2024 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa-Francorchamps, July 26 - 28

[Tommy.G]

So watching the session Max is gaining all his lap time through the middle sector while losing almost nothing on the straights!

Tomorrow is supposed to rain so I expect him to be even further ahead in Qualifying considering his pace through the 2nd sector!

But he’ll start outside the top 10 anyway! Any long run pace data??

[Dunlay]

Based on early indicators of FP1 long runs, it's once again McLaren ahead and Max chasing them. Mercedes and Ferrari are out of contention here. Guaranteed P3 for Max despite his penalty and if Piastri has race pace issues, then a smooth P2.

Mercedes and Ferrari might look at adding some downforce as their car is not keeping up the tyres.

[atanatizante]

Top and sector speeds after FP1:




1. With the help of a tow:
HAM 340kph, VER & PER 336kph, NOR 335kph and PIA 332kph

2. Without the tow:
RUS, HAM, LEC, SAI - 333kph
VER, PER - 331kph
NOR 328kph
PIA 325kph




1. Impressive middle sector from VER on hards who was 6 tenths faster than PIA on mediums
2. Those cars that were set for a lower DF setup had the highest top speed and hence had the best S1 and S3 times but of course, were down in S2 time-wise
3. Those cars that had the best S2 times have also set the best and consistent times on the short race sim at the end of the FP, hence a higher DF setup is better here also in case of a wet/damp track on Sunday
4. After the race sim at the end of the FP, even though we don't know the PU modes (on the radio there were a lot of changes spotted) and fuel levels, at first glance we could set the following race pace classification :
- VER
- NOR - very consistent laps on mediums (mid to high 1.48)
- PIA - idem but maybe 1 tenths slower
- SAI - very consistent lap on the softs (high 1.48 and low 1.49)
- LEC - consistent middle 1.49 laps on mediums
- RUS - high 1.49 to low 1.50 on mediums
- HAM - was 2 tenths slower

And of course, we will see a more clear picture after FP2 ...

[pantherxxx]

Race will be hot, no rain. Max will win no matter where he starts, Red Bull and Verstappen were made for this track. Mercedes looks quite weak.

[vanburin]

Based on early indicators of FP1 long runs, it's once again McLaren ahead and Max chasing them. Mercedes and Ferrari are out of contention here. Guaranteed P3 for Max despite his penalty and if Piastri has race pace issues, then a smooth P2.

Mercedes and Ferrari might look at adding some downforce as their car is not keeping up the tyres.

Not sure how you came to this conclusion, the long run times seemed to be all over the place from what I was following along with, unless you were seeing something different?

It did seem as though tyre wear was an issue for Merc, however. Given the top speeds they were seeing, I'm sure we'll see them add a bit of downforce to the car.

[vanburin]

Race will be hot, no rain. Max will win no matter where he starts, Red Bull and Verstappen were made for this track. Mercedes looks quite weak.

Sunday is forecasted to be a high of anywhere between 19-21 deg C. Wouldn't really call that a scorcher!

[basti313]

Race will be hot, no rain. Max will win no matter where he starts, Red Bull and Verstappen were made for this track. Mercedes looks quite weak.

The problem is still Perez. Without Perez in the game the McLarens can freely choose their strategy and go long to cover Verstappen. I do not see anyone else on pace. In 2022 he would have had a more than 23sec gap to Sainz...that would have been very hard to recover and without Perez pushing Sainz there would not have been the 5 lap benefit in the first stint.
Last year he started from P6...not sure if so many drivers take penalties again.

[venkyhere]

Here are two fuel run laps with almost same time, on the Softs :



VER gains almost ~1s in S2, but the gains by NOR in S1 and S3 - I am not sure it's entire due to wing difference alone. I suspect that fuel loads and engine modes might be more pessimistic for the Redbull than for McLaren, for this particular stint , because purely from eye-analysis, that doesn't look like a 1s/lap slower wing on the Redbull.

[FW17]

I believe the cheater teams will become faster once the FIA cameras are removed for tomorrow.

[Luscion]

Merc losing a lot less to Max in the middle sector now, 0.2 secs down, but 0.3 secs in the final sector

[vanburin]

Starting to see some soft tyre runs coming up. Lewis just completed his time on what looks like 6 lap old Mediums.

[f1onions]

Verstappen again losing time in s3 compared to his very early runs on harder tyres

[Tommy.G]

Hamilton has reverted to the medium downforce wing! Still 1,2 off the top…

[Luscion]

Hamilton has reverted to the medium downforce wing! Still 1,2 off the top…

He didnt get to do set a time proper time on the soft tires, had to abort twice cause of traffic, tires were dead by the 3rd attempt

[mkay]

Regardless, Mercedes is in a bit of a no man's land. Slow in the twisty bits, yet not very fast on the straights.