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Posts for Tag: Spa-Francorchamps

Paddock Club Diaries - 2023 Belgian GP - Day 3

The last day of the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix had finally arrived. Unlike, the rest of the weekend, Sunday saw better weather & clearer skies. I had an early start to the day as I tried to beat the morning traffic into the circuit.

Enroute to the circuit :


Walking over to the Paddock Club :


Starting my day with Cappuccino and Croissants as always!


Sunday morning views of the track. The F3 Race got underway with a rolling start :


F3 Feature Race Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :



The F3 Feature Race is a go & what a cracker of a race this was!


F3 Feature Race Start ( Video Link ) :



As the F3 race carried on, I decided to visit the fan village.

Walking over to the F1 Fan Village :


The F1 Fan Village, full of activity!


Shots of Raidilon from the Fan Village :


I returned to the Paddock Club and the Ferrari F1 Club Hosts arranged for me to go to the Photo Safari for the start of the F2 Feature Race.


We got escorted to the support race paddock which offered views of Eau Rouge and Raidilion :


The Safety Car comes into the pits and the F2 Feature Race resumes :


F2 Feature Race Restart ( Video Link ) :



Shots from the Feature Race :


Jack Doohan produced a stunning comeback to win the feature race from P11. 

Shots from the celebrations in Parc Ferme :


While the celebrations carried on in Parc Ferme, we had Ferrari's star driver join us in the Ferrari F1 Club.

Charles Leclerc in the Paddock Club!


Charles Leclerc Interview in the Ferrari F1 Club ( Video Link ) :



Going down to the Paddock for some more selfies!


Nico Hulkenberg, Moneygram Haas F1 Team :


Papa Perez! Mr Antonio Perez Garibay :


Hannah Schmitz, Principal Strategy Engineer for Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :


Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


The vintage cars getting ready for the Drivers' parade. My friend drove Leclerc around the track :


Shots from the final pit lane walk of the weekend :


The Scuderia Ferrari Garage before the race :


The Ferrari mechanics warming up with some pit stop practice :


Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team getting ready for the race with Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :



Diego Ioverno, Sporting Director at Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


Jack Doohan! It is always a pleasure to meet him, he is a thorough gentleman & an even better racer :


Time for a quick lunch before gobbling down some chocolates as desserts :


The grid getting ready for the main event of the weekend :


The drivers emerge from the pits for their sighting laps :


The drivers getting rolled by their mechanics into their respective grid slots :


National Anthem time :


The F1 Grid before the start of the Race ( Video Link ) :



The Air Force giving the fans an acrobatic display :


The grid gets clear of all non-essential personnel :


Formation Lap time :


Video Link of the Formation Lap :



The drivers navigating the Bus Stop chicane on the Formation lap :


The five red lights illuminate and as they went out, the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix was a go!


Race Start ( Video Link ) :



Lap 1 ( Video Link ) :



Shots from the race :


The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team working hard to extract the maximum from the weekend :


Max Verstappen won the race from Sergio Perez while Charles Leclerc was P3 for Ferrari. A mechanical issue caused Sainz Jr to retire from the race.


Charles Leclerc patiently answering questions by Martin Brundle on Parc Ferme :


The Red Bull Duo having a mini post-race debrief :


Waiting for the top 3 to appear on the podium :


Leclerc, Perez and Verstappen are all smiles as they made their way to the podium :


The trophies being lifted by the Podium finishers :


Time for some champagne!


Podium Celebrations ( Video Link ) :




Mohammed Bin Sulayem, former Rally Driver and Current President of the FIA :


Some dear friends from Belgium, such a blessing to know them!


The Hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club, such amazing moments with them, so gracious and welcoming as always :


Selfie time in the paddock :


As I was walking around the Paddock, a gentleman and his grandson walked up to me and told me that they were at the race this weekend due to my Vlogs from 2022! They loved how well I had documented my experiences at the races and it helped their decision-making for a visit to an F1 race :


Jamie Chadwick, development driver at Williams Racing F1 Team & the triple-world champion in the now defunct W Series :


Daniel Ricciardo, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :


Timo Glock, ex-F1 Driver and now a commentator for German TV :


Carlos Sainz Jr, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


The Paddock is getting dismantled as the teams leave for the summer break :


Until next time, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps!


