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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Gasly Confirmed At Red Bull

RED BULL CONFIRMS PIERRE GASLY

    Red Bull has confirmed Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly will make the step up to the senior team in 2019.

    The GP2 champion, who made his Formula 1 debut in Malaysia last year, replaces Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull as the Australian moves to Renault next season.

    Heading into just his second full season in F1, Gasly said he was excited about the opportunity but admitted his promotion would be a challenge.

    “To be awarded a drive at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing from 2019 is a dream come true for me, I’m so excited to be joining this top team,” he said.

    “It has been my goal to race for this team since I joined the Red Bull Junior Driver Programme in 2013, and this incredible opportunity is another step forward in my ambition to win grands prix and compete for world championships.

    Red Bull has always looked to fight for championships or victories and that’s what I want. I’m a really competitive guy and when I do something it’s always to fight for the best and top positions.

    As hugely exciting a moment as this is, I am fully aware of the challenge this special opportunity offers me and the expectations that faces any driver at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.

    I’m looking forward to rewarding the faith that Dietrich Mateschitz, Christian Horner, and Dr Helmut Marko have placed in me.”

    He added that he will continue to push hard for top results during his remaining time with Toro Rosso.

    Since joining the F1 grid, Gasly has taken three points finishes, including Honda’s top result of a fourth place finish in Bahrain.

    Team boss Christian Horner added that these results helped convince the team Gasly was prepared for the promotion.

    “Since Pierre first stepped into a Formula 1 seat with Scuderia Toro Rosso less than a year ago, he has proved the undoubted talent that Red Bull has nurtured since his early career,” he said.

    “His stellar performances this year at the Honda-powered team, in only his first full season in Formula 1, have only enhanced his reputation as one of the most exciting young drivers in motorsport and we look forward to Pierre bringing his speed, skill and attitude to the team in 2019.”

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Sainz Joins McLaren In 2019

McLAREN SIGNS SAINZ AS ALONSO REPLACEMENT

    Former Red Bull junior Carlos Sainz Jnr will replace Fernando Alonso at McLaren for the 2019 Formula 1 season.

    Sainz, who switched to Renault at the end of last year, is the first driver to be confirmed for McLaren’s 2019 line-up.

    He steps into the shoes of fellow Spaniard Alonso, who has confirmed he won’t race in F1 in 2019.

    “I’m delighted to finally be able to confirm that I’ll be a McLaren driver from the 2019 season,” Sainz said. “It’s something I’ve been looking at for a while and I’m very excited about this next chapter in my career.

    I’ve been a McLaren fan for as long as I can remember. It’s a great name in the sport with an incredible heritage and the list of drivers that have raced for McLaren over the years are among the heroes of Formula 1.

    Fernando is of course one of them, so it’s particularly special that I’ll be taking his seat as part of the next generation of Spanish racing drivers behind the wheel of a McLaren.”

    Sainz joined F1 in 2015, competing at Toro Rosso alongside Max Verstappen. He managed to finish fourth with the team at Singapore last season before switching to Renault as part of the Toro Rosso-Honda-Renault switch.

    McLaren is yet to confirm who will race alongside Sainz in 2019, with current driver Stoffel Vandoorne and Force India’s Esteban Ocon also on the shortlist.

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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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Fernando Alonso To Leave F1 In 2019

ALONSO ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT RACE IN FORMULA 1 IN 2019

    Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso won’t compete in F1 next season, the Spaniard has confirmed.

    Alonso, who made his F1 debut in 2001, said he would be “exploring new adventures” next season, but left the door open for an F1 come back down the line.

    “After 17 wonderful years in this amazing sport, it’s time for me to make a change and move on. I have enjoyed every single minute of those incredible seasons and I cannot thank enough the people who contributed to make them all so special.

    There are still several grands prix to go this season, and I will take part in them with more commitment and passion than ever.

    Let’s see what the future brings; new challenges are around the corner. I’m having one of the happiest times ever in my life, but I need to go on exploring new adventures.

    I want to thank everyone at McLaren. My heart is with the team forever. I know they will come back stronger and better in the future and it could be the right moment for me to be back in the series; that would make me really happy. I have built so many great relationships with many fantastic people at McLaren, and they have given me the opportunity to broaden my horizons and race in other categories. I feel I am a more complete driver now [more] than ever.

    I made this decision some months ago and it was a firm one. Nevertheless, I would like to sincerely thank Chase Carey and Liberty Media for the efforts made to change my mind and everyone who has contracted me during this time.

    Finally, I would also like to thank my former teams, team-mates, competitors, colleagues, partners, journalists and everyone I have worked with in my F1 career. And, especially, my fans all over the world. I am quite sure our paths will cross again in the future.”

    Alonso has taken 32 wins in his 17 years in F1. In 2005, he became the youngest F1 world champion. In 2006, he beat Michael Schumacher to become a two-time champion.

    “[Fernando’s] 17 years in the sport, as arguably the pre-eminent driver of his generation and undoubtedly an F1 great, have added another layer to Formula 1’s rich history,” said McLaren team boss Zak Brown.

    “There is a time for everyone to make a change and Fernando has decided the end of this season to be his. We respect his decision, even if we believe he is in the finest form of his career. Our open dialogue with Fernando has meant we could plan for this eventuality.”

    While Alonso has struggled to take top results in F1 in recent years, he’s found success in other championships as he pursues the Triple Crown of motorsport.

    Last year, he made a one-off IndyCar appearance to compete in the Indy 500. Alonso looked set for a strong result before a mechanical problem ended his run.

    The McLaren driver has spent the 2018 season running in the World Endurance Championship alongside his F1 commitments. Competing with Toyota, he’s so far won both rounds in the WEC’s 2018/19 super-season, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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Belgian GP: Circuit Preview

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2018 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW 

Name: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Location: Stavelot, Belgium

Opened: 1921

Length: 4.352 Miles

Capacity: 70,000

Runs: Clockwise

Turns: 19

Race Laps: 44

2017 STATS

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Lewis Hamilton

2nd Place: Sebastian Vettel

3rd Place: Daniel Ricciardo

Retirements: Pascal Wehrlein (Suspension), Max Verstappen (Power Unit), Fernando Alonso (Power Unit) & Sergio Perez (Collision Damage)*

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

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Belgian GP: Track Schedule

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2018 - TRACK SCHEDULE

August 23rd / Thursday

15:00 - 16:00 - Press Conference

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

18:00 - 18:30 - Pit-Lane Walk (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

18:30 - 19:30 - Truck Tour (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

August 24th / Friday

08:00 - 09:00 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:00 - 12:30 - Free Practice #1 

13:00 - 14:00 - Press Conference

13:45 - 14:15 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

13:45 - 14:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

15:00 - 16:30 - Free Practice #2

August 25th / Saturday

08:00 - 08:30 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

08:00 - 08:30 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

12:00 - 13:00 - Free Practice #3

13:10 - 13:40 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

13:15 - 14:15 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

15:00 - 16:00 - Qualifying

15:10 - 15:30 - F1 2-Seater (x4)

18:00 - 19:00 - Fan Forum

18:30 - 19:00 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

August 26th / Sunday

13:00 - 13:10 - Jacky Ickx Laps

13:15 - 14:00 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

13:25 - 13:55 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

13:30 - 14:00 - Drivers Track Parade

14:00 - 14:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

14:54 - 14:56 - National Anthem

14:57 - 14:59 - Belgian Air Force Flyby (TBC)

15:10 - 17:10 - Race

* - Subject to change

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Written By: Amy Hawk

No copyright infringement intended

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