Formula 1 Rolex Belgian Grand Prix 2020Formula 1

[Jimlaad43]

The third Triple-Header of the season begins with a trip back to the longest circuit on the calendar, as we reach the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The race last year was overshadowed by the death of Anthoine Hubert in the F2 Feature Race, and the cloud from the incident is still in everyone's mind as the teams and drivers prepare for the race. The weather forecast for the weekend is looking pretty damp, will the promised rain finally hit during a race this season? Rain plus Spa usually ends up with an absolute classic, so let's hope for something great and different (even if the two wet masters Hamilton and Verstappen seem to be finishing 1 and 2 anyway). It's always great to visit the BELGIAN GRAND PRIX!

First Grand Prix
1950

Number of Laps
44

Circuit Length
7.004km

Race Distance
308.052 km

Lap Record
1:46.286 Valtteri Bottas (2018)
​

 

[MaxAttack]

Can't wait for a massive rain cloud with an exactly Spa-Francorchamps shaped hole in it hanging directly over the track for the entire race!

Should be a good one this - decent contender for a Racing Point podium if the weather stays dry. Slyly hoping for a wet race as I think that'll favour the McLaren boys more in the midfield.

 

[Dennisch]

Ferrari p14 and 15.

 

[evldave333]

Ferrari p14 and 15.

P1 for hypocrisy though im sure RP would agree...

 

[PeterJB]

Ferrari p14 and 15.

 

[Dennisch]

That boy cheated itself to those positions.

 

[MaxAttack]

That boy cheated itself to those positions.

It's the ultimate disservice to the fans. Firstly, they cheated, which is Ferrari enough but still dishonest. Secondly, without the cheat they are laughably slow, so they look like crap engineers (replace that phrase with a Steiner quote as you feel appropriate) and thirdly, their cheating forced Mercedes' hand in becoming even more dominant, just when the top runners were closing up and we were thinking maybe Mercedes is more worried about the new regulations, and could perhaps afford to let one slip.

 

[BrainsBush]

I missed FP1, sometimes 'duty calls'. Now ready for FP2 and the rest of the race weekend! Enjoy (wet?) Spa!

 

[Dennisch]

I missed FP1, sometimes 'duty calls'. Now ready for FP2 and the rest of the race weekend! Enjoy (wet?) Spa!

Seeing how those forecasts always go, there will be a 95% chance of rain all Saturday and Sunday and as soon as the race is over, it starts to rain. Or it will rain in Daytona.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Stroll to donate $1,800 for every point he scores in the Belgian GP to California firefighters

Slap in the face if he finishes outside of the points or DNFs

 

[BrainsBush]

Of course I feel sorry for Ferrari but this made me laugh.

 

[evldave333]

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/...lenge-of-racing-on.jaOYYrU8fjmjvRfxRQkvu.html

Apparently this is the entertaining layout rofl

 

[AshenGraey]

Can we believe that pace from Max to actually keeps things very interesting at the front between him and Lewis for the race? I don't want to discount Bottas but I got a feeling he's not going to be anywhere in the race

 

[evldave333]

Can we believe that pace from Max to actually keeps things very interesting at the front between him and Lewis for the race? I don't want to discount Bottas but I got a feeling he's not going to be anywhere in the race

second place might be the best place to qualify if... its truly this close... bring on q3!

 

[AshenGraey]

Very true....one of the few tracks where qualifying P1 does not entirely a benefit unless the driver has a very fast car on the straight. I think regardless of who's P1 or P2, this should still be an interesting start.

 

[edgematic]

It’s very close out there,” said Hamilton. “I think the Red Bulls are just a little bit quicker at the moment, but even Racing Point I think is right with us and then also Daniel Ricciardo and the Renault is very close.

“As I anticipated coming into this weekend, we’re only into the seventh race, the field’s going to get closer and closer as we continue to develop and the whole of Formula 1 develops.

“It’s already showing that this weekend. We seem to be so close with everyone and we’ve got to understand why. Whether they’ve taken a step or we’ve taken a step back or it’s just the track layout or downforce level, who knows.

“So we’ll work on that but I’m excited for an interesting race, that’s for sure.”


https://www.racefans.net/2020/08/28...practice-shows-the-f1-field-is-tightening-up/

even lewis is trolling . they almost lapped the whole grid last race but sure red bull is faster . Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me

 

[Veinz]

RBR have been better on their tires, it's hard to believe they are quicker though.

 

[numbnuts70]

Benzs, black or otherwise are sandbagging methinks.

Apparently they didnt even need any engine mode switching in Spain.

Sort of glad I've cancelled my sub to sky tv.