I also made a Vlog about my experience from Sunday, sharing the YouTube link here :




It had been a memorable weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix. Thankfully, the FOM decided to extend the Belgian GP contract till 2025 and I hope to see this track on the F1 calendar for several more years. Once again, a big thank you to the Paddock Club team for their hospitality over the weekend. A special mention to the hosts in the Ferrari F1 Club who always make me feel welcomed and a part of the team, whichever race I am at.


There is another special experience to come from 2023, so watch this space!

Paddock Club Diaries - 2023 Belgian GP - Day 2

Saturdays on an F1 weekend are the longest, mainly because of the number of activities lined up for Paddock Club guests. Although Aachen is closer to the circuit than Hasselt, it was still an early start to the Saturday for me. Having left from Aachen at 730 am, my friend and I reached the circuit around 845 am, just in time for Carlos Sainz Jr's visit to the Paddock Club ( more on that later in the post ).


Lets revisit the memories from the Saturday at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix!


En route to the circuit on Saturday Morning:


As soon as I entered the Paddock Club, I rushed across to reach the Ferrari suite and thankfully, Sainz Jr hadn't arrived yet!

Carlos Sainz Jr visits the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club :


Video Link of Sainz' interview in the Paddock Club :



Shots of the Suite reserved exclusively for the Scuderia Ferrari Team guests in the Paddock Club :


And suddenly the weather changed at Spa-Francorchamps :


Gloomy weather called for some hot breakfast!

Kick Starting the day with some coffee and croissants :


After my coffee, I went downstairs to spend some time in the Paddock but the rain played spoil sport. Nevertheless, I got a selfie with Esteban Ocon from Alpine F1 Team :


Soon enough, it was time for Sprint Qualifying, better known as the Sprint Shootout!


Sprint Shootout gets underway :


Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during the Sprint Shootout :


Shots from Parc Ferme post Sprint Shootout :


Max Verstappen was the quickest from Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz Jr. while Charles Leclerc was P4 in the other Ferrari.


Post the Sprint Shootout, I was hungry & wasted no time in having an early lunch.


Enjoying some lunch, the chocolates were so good!


Post the Sprint Shootout, the guests had the privilege of enjoying an interview with the team's new Sporting Director ( announced on the weekend of the Belgian GP )


The newly-appointed Ferrari Sporting Director, Mr Diego Ioverno briefly joined us in the Ferrari F1 Club :


Video Link of his interview :



The action was relentless as now it was time for the Formula 2 Sprint race on the track!


The F2 cars line up on the gird for the Sprint :


F2 Sprint Race Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :



Due to a car stalled on the grid, the F2 cars had to go around for a second formation lap.


Video Link :



F2 Sprint Race Start ( Video Link ) :



Shots from the F2 Sprint :


Some closeups of Jack Doohan!


& then we had a Safety Car period due to an incident!


Back to flat-out racing!


Celebrations in the Parc Ferme for Enzo Fittipaldi, Theo Pourchaire and Dennis Hauger. Jack Doohan finished a fine P5.


After the F2 Sprint Race, I got some time to spend in the Paddock before the Formula 1 Sprint.


Walking through the paddock, the sun was out again!


Thankfully, I was able to meet more drivers during this time!


Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :


Sophia Floersch, Van Amersfoort Racing, Formula 3 :


Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team :


Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team :


Jerome d'Ambrosio, Development Driver at Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :


I made my way back to the Ferrari F1 Club, to prepare and grab myself a vantage spot for the start of the F1 Sprint Race.


The grid being readied for the F1 Sprint :


The mechanics rolling the cars & the drivers into the respective grid slots :


The Ferrari mechanics doing the same :


Building up to the formation lap :


Drivers returning from their loo breaks, game face on!


