[Official] Belgian Grand Prix 2024

[Born Racer]

A fantastic circuit to bow out before the summer break.

[GTRMagic]

Definitely not loving the rain interrupted session..

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Definitely not loving the rain interrupted session..

It’s part of the authentic Spa experience though. If you’re in the crowd, find shelter & keep it (while getting some frites mayonnaise or waffles or both) & if you’re in a team, try not to clench too much & make good decisions for your drivers & if you’re a driver, tell yourself that you’re brilliant in the wet & keep the belts v-e-r-y tight. ??

[bjohnsonsmith]

I'm really looking forward this Grand Prix weekend. With McLaren on the ascendancy and Super Max taking his 10 place grid penalty, the lead for both the WDC and WCC could be significantly eroded, as F1 goes into the summer break.


Edit: I should have included the weather, as Spa looks very damp.

[v8supes]

Honestly wish the drivers would stop with all the tell tale radio messages to race control.

[bjohnsonsmith]

I thoroughly enjoyed that, particularly Q2, with grid positions constantly changing as the session progressed.


A repeat of last year, so far, with Super Max taking pole and being demoted with Leclerc in P1 and Perez in P2. Last year Super Max won it.

[Tourer]

That was a good race - plenty of tension, particularly towards the end of course Spa itself means that any race is pretty good.

Brilliant from George - that was SO well judged and SO well driven - yes it was a gamble but he sounded confident on the radio and showed up all the others really.

[Greem]

Because I can't be bothered looking it up I hope someone knows the answer to this:

How long is it since we've had a race with every finisher on the lead lap?
Also, no SC or VSC, no cars stopped on circuit, no track limits warnings and no in race penalties?

[bathurst77]

https://speedcafe.com/russell-victor...-infringement/

“After the Race, car number 63 was weighed, and its weight was 798.0 kg, which is the minimum weight required by TR Article 4.1,” declared a report from FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer.

“After this, fuel was drained out of the car and 2.8 litres of fuel were removed.

“The car was not fully drained according to the draining procedure submitted by the team in their legality documents as TR Article 6.5.2 is fulfilled.

“The car was weighed again on the FIA inside and outside scales and the weight was 796.5 kg.

“The calibration of the outside and inside scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.”

“As this is 1.5 kg below the minimum weight requested in TR Article 4.1, which also has to be respected at all times during the Competition, I am referring this matter to the Stewards for their consideration.”

The penalty should officials deem the car to be in breach of the regulations is exclusion.

That would hand Hamilton the race win from Piastri, with Charles Leclerc rising to third.

It would also hand Daniel Ricciardo a world championship point for 10th.

[bathurst77]

https://speedcafe.com/russell-disqua...elgian-gp-win/

George Russell has been stripped of victory in the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix.

“The Stewards heard from the team representative of Car 63 (George Russell), the FIA Technical Delegate, the FIA Single Seater Director and the FIA Single Seater Technical Director,” the stewards' summary outlined.”

“Car 63 was weighed on the FIA inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 796.5 kg.

“The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.

“During the hearing the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly.

“The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.

“The Stewards determine that Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement needs to be applied.

“Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.”

[Tourer]

Huge kick in the teeth for George - & a great shame (although rules is rules and the breach is clear).

Despite Lewis being a bit down about this one straight after the race, I'm sure that he wouldn't want to score another "victory" in this way.

[bjohnsonsmith]

That's really tough to take.

[GT6]

shamr that the rules ruin a great british result but mercs should have known better

[Gerard C]

I think rules are the rules and what wrecked a wonderful result is the team. Did they weight Lewis' car too?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

I think rules are the rules and what wrecked a wonderful result is the team. Did they weight Lewis' car too?

I believe that the imbedded FIA official observer in each garage used to be responsible for that after the cars return to parc fermé conditions in the garages.

Do they still combine the weight of the car and driver, and therefore is it possible that Russell lost that 1.5 kilos?

[Guthrie]

We are having a big surprise in every race lately and this one was no different.

[Lancsbreaker]

Agree a great shame for George, but I also thought that Merc missed a trick, with Piastri closing so quickly, in not letting the quicker car (Lewis) through, to give George the benefit of DRS so that both could go quicker........


Wouldn't have made any difference in the end, of course........

[chunterer]

I never thought Toto was goimg to let the driver leaving the team pass the one staying.. not when that one was leading the race!

Of course Hanilton's face afterwards said it all!

Don't matter now though does it.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by chunterer

I never thought Toto was goimg to let the driver leaving the team pass the one staying.. not when that one was leading the race!

Of course Hanilton's face afterwards said it all!

Don't matter now though does it.

No it doesn't change the eventual result but if team orders were that Lewis wasn't to pass George then that would speak volumes.

However, on another site I saw a transcript of communication that said they were told to leave plenty of space, but they could race each other over the last phase of the race.

Team politics/orders, whatever.
But it is clear the Mercedes has eclipsed RBR on high-speed circuits, just not by much. If we have four fairly even teams over the final 10 races then its all to play for.
Sure Max has an advantage in points but now he is defending his lead, not just running off at a canter.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

No it doesn't change the eventual result but if team orders were that Lewis wasn't to pass George then that would speak volumes.

However, on another site I saw a transcript of communication that said they were told to leave plenty of space, but they could race each other over the last phase of the race.

Team politics/orders, whatever.
But it is clear the Mercedes has eclipsed RBR on high-speed circuits, just not by much. If we have four fairly even teams over the final 10 races then its all to play for.
Sure Max has an advantage in points but now he is defending his lead, not just running off at a canter.

The 'go ahead but play safely' style message eas clearly broadcast as Hanilton was closing up to the back of Russell.

Certainly suggestimg there would be no team orders.

Although 2 laps from home when Hanilton got a bit squirelly coming out of one or two corners as Piastri homed in, the tv feed showed Wolff's finger twtiching over one of the drivers radio buttons.

This leads me to believe that he was on the verge of telling George to move over to release Lewis and prevent Odcar passing him (or both!)?

[Teretonga]

Just some interesting analysis from Mark Huges post Spa result.

If you are wondering what happened and why it might prove useful to your understanding.

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/g...p-mark-hughes/

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by Teretonga

Just some interesting analysis from Mark Huges post Spa result. If you are wondering what happened and why it might prove useful to your understanding.
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/g...p-mark-hughes/

I watched the highlights on Ch 4 and right at the end they announced that Russell had been disqualified for being underweight. My first thought was 'I wonder if the tyre wear accounted for the weight deficiency?' Perhaps he didn't complete the slow down lap on the 'dirty' parts of the circuit as the drivers used to do in prior years to pick up all the debris on the hot tyres.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by morninggents

I watched the highlights on Ch 4 and right at the end they announced that Russell had been disqualified for being underweight. My first thought was 'I wonder if the tyre wear accounted for the weight deficiency?' Perhaps he didn't complete the slow down lap on the 'dirty' parts of the circuit as the drivers used to do in prior years to pick up all the debris on the hot tyres.

As has been mentioned, there was no slow-down lap on which to collect tyre rubber - or at least only a very short distance around to the other side of La Source where the cars were waved in.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

As has been mentioned, there was no slow-down lap on which to collect tyre rubber - or at least only a very short distance around to the other side of La Source where the cars were waved in.

Why doesn't the FIA allow a complete slow down lap at Spa. Surely the crowd would appreciate it, to cheer their favourite drivers and the winner.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

Why doesn't the FIA allow a complete slow down lap at Spa. Surely the crowd would appreciate it, to cheer their favourite drivers and the winner.

Probably broadcast concerns. Want to quickly transition to interviews, cooldown room, and podium.

Richard