Kemmel Straight and before the bus-stop chicane."

ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “We’re off to Belgium for the first race after the break. We are coming back recharged after a nice summer, and it is great to kick-off the second half of the season at one of the best tracks on the calendar – the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It is uniquely challenging and always a great circuit to drive on. We have the opportunity to build on a strong first half of the season, on a track that should suit us quite well. The unpredictable weather conditions could add an extra twist and make it even more exciting to race there. I look forward to the weekend.”

Charles Leclerc - “Although it was nice to have some time off and review the first half of the season, it is good to return to racing. The most important thing will be to get back in the rhythm as quickly as possible, and as a team, to regroup and focus on our target, which is to continue making progress as we did during the first half of the season. The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is a very special one. The lap is very long, and it has all different kinds of corners, which makes it interesting to drive on. I look forward to being back in the car there.”

RED BULL TORO ROSSO HONDA

Brendon Hartley - “Sarah and I headed to Colorado straight after the Budapest test and stayed out there for two weeks with Mark (Webber). We did a lot of hiking, relaxing and mountain biking and it was nice to switch off. One day turned out to be very tough as I took part in the Leadville Trail 100 MTB, a hundred-mile mountain bike race, which I’d originally signed up to do last year, however, I didn’t manage to get an entry at the time. It was incredibly tough, the race started at over 10,000 feet and ended at over 12,000, but it was very satisfying to complete, especially as it pushed me outside my comfort zone. It was something I had wanted to do for a while, achieving a goal which also took me away from the F1 paddock. It went really well and since then I’ve felt refreshed after all that time in the mountains and I’m ready to take on the rest of the season, starting with this weekend in Belgium.

    I’ve won at Spa in Formula 3 and in WEC. The venue is another crowd pleaser, very popular with the drivers and the fans. It’s old-school and scenic as it undulates through the forest and it’s a track that we very much enjoy. On top of that, the weather often comes into play and we’ve seen some very exciting races over the years because of the changing conditions.

    In Budapest, we showed that we had the pace and could do the job in mixed conditions, so that could mean we can have a very positive weekend in Spa. During the break, I made a big effort not to think about racing as it’s important to switch off and recharge, but in the last week, I’ve started thinking about the rest of the season and specifically Spa. It’s been a tough first half of the year, but I’m sure after the break, everyone at Toro Rosso is raring to go for the remaining races. We are all feeling optimistic after showing good pace in Hungary. It’s going to be very nice getting back in the cockpit on Friday, especially as I will be taking on Spa in a Formula 1 car for the first time. It’s one of the most iconic tracks on the calendar and I can’t wait!” 

Pierre Gasly  - “I enjoyed the holiday, spending time with my family and close friends. The summer break was made even better when I found out I would be promoted to Red Bull Racing next year! I was on holidays with my friends when I first saw the news Daniel was leaving, then a few days later I got the call from Helmut saying he decided to take me. I was so happy and excited about it! I always dreamed of going there since I joined the Red Bull programme in 2013. I didn’t expect Daniel to leave so it made the news even better! Now, I want to stay focused for the end of the year, because there’s still nine races to go and I want to give my best for Toro Rosso who gave me my first chance in Formula 1, and finish on a high with the team.

    After a trip to Greece, I was back in France enjoying the break and getting energized for the final part of the season doing all sorts of things, including surfing and wakeboarding and playing football with mates, enjoying the sun and the sea. There were a few days where I did nothing right after the Hungarian GP, but I quickly picked up my training again, not too hard at first, but I’ve been doing it intensively again this last week. There are still nine races to go, so I want to be in the best condition possible. 

    Spa is my favourite circuit, it’s an amazing track and I really loved driving there in all the categories, so I can’t wait to tackle it in these current F1 cars that have so much down force. It’s going to be very fast! Kicking off the rest of the season here is going to be great. The last time I raced here in GP2 in 2016, I won and before that, I also won in Renault 3.5. In general, I’ve always gone well here. I’ve spent some time driving Spa on the simulator and we know that, on paper, this might be a difficult weekend for us, but we will give it our best shot as always. I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel on Friday for the first time in over three weeks. I have to admit I’ve been thinking about racing a lot during the break. I missed the sense of competition and in fact, during the holidays, whatever the activity I was doing with my friends, I was always trying to put some sort of competitive element into everything we did! Competing is what drives me, so I’m keen for the weekend to start!”

ASTON MARTIN RED BULL RACING 

Daniel Ricciardo - “I was third at Spa last year, second the year before and I won in 2014. It’s a cool place and a very historic track. The lap is long but it’s one where you feel that if you make a little mistake somewhere, maybe you can get it back, as there are so many corners and it’s never over until the full lap is done. It’s not like Austria, where if you make a mistake at the first corner your lap is pretty much ruined.

At Spa you can make some time back towards the end of the lap, but obviously you would prefer each lap to be perfect! I really like the flowing middle sector, I enjoy quick changes of direction and it has plenty of that. Pouhon, Turn 10 is one of the fastest and coolest corners on the calendar. Spa is good for overtaking, has big slipstreams and is high speed - so it’s a fun track. What’s not to like.”

Max Verstappen - “Racing at Spa is always special. I was born just an hour down the road so it is pretty much a home race for me. You can see by the orange crowds and campsites full of Dutch caravans that the fans come out in force, this only adds to the home race feel. The track is set in the forest which makes it different to drive from other circuits. Eau Rouge is of course special but my favourite part is Pouhon, the fast lefts feel really nice.

While at Spa you have to try the Waffles and Frites, they are a tradition and delicious. The win in Austria was amazing as it was Red Bull’s home race and there was a massive Dutch following. To win in Spa would be similar, orange and flags everywhere, I hope we can make them smile this year.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk

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