As the cars got readied on the grid, the heavens opened and a downpour hit the track.

The teams had to bring out their gazebos to cover the cars on the grid. The race start got delayed.


Video Link :



The rain relented and it was time to go racing!


The Grid ready for the Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :



The track was quite damp and the stewards decided to begin the F1 Sprint behind the Safety Car.


Video Link ( shot with Sony RX10 IV ) :



Video Link ( shot with Samsung S23 Ultra ) :



Video Links of the Cars running behind the Safety Car

Shot with Sony RX10 IV :


Shot with the Samsung S23 Ultra :



Finally, the Safety Car got called into the pits and it was time to go racing. However, by then, many drivers deemed it safe to switch to the intermediate tyres. Several drivers pitted at the Race start while some ( most importantly Verstappen ) chose to do one full lap on the wet tyres before making a decision.


Video Link of the F1 Sprint Start :



The move to pit on the opening lap of the Sprint yielded dividends for Oscar Piastri who jumped Verstappen after everyone pitted for intermediate tyres. However, a crash brought out the Safety Car again & the field got bunched up, negating Piastri's advantage built from the earlier stop.


Safety Car Deployed ( Video Link ) :



After the track got cleared racing resumed and as expected, Verstappen powered past Piastri to retake the lead of the F1 Sprint.

Video Link :



The drivers battling it out in the F1 Sprint :


The cars returning to Parc-Ferme after the F1 Sprint :


The Chequered Flag is waved at the end of the F1 Sprint & the drivers return to the Pit Lane ( Video Link ) :



Max Verstappen won the F1 Sprint from Oscar Piastri and Pierre Gasly. Gasly, like Piastri, benefitted from the early stop and jumped the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz Jr & Charles Leclerc who finished 4th and 5th, respectively.


With the F1 Sprint done, the organizers decided to entertain the remaining crowd with a display of some F1 cars from the yesteryears. Loud, uncensored and still brutally quick!


The classic F1 cars doing some track time!


After the classic cars show, it was time for the final activity of the day - the Paddock Club Pit Lane walk!


Selfies from the Saturday evening pit lane walk :


Shots from the evening pit lane walk :


Stills captured with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra :


Stills from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team garage on a Saturday evening :


I got to meet some more people from the Motorsports Fraternity during the Pit Lane walk.

Friends and mechanics from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team! 


Jason Cozzetto, one of the senior mechanics at Alpine F1 Team :


Tiffany Cromwell, Australian Road & Gravel Cyclist & Valtteri Bottas' partner :


With the Pit Lane walk done, we were allowed access to walk on the track and get some selfies. Meanwhile, the parade was practicing for the pre-race ceremony.


Walking around La Source and enjoying the views from the tarmac!


After spending some time in and around La Source, I walked over to the F2 Paddock and then further on to the makeshift garages set up for the F1 vintage cars.


The classic racecars from yesteryears, so beautiful!


As I walked back to the entrance of the Paddock Club, I met a charismatic and very elderly gentleman who is as passionate as any of his younger colleagues!

Mr Fritz van Amersfoort, the founder, Team Principal & F3 Team Manager for Van Amersfoort Racing :


Finally, it was nice to get a selfie with Pietro Fittipaldi, Reserve Driver for Moneygram Haas F1 Team :


Goodbye from Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps :


As I walked back to the Taxi stand to take my ride back to the hotel in Aachen, my heart was full of joy. Although I had a physically tiring and body straining day, I didn't experience any mental fatigue! It was just a wholesome Saturday, difficult to describe in words.


Once again, a Big Thank you to the Hosts of the Ferrari F1 Club for all their love and hospitality on the Saturday. 


The Sunday experience follows soon!

Paddock Club Diaries - 2023 Belgian GP - Day 1

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, home to the Belgian Grand Prix, is my favourite track on the F1 calendar. Ever since Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Raikkonen delivered stunning victories at this vintage F1 track, visiting this circuit nestled in the Ardennes forest has become an annual pilgrimage for me. Having attended this race on six occasions, I can now declare myself as half-Belgian :)

Spa-Francorchamps is one of the few classic F1 tracks that remain on the calendar, and I hope the contract extends beyond 2025.


