What?! Already?! I haven’t even started my vacation yet.
So what has happened while we were away? Not much, but that’s by design and it’s not even true though no one will admit it. Mercedes started developing a series of chassis tweaks after Monaco that will be on full display here. Also their “end of season” powerplants are reputed to be firebreathers. Ferrari is said to have a raft of aero improvements that may or may not make their debut.
Vettel has signed a 3 year deal with Scuderia Marlboro which is great because it cements the relationship between the team and the driver I hate the most. Hamilton taunted Sebastian by saying he wouldn’t dare be on the same team. This will be Hamilton’s 200th race and his pole means he is now tied with Schumacher for the career lead in that category.
With a mere 9 races to go and Vettel leading by 14 points in the Driver’s Championship you might think this a done deal, but Ferrari is not fast and performs best when the track is slow and twisty, conditions that do not suit the Mercedes.
Only one of the remaining races, Yas Marina, is like that.
On offer today will be the Ultra Soft, Super Soft, and Soft tires despite the fact that Spa has a reputation for being difficult on them. The 2017 specification compounds are harder than the 2016 ones and the tires are physically much wider which also improves their longevity.
It being Belgium rain is always a possibility and if so all bets are off.
Driver’s Championship
| Rank | Driver | Team | Points | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 202 | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 188 | 3 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 169 | 4 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer | 117 | 5 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 116 |
Constructor’s Championship
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1 | Mercedes | 357 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 318 |
| 3 | Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer | 184 |
| 4 | Force India Mercedes | 101 |
Everyone else is just eating dust.
43 comments
Skip to comment form
Author
Vent Hole
Author
Your half hour of hype.
Author
Recon Lap
Author
Formation Lap
Author
We race
Author
Force India touched
Author
Alonso, Magnussen had good starts. At front grid order.
Author
Werhlein garaged, probably done
Author
Start replays
Author
Lap 5 of 44
Hamilton
Vettel
Bottas
Raikkonen
Verstappen
Ricciardo
Hulkenberg
Ocon
Perez
Grosjean
Author
Verstappen breaks. Done.
Author
Magnussen, Stroll, and Palmer pit
Author
Lap 10 of 44
Hamilton
Vettel
Bottas
Raikkonen
Ricciardo
Hulkenberg
Perez
Massa
Sainz
Kvyat
Author
Ocon, Grosjean, and Alonso pit
Author
Hulkenberg and Massa pit
Author
Hamilton pits
Author
Perez pits
Author
Bottas pits
Author
Vettel pits
Author
Ricciardo pits
Author
Raikkonen pits
Author
Lap 15 of 44
Hamilton
Vettel
Bottas
Raikkonen
Ricciardo
Hulkenberg
Ocon
Sainz
Perez
Grosjean
Author
Raikkonen stop and go
Author
Kvyat pits
Author
Vandoorne pits
Author
Sainz pits
Author
Lap 20 of 44
Hamilton
Vettel
Bottas
Ricciardo
Hulkenberg
Raikkonen
Ocon
Perez
Grosjean
Magnussen
Author
Erisson pits
Author
Lap 25 of 44
Hamilton
Vettel
Bottas
Ricciardo
Raikkonen
Hulkenberg
Ocon
Perez
Grosjean
Magnussen
Author
Perez pits again
Author
Alonso pits
Author
Alonso stops
Author
Raikkonen pits again
Author
Force Indias take each other out
Author
Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Massa, Stroll, Sainz, Perez pit
Author
Hamilton, Vettel, Ricciardo, Ericsson pit
Author
Lap 30 of 44
Hamilton
Vettel
Bottas
Ricciardo
Raikkonen
Hulkenberg
Grosjean
Massa
Magnussen
Ocon
Author
Kvyat, Vandoorne, Palmer pit
Author
Magnussen pits again
Author
Lap 35 of 44
Hamilton
Vettel
Ricciardo
Raikkonen
Bottas
Hulkenberg
Grosjean
Massa
Ocon
Sainz
Author
Lap 40 of 44
Hamilton
Vettel
Ricciardo
Raikkonen
Bottas
Hulkenberg
Grosjean
Massa
Ocon
Sainz
Author
Perez stops
Author
Final
Hamilton
Vettel
Ricciardo
Raikkonen
Bottas
Hulkenberg
Grosjean
Massa
Ocon
Sainz