Aug 27 2017

Formula One 2017: Spa

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.

rustymancuso581

43 comments

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  1. Vent Hole

  2. Your half hour of hype.

  3. Recon Lap

  4. Formation Lap

  5. We race

  6. Force India touched

  7. Alonso, Magnussen had good starts. At front grid order.

  8. Werhlein garaged, probably done

  9. Start replays

  10. Lap 5 of 44

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Raikkonen
    Verstappen
    Ricciardo
    Hulkenberg
    Ocon
    Perez
    Grosjean

  11. Verstappen breaks. Done.

  12. Magnussen, Stroll, and Palmer pit

  13. Lap 10 of 44

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Raikkonen
    Ricciardo
    Hulkenberg
    Perez
    Massa
    Sainz
    Kvyat

  14. Ocon, Grosjean, and Alonso pit

  15. Hulkenberg and Massa pit

  16. Hamilton pits

  17. Perez pits

  18. Bottas pits

  19. Vettel pits

  20. Ricciardo pits

  21. Raikkonen pits

  22. Lap 15 of 44

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Raikkonen
    Ricciardo
    Hulkenberg
    Ocon
    Sainz
    Perez
    Grosjean

  23. Raikkonen stop and go

  24. Kvyat pits

  25. Vandoorne pits

  26. Sainz pits

  27. Lap 20 of 44

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Ricciardo
    Hulkenberg
    Raikkonen
    Ocon
    Perez
    Grosjean
    Magnussen

  28. Erisson pits

  29. Lap 25 of 44

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Ricciardo
    Raikkonen
    Hulkenberg
    Ocon
    Perez
    Grosjean
    Magnussen

  30. Perez pits again

  31. Alonso pits

  32. Alonso stops

  33. Raikkonen pits again

  34. Force Indias take each other out

  35. Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Massa, Stroll, Sainz, Perez pit

  36. Hamilton, Vettel, Ricciardo, Ericsson pit

  37. Lap 30 of 44

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Bottas
    Ricciardo
    Raikkonen
    Hulkenberg
    Grosjean
    Massa
    Magnussen
    Ocon

  38. Kvyat, Vandoorne, Palmer pit

  39. Magnussen pits again

  40. Lap 35 of 44

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Ricciardo
    Raikkonen
    Bottas
    Hulkenberg
    Grosjean
    Massa
    Ocon
    Sainz

  41. Lap 40 of 44

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Ricciardo
    Raikkonen
    Bottas
    Hulkenberg
    Grosjean
    Massa
    Ocon
    Sainz

  42. Perez stops

  43. Final

    Hamilton
    Vettel
    Ricciardo
    Raikkonen
    Bottas
    Hulkenberg
    Grosjean
    Massa
    Ocon
    Sainz

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