The Paddock Club Diaries begin with the Friday Experience, and although I am six months late, it is amazing to relive the memories through these blog posts!


Pictures taken with the Sony RX10 IV and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

En route to the circuit on a rainy Friday morning:


I had to pick up my race passes from the Radisson Blu Hotel in Spa and luckily, I got myself parking passes too!

Race Passes for the weekend :


The walk from the Taxi Drop-off to the Paddock Club completes my cardio workout for the day!

Walking to the Paddock Club :


The Ferrari F1 Club, the home of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Guests for the weekend :


Coffee and Croissants to kickstart my day!


Thanks to the team, I got myself some time to visit the Paddock but unfortunately, a downpour began.

Walking through a wet and rainy Paddock :


The rain let up soon and I had the opportunity of getting selfies with some famous faces from the F1 Paddock.


Davide Brivio, ex-Yamaha, ex-Suzuki in MotoGP and Racing Director in Alpine Racing F1 Team :


Pierre Gasly, Alpine Racing F1 Team :


Alexander Albon, Williams Racing F1 Team :


Reigning World Champion, now a Triple World Champion, Max Verstappen, who races for Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :


Sergio Perez, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :


Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


It was then time for the first pit lane walk of the weekend and I walked across to the Pits to behold the cars up close!

Shots from the first pit lane walk :


Stills with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra :


Williams F1 Team Practicing their Pit Stops ( Video Link ) :



Meeting Beat Zehnder, Sporting Director, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake ( in the pit lane ) :


Lunch is served! A great spread indeed :


The Belgian Grand Prix was a Sprint-Race weekend in 2023, so the drivers had only one Practice session before the Grand Prix qualifying that gets held on a Friday evening.


Free Practice gets underway!


The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team working hard in FP1 in inclement weather :


The chequered flag brings to an end an FP1 which was battered by rain :


Drivers practising their starts from various grid slots :


Video Link :



Carlos Sainz Jr topped the timesheets from Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Charles Leclerc was P4 in the other Ferrari.


Post Free practice, Marc Gene visited the Ferrari F1 Club for a quick Q&A :


I decided to spend some more time in the Paddock before Qualifying and as I walked through the Paddock Club, I met an ace ex-cricketer!

1983 Cricket World Cup Winner, Indian Cricket Legend and now an ace commentator, Ravi Shastri :


The Media pen in the Paddock, abuzz with activity after a session :


The trip to the Paddock was fruitful as I met more drivers.

Liam Lawson, Reserve Driver for Red Bull Racing F1 :


Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :


Tom Kristensen, WEC Champion & Record winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans :


Soon enough it was time for Qualifying and I headed back upstairs.


Q1 underway :


The Ferrari Drivers in Q1 :


Shots from Q2 :


Scuderia Ferrari F1 fighting it out in Q2 :


The sun came out before the start of Q3. Glorious views!


The final shootout commences :


Leclerc and Sainz go full send :


The Parc-Ferme after Qualifying :


Max Verstappen was the quickest at the end of Qualifying from Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez. Carlos Sainz Jr was P5 in the other Ferrari. 

However, Leclerc inherited Pole Position since Verstappen had a five-place grid penalty due to new engine components.


Post-Qualifying, the Paddock Club guests had the privilege of going on a track tour on trucks!

Ready for the tour!


Shots from the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :


Video Link of the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :



As I got off the trucks, I got to meet Jakey Benham, Dani Bereznay, Jarno Opmeer & Marcel Kiefer, Sim racers for Mercedes F1 E-Sports Team :


The tour was the last activity of the day and it was time to head back to my hotel in Aachen.


Goodbye Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps :


I also compiled a Vlog about my Friday Experience on my YouTube Channel!


Video Link about the Friday Experience :



A big thank you to the hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club and the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for their hospitality and for making my Friday Experience a memorable one. The Saturday Experience follows shortly!

