2018 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa Francorchamps, 24-26 August

[LM10]

A bit of a pity that we did not see Rai and Bot up in front there; would have given us a better guess which car is the fastest.

I think there is no doubt that Ferrari was the faster car yesterday. Not just on pure pace it looked faster, but also the race pace was better. Not even minimal blistering on Vettel's tyres and constant lapping.
Hamilton, despite giving his everything, couldn't manage to keep up, let alone close the gap or start a proper attack. And if a giant of a driver is on such back foot, you can have a guess already.

[Sieper]

totally agree, Hamilton was still able to pull off a Pole with his superior (rain) skills as compared to Vettel but in this race the Ferrari was too good. Indeed the blistering on both Merc's and none of it on the Ferrari was the most obvious illustration of that.

Actually, on Ziggo NL Doornbos made a quite pole lap comparison between Ham and Vet and next to Ham downshifting to 7 up the radillon he won almost all the time by taking the busstop chicane better.

[saviour stivala]

FERRARI gifted pole to Mercedes in Belgium, wet or dry Mercedes had no chance 0of a grid spot higher than 3rd, both FERRARI cars were that good.

[falonso81]

I am getting tired of Bottas getting away with these joke penalties. The guy is clearly past his best. He almost killed a guy on Saturday and got a reprimand...and now he gets a 5 sec penalty with no real effect.

[Sevach]

https://youtu.be/9GW-QutnX-E

People talk about Hamilton's "tricks" from last year, not mentioning the mistake into La Source, forcing Vettel to pull out of the slipstream too soon, but here Vettel pulls out even sooner and completes the move with ease.

Power is difference, last year once side by side the Mercedes came back and pulled away.

[Andres125sx]

I´ve always enjoied Lewis driving, but IMHO time is proving best driver in F1 will be out of F1 next season. Lewis lacks mental strenght, he´s easily demotivated. And Vettel makes too many mistakes.... ok not that much, but when compared to Alonso, yes, he makes more mistakes by some margin

Hopefully he´ll win the triple crown in 2019 and someone will offer him a top seat in F1 for 2020 or 2021. He really deserves some more title

Has someone won F1, WEC and Indy championships? I think he can change the definition of triple crown

Que ?

It's a well known fact Lewis becomes despondent when he doesn't live up to his own standards. It's his trademark.And starting from pole today, it was nothing short of a race win. It's funny you suddenly think that makes him weak or less of a driver

Ah ok if you enjoy that trademark then I´m glad for you. I do prefer drivers who can keep fighting even when things don´t go the way they want tough

And that´s far from a sudden conclusion, it´s my conclusion after watching Lewis for 11 and a half seasons, he lacks consistency, but I don´t think that makes him less of a driver. Just in case you didn´t notice, I rate Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel as the best 3 drivers in F1 grid, I was just expressing my opinion, like it or not. Lewis is my second favourite after Alonso btw, even when I can´t cope with him outside the car. I always try to rate drivers for what they do inside the car, their personality does not even come into the ecuation, or he´d be far far from one of my favourites

But fanboys can´t take any different opinion without considering someone is bashing his idol... so I´ll make it clearer, I think Hamilton is one of the best out there, but IMO his consistency is far from Alonso. He´s faster tough, are you happy with this? If not I´m sorry, but that´s my opinion

[BwajSF]

FERRARI gifted pole to Mercedes in Belgium, wet or dry Mercedes had no chance 0of a grid spot higher than 3rd, both FERRARI cars were that good.

Mate... do u really think ferrari had a chance,,... we are all forgetting the scilent player of the Whole Quali.. Bottas... why was he running till Q3 when he was sure to start from the back of the grid,... why waste engine mileage...????
He was purely there to give slipstream to Hamilton... in sector 1.. kemmel straight... if it had stayed dry.. Hamilton would have got massive slipstream from bottas and surely had the pole by mostly 0.3 or 0.2 diff.
Since it rained... and Bottas made a mistake coming to the bus stop chicane on the out lap.. it never happen..

[sosic2121]

I am getting tired of Bottas getting away with these joke penalties. The guy is clearly past his best. He almost killed a guy on Saturday and got a reprimand...and now he gets a 5 sec penalty with no real effect.