I hope Verstappen/Ricciardo/Perez can mix it up come Sunday though, I can't believe Ferraris' lack of pace, even Raikkonnen was duffing them up by 0.5secs.

 

[AshenGraey]

RBR have been better on their tires, it's hard to believe they are quicker though.

That tends to help greatly in race trim....even if they are not quicker. Plus, that's not something that Max would fail to capitalize on.

 

[edgematic]

RBR have been better on their tires, it's hard to believe they are quicker though.

really? last time i saw mercs winning by 25 secs . silverstone2 was a fluke

 

[PeterJB]

It currently looks like this:

 

[evldave333]

really? last time i saw mercs winning by 25 secs . silverstone2 was a fluke

F1 website said adding Hamiltons best sectors equated to a second faster... hoping q3 is tight though Max and Lewis can extract the most from their cars, some changing weather would be good like Austria

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/...errari-to-improve.7gN2dSQ9s2oLmdpRxgKv5B.html

 

[Milouse]

F1 website said adding Hamiltons best sectors equated to a second faster... hoping q3 is tight though Max and Lewis can extract the most from their cars, some changing weather would be good like Austria

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/...errari-to-improve.7gN2dSQ9s2oLmdpRxgKv5B.html

Very interesting.
Are they doing that graph at each GP ?

 

[LeGeNd-1]

It's the ultimate disservice to the fans. Firstly, they cheated, which is Ferrari enough but still dishonest. Secondly, without the cheat they are laughably slow, so they look like crap engineers (replace that phrase with a Steiner quote as you feel appropriate) and thirdly, their cheating forced Mercedes' hand in becoming even more dominant, just when the top runners were closing up and we were thinking maybe Mercedes is more worried about the new regulations, and could perhaps afford to let one slip.

Fourth, they are the only team still to protest the Racing Point case. McLaren, Williams even Renault have withdrawn their protest as they are all satisfied the copying loopholes have been closed for the future. Well we know for sure that no one is going to be copying their cars anytime soon Meanwhile the teams have asked for clarification on the Ferrari engine "settlement" but the FIA just sweeped everything under the carpet...

Honestly, Ferrari is becoming more and more my most disliked car brand. Cheating in road car tests, cheating in F1, acting like a golden kid with its heritage payments, and still unable to put together a decent car after more than a decade. If it's any other manufacturer they would've been given the boot a long time ago.

 

[-Fred-]

If Hamilton wins on sunday he'll be 2 off Schumacher's total. But the FIA still counts Austria 2002 as Michael's, so technically he's only 1 away from it, because everyone knows that one belonged to Rubens.

 

[BrainsBush]

SPA FP2 comparison. Ok we can discuss if FP2 is an 'honest' comparison with teams using different setups, tires, kg of fuel, sandbaggers (? )
But I think we get the point.

Makes me even more curious/wondering: What is going on with Ferrari 'head' team?

 

[Jimlaad43]

If Hamilton wins on sunday he'll be 2 off Schumacher's total. But the FIA still counts Austria 2002 as Michael's, so technically he's only 1 away from it, because everyone knows that one belonged to Rubens.

Schumacher should have won USA 2002 but he tried to do a dead heat and Rubens crossed the line first. If you're going down that silly metric, Schumacher is on 91.

 

[evldave333]

Very interesting.
Are they doing that graph at each GP ?

its the first time ive come across it they normally just do a friday race pace analysis...

 

[TenEightyOne]

Makes me even more curious/wondering: What is going on with Ferrari 'head' team?

Ferrari's car is draggy, they've lost power since we-don't-know-what-gate, and they're in the middle of a messy divorce whilst denying any problem. So pretty much everything is wrong right now.

 

[evldave333]

Fourth, they are the only team still to protest the Racing Point case. McLaren, Williams even Renault have withdrawn their protest as they are all satisfied the copying loopholes have been closed for the future. Well we know for sure that no one is going to be copying their cars anytime soon Meanwhile the teams have asked for clarification on the Ferrari engine "settlement" but the FIA just sweeped everything under the carpet...

Honestly, Ferrari is becoming more and more my most disliked car brand. Cheating in road car tests, cheating in F1, acting like a golden kid with its heritage payments, and still unable to put together a decent car after more than a decade. If it's any other manufacturer they would've been given the boot a long time ago.

I agree with these sentiments. Im purely speculating here but I think there are fingers in the till at Ferrari the money and engineering doesn't add up at all. Italy has a history of corruption when big money projects are involved in both the public and private sectors. I think the cheat mode engine is a symptom of them covering up the fact that those many millions are not actually going on design and engineering and are being siphoned off... surely it cant just be incompetence...