A Gallery of Memories - Part 25

 The Belgian Grand Prix held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is my favourite race on the F1 calendar. Every year, I make an effort to be present at the Grand Prix and a trip to this beautiful circuit in the Ardennes has become like an annual pilgrimage. The 2023 Belgian Grand Prix was the second F1 race that I attended in the year. 

As always, I kickstart my experience from the weekend with "A Gallery of Memories" post, where I share my memories with all the famous and well-known people from the motorsport world and beyond!


Davide Brivio, ex-Yamaha, ex-Suzuki in MotoGP and Racing Director in Alpine Racing F1 Team :


Pierre Gasly, Alpine Racing F1 Team :


Alexander Albon, Williams Racing F1 Team :


Reigning World Champion, now a Triple World Champion, Max Verstappen, who races for Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :


Sergio Perez, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :


Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


Beat Zehnder, Sporting Director, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :


1983 Cricket World Cup Winner, Indian Cricket Legend and now an ace commentator, Ravi Shastri :


Liam Lawson, Reserve Driver for Red Bull Racing F1 :


Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :


Tom Kristensen, WEC Champion & Record winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans :


Jakey Benham, Dani Bereznay, Jarno Opmeer & Marcel Kiefer, Sim racers for Mercedes F1 E-Sports Team :


Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team :


Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :


Sophia Floersch, Van Amersfoort Racing, Formula 3 :


Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team :


Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team :


Jerome d'Ambrosio, Development Driver at Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :


Jason Cozzetto, one of the senior mechanics at Alpine F1 Team :


Friends and mechanics from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team! 


Tiffany Cromwell, Australian Road & Gravel Cyclist & Valtteri Bottas' partner :


Pietro Fittipaldi, Reserve Driver for Moneygram Haas F1 Team :


Mr Fritz van Amersfoort, the founder, Team Principal & F3 Team Manager for Van Amersfoort Racing :


Nico Hulkenberg, Moneygram Haas F1 Team :


Papa Perez! Mr Antonio Perez Garibay :


Hannah Schmitz, Principal Strategy Engineer for Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :


Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


Diego Ioverno, Sporting Director at Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


Jack Doohan! It is always a pleasure to meet him, he is a thorough gentleman & an even better racer :


Mohammed Bin Sulayem, former Rally Driver and Current President of the FIA :


Some dear friends from Belgium, such a blessing to know them!


The Hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club, such amazing moments with them, so gracious and welcoming as always :


Jamie Chadwick, development driver at Williams Racing F1 Team & the triple-world champion in the now defunct W Series :


Daniel Ricciardo, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :


Timo Glock, ex-F1 Driver and now a commentator for German TV :


Carlos Sainz Jr, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :


An eventful and inclement weather-filled weekend!

A big thank you to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team and the hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club for having me over the weekend. 


Although this was the last post of "A Gallery of Memories" from an F1 weekend, there remains a surprise, from a new event that I had the opportunity of attending in 2023. More on that later, so watch this space!

2021 Belgian GP Race Recap : A Spa-ctacular Washout!

The second half of the 2021 F1 Season began with the Belgian Grand Prix, held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The teams and drivers faced a hectic schedule with six races over seven weeks at the start of the latter half of the season. The Belgian GP would be the first race of the two triple-headers in 2021.


The inclement weather, combined with the various gradient changes, make Spa-Francorchamps a circuit like no other. Nestled in the Ardennes, the track features famous sections such as Eau Rouge, Raidilion, La Source, Les Combes, Kemmel, Rivage, Blanchimont and the Bus Stop. It is also the longest circuit on the calendar. While sectors one and three demand straight-line speed, the second needs better downforce.


A lot transpired over the summer break leading up to the Belgian GP.


The FIA decided to introduce the "minimum reaction time" during pit stops from the Belgian GP.


Red Bull renewed Sergio Perez's contract for 2022, while Alpine retained the services of Fernando Alonso. 