+1
Being No.2 is a hard role to play

[BwajSF]

I am getting tired of Bottas getting away with these joke penalties. The guy is clearly past his best. He almost killed a guy on Saturday and got a reprimand...and now he gets a 5 sec penalty with no real effect.

Again the inconsistencies...
Vettel on bottas france 5 sec pnalty
kimi on hamilton silverstone 10 sec penalty
bottas on sirotkin Spa 5 sec penalty..

Not sure which rule book they are looking into....

[rscsr]

I wonder if overrated Hulkenberg will get the well deserved race ban or not ...

also lol @ everyone praising the halo because of some scratches on it in an area far away from the head

Then you should probably watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC6ZcYfH7FQ

Speed: 0.25 and watch how Alonso's car (tire) rotates towards his head.

That’s an amazing shot. HALO definitely saved Leclerc from at least being injured badly.

I’ve never thought that it was ugly anyway. I think it gives the car a good look in a different way + it saves lifes, no matter if just once in 10 years or whatever. So I’m perfectly OK with it.

I doubt that he would have suffered any injuries. He still would have the helmet, HANS and the cockpit padding.

[Jolle]

Then you should probably watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC6ZcYfH7FQ

Speed: 0.25 and watch how Alonso's car (tire) rotates towards his head.

That’s an amazing shot. HALO definitely saved Leclerc from at least being injured badly.

I’ve never thought that it was ugly anyway. I think it gives the car a good look in a different way + it saves lifes, no matter if just once in 10 years or whatever. So I’m perfectly OK with it.

I doubt that he would have suffered any injuries. He still would have the helmet, HANS and the cockpit padding.

I doubt that the spring would have hit Massa's head in Hungary if he didn't wear his helmet, looked like it would have just missed him. I suggest removing all helmets from the drivers because there is no evidence that it saved a single person.

[henry]

Then you should probably watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC6ZcYfH7FQ

Speed: 0.25 and watch how Alonso's car (tire) rotates towards his head.

That’s an amazing shot. HALO definitely saved Leclerc from at least being injured badly.

I’ve never thought that it was ugly anyway. I think it gives the car a good look in a different way + it saves lifes, no matter if just once in 10 years or whatever. So I’m perfectly OK with it.

I doubt that he would have suffered any injuries. He still would have the helmet, HANS and the cockpit padding.

Well I, for one, am very happy your theory was not put to the test. There was enough energy in the collision between the wheel and the Halo to wreck the suspension and throw the front of the car in the air. There was an opportunity, despite the devices you speak of, to pull his head off his shoulders.

[Fulcrum]

Hamilton took a slightly inferior line through Eau Rouge and Raidillon which ultimately compromised his exit; that's partly why Vettel was almost alongside before entering the Kemmel straight.

[Phil]

Technically, that should have been good. I think the theory was; Either be far enough ahead so that no pass is possible (what Vettel did on Hamilton on the restart). If that is not possible, make sure the overtaking car has to move out of the slipstream as early as possible to negate the effect. That makes it a drag race down the straight with identical air resistance. If the overtaking car can stay longer in the slipstream, it can use that to reach a much higher top speed, so that when it goes out of the stream, the speed difference is high enough to make a pass.

Last year, this worked because the Mercedes in theory was the faster car in a straight line.

[Andres125sx]

I´ve always enjoied Lewis driving, but IMHO time is proving best driver in F1 will be out of F1 next season. Lewis lacks mental strenght, he´s easily demotivated. And Vettel makes too many mistakes.... ok not that much, but when compared to Alonso, yes, he makes more mistakes by some margin

Hopefully he´ll win the triple crown in 2019 and someone will offer him a top seat in F1 for 2020 or 2021. He really deserves some more title

Has someone won F1, WEC and Indy championships? I think he can change the definition of triple crown

Yes, Fuji 2007, Hungary 2007 were all definitions of mental toughness and not making 'mistakes.' Vettel and Hamilton are at least the same level as Alonso and if you ask me they're much better.

Of course, suffering aquaplanning under heavy rain is an evidence of mental weakness...

Much better... then might you explain what´s the reason Alonso almost beat Vettel twice (2010 and 2012) with an inferior car wich constantly qualified several positions below Seb? And please, do not say that was because of Vettel, take a look at RBR and Ferrari wingmen before exposing yourself