The Japanese GP got cancelled due to a surge of COVID cases in Japan. Subsequently, the calendar got cut down to 22 races, with the FOM yet to announce a replacement.


Honda confirmed that ( both ) Verstappen and Perez had lost the second of their three engines due to the "irreparable damage" suffered from the incidents at Silverstone and Hungary. 


Bottas and Stroll stared at five-place grid penalties at Belgium due to their misdemeanours at the Hungarian GP.


While Red Bull looked to reclaim the lead in the championship, Mercedes felt optimistic about rebuffing any challenges that came their way.


How did the teams fare after returning from the summer break? Who came out on top? Did we have a new leader in the standings, or was the status quo maintained? 


Time for a recap of the Belgian GP!



Practice :


There was rain in the air at the start of FP1, and despite the track drying at a rapid rate, conditions remained tricky. Mercedes and Red Bull ran similar programs between their drivers, with one driver focused on straight-line speed and the other on better downforce. Raikkonen and Tsunoda suffered from spins at La Source, while the former hit the wall on entry into the pit lane. Hamilton got held up by Latifi on his timed lap, while Stroll impeded Russell on his. 


Bottas topped the timesheets, a tenth clear of Verstappen with Gasly half a second adrift in 3rd. The Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz were 4th and 5th, followed by Perez, Vettel and Norris. Ocon and Alonso completed the top 10.


Stroll was P11 in the other Aston Martin, followed by Ricciardo and Giovinazzi. Tsunoda split the Williams of Russell and Latifi in 15th, with Raikkonen and Hamilton P17 and P18, respectively. The Haas cars of Mazepin and Schumacher were at the back of the pack.




FP2 got underway, and Ocon suffered a spin at turn 14. Leclerc lost the rear of his Ferrari at turn six and crashed into the barriers, bringing out the Red Flags. The session resumed with 10 minutes remaining, and the drivers hurried to gather more data on race simulations. 


Verstappen got spun around at the exit of turn seven and hit the barriers, sending a lot of gravel across the track. The Dutchman was out, with the session getting Red Flagged again and the stewards deciding against resuming FP2. 


Verstappen ended FP2 the quickest, less than a tenth clear of Bottas and Hamilton. Alonso was 4th, followed by Gasly, Stroll and teammate Ocon. The top ten got completed by Vettel, Norris and Perez.


Sainz was P11 for Ferrari, followed by Tsunoda and the Alfa Romeos of Giovinazzi and Raikkonen. P15 was the best that Ricciardo could manage in his McLaren. The Williams of Latifi and Russell were P16 and P17, and Leclerc, Mazepin and Schumacher brought up the rear of the field.



Friday had restricted runs in the dry, but more importantly, the two Red Flags compromised the race simulation programs of the drivers. With rain and inclement weather predicted on Saturday, drivers and teams faced an uphill task to get their cars ready for race day.



Charles Leclerc switched to a new chassis after it cracked following his crash in FP2.


The final Practice Session ( FP3 ) got held in the rain. While some opted for full wets, others persisted with the intermediate tyres. Several drivers had off-track moments as they explored the limits. Eventually, a dry line began to appear, and drivers managed to set representative lap times. Meanwhile, Raikkonen's session got cut short after the Finn suffered from a brake-by-wire failure. 


Midway through FP3, the rain returned, hampering the practice programs of the drivers. The Red Bull drivers topped the timesheets, with Verstappen edging out his teammate Perez by almost a second. Hamilton was P3 for Mercedes, followed by Norris and Ocon. Gasly split the Aston Martins of Stroll and Vettel in P7, while Russell and Alonso completed the top 10.


Bottas was P11 for Mercedes, followed by Latifi and Ricciardo. Schumacher was in a Ferrari sandwich in P15. P17 was the best that Tsunoda managed with Giovinazzi, Mazepin and Raikkonen completing the rear of the field.



Rain was the biggest threat in Qualifying, and the drivers had to be prudent with their tyre usages.



Qualifying :


Rain delayed the start of Qualifying. Thankfully, track conditions improved, and Q1 got underway. The Williams drivers opted for intermediates while the rest of the field stuck with full wets. The cars had fuel for multiple runs.


Russell's opening lap got jeopardized due to Latifi spinning at turn twelve. Soon enough, it became evident that track conditions were more feasible for intermediate tyres. Everyone, bar the Williams drivers, returned to the pits to switch to the intermediates. 


Russell, Latifi, Norris, Verstappen, Bottas, and Stroll were the top 6, while Mazepin, Sainz, Raikkonen, Schumacher and Ocon faced the threat of elimination. 


Mercedes informed Bottas that rain would hit the circuit in the final minutes of Q1. The lap times kept improving, and at the end of the session, Norris, Verstappen, Hamilton, Perez, Russell and Bottas were the top 6. Ocon managed to scrape through in P15, but Giovinazzi, Tsunoda, Schumacher, Raikkonen and Mazepin got eliminated.




Q2 got underway, and everyone exited the pits with intermediate tyres. The Mercedes drivers, however, came out on used sets and instantly regretted their decision. Mercedes wasted no time in pitting Hamilton and Bottas. Ferrari informed Sainz that as per their forecast, rain would hit the circuit five minutes into Q2. 


Norris, Verstappen, Vettel, Gasly, Perez and Leclerc were the top 6, with Latifi, Ocon, Alonso, Hamilton and Bottas in the drop zone, halfway through Q2. The Mercedes duo improved to P7 and P9 but dropped out of the top 10 again in the final minutes of Q2. 


The rain stayed away, and as the track dried up, the lap times improved for everyone across the field. In a desperate attempt to make it into Q3, the Mercedes drivers decided to use another set of intermediate tyres. The decision was fruitful as Hamilton and Bottas broke into the top 3. Sainz allegedly impeded Ocon, and the incident got flagged for investigation. Thankfully, the Spaniard escaped any penalties.


Norris, Hamilton, Bottas, Gasly, Verstappen, Vettel, Perez, Russell, Ricciardo and Ocon got through to Q3, while Leclerc, Latifi, Sainz, Alonso and Stroll suffered from elimination.




The rain finally arrived at the start of Q3, and the conditions looked treacherous. Gasly, Perez and Russell took the bold step of opting for the intermediate tyres, while Norris and Vettel chose the full wets. The drivers complained about the presence of standing water on the track, with some suffering from aquaplaning. Vettel suggested that the stewards should Red Flag Q3 until conditions improved.


Norris was the first driver to attempt a flying lap, and as he went through Eau Rouge and Raidilion, he lost the rear of his McLaren and careered heavily into the barriers. His car got wrecked, and immediately the stewards red-flagged the session. Norris looked winded and got transferred to the medical centre for further checks. 


The FIA had to complete barrier repairs and clean the track before the session resumed after a long wait. Thankfully, the rain eased in intensity, and the track conditions improved. Russell and Ocon opted for the wet tyres while the rest chose the intermediates. Eventually, all the remaining nine drivers switched to the inters for their runs in Q3.


Hamilton was on "provisional pole", almost a second clear of Verstappen and Bottas. The lap times kept getting quicker, and Perez improved to P2, half a second shy of Hamilton's best attempt.


The final run of Q3 commenced, and Russell and Hamilton exchanged purple sector times. Russell, in a Williams, produced a stellar lap to go thirteen-hundredths clear of Hamilton at the top. It seemed that the Briton would bag P1 until Verstappen, on his final run, took pole position away by going faster by three-tenths.


Nevertheless, it was an unthinkable front row start for Russell alongside Verstappen. Hamilton had to settle for P3, followed by Ricciardo in his McLaren. Vettel and Gasly were on row three, with Perez and Bottas on four. A five-place grid drop for Bottas dropped the Finn to P13. As a result, Ocon would line up alongside Perez.


A gearbox change for Norris bumped him down to P14, promoting Leclerc and Latifi into the top 10, while Sainz Bottas and Alonso moved up a position each.




Verstappen ensured that he would start from the best position on race day. Perez, meanwhile, qualified a disappointing 7th and faced a long Sunday afternoon. Red Bull hoped for a clean opening lap for its drivers and seemed confident about the cars in race-trim.


Williams was on the front row at Spa-Francorchamps for the first time since 2001. The team had last bagged a front-row start at Italy in 2017, and Russell produced a stellar lap to achieve the unthinkable. If similar conditions prevailed, he could fight for a podium on SundayLatifi, too, was in the top 10, and along with Russell, could help Williams achieve a strong haul of points. 


As for Hamilton and Mercedes, a second-row start was far from ideal but outscoring Verstappen was the priority. The Briton didn't have new intermediates for the race since he used all his sets in Qualifying. Bottas, like his teammate, was in a similar situation and, after a mediocre display in Qualifying, would start a lowly P12. The Finn, under intense scrutiny, was fighting for his seat in 2022 and couldn't afford more lacklustre displays.


Norris was looking strong until his high-speed shunt at the start of Q3. The Briton was one of the favourites to bag pole position until the accident. The car was a wreck, and the McLaren mechanics faced a race against time to make it ready for race day. Thankfully, the doctors declared the driver fit for the race. The race stewards got a lot of heat for their inaction and delay at not red-flagging Q3 despite receiving information about poor conditions from those on track, which eventually led to the accident. Norris would start the race in P14, having attracted a grid penalty for a gearbox change. As for Ricciardo, the Australian produced his best Qualifying performance for McLaren to date and lined up alongside Hamilton. It was his best chance at silencing critics and doubters on race day. 


After a topsy-turvy Qualifying, Vettel's experience came to the fore for Aston Martin. The German was the team's best hope for a strong points-finish. As for Stroll, it was a start from the back of the grid due to the penalty from Hungary. The team needed to reduce the deficit to its midfield competitors, and strategy was key to an optimal finish. 


Gasly remained Alpha Tauri's main hope for a points-finish. The Frenchman qualified in the top 6 again, but Tsunoda, his teammate, was a disappointing 16th. In a hotly contested midfield, Alpha Tauri couldn't afford any slip-ups. 


Ocon, the latest Grand Prix winner, was P8 for Alpine, while Alonso qualified P13. The duo was more than capable of capitalizing on mistakes made by those further up the field. Alpine hoped for a double points haul on Sunday.


Leclerc narrowly out-qualified Sainz in what was a disappointing Saturday for Ferrari. A tactical error denied the duo a Q3 appearance. Nevertheless, the Ferraris looked competitive in race-trim and hoped to outscore arch-rivals McLaren in the battle for P3 in the Constructors. 


Antonio Giovinazzi remained the better performing of the two Alfa Romeo drivers on Saturday. The Italian qualified in P15 while his more experienced teammate Raikkonen would start in P18. It was an uphill battle for Alfa Romeo all weekend, and their chances of a points-finish hinged on mistakes made by those further up the grid.


Schumacher managed to outqualify Mazepin again in the Haas. However, the team seemed destined to remain at the back of the pack.



Inclement weather remained a threat for the drivers on Sunday. Strategy calls from the pit wall would prove pivotal in the battle for supremacy at Spa-Francorchamps.




Race :


Ricciardo celebrated 200 Race Starts in F1. His teammate Norris, along with Russell, completed 50. 


Honda completed 50 race weekends with Red Bull!


Alfa Romeo decided to change the rear wing on Raikkonen's car, to improve the downforce, which meant that he would start the race from the pit lane. 


C2, C3 and C4 were the dry tyre compounds available for the race, but these choices were immaterial. It was raining since morning, and for the Grand Prix, wet tyres were the choice for everyone.


The track conditions were poor, with low visibility, as the drivers headed out of their boxes to make it to the grid.


Disaster struck Red Bull after Perez crashed into the barriers on his sighting lap. The car suffered front right suspension damage, and Perez was out of the race!


Citing the treacherous conditions, the FIA announced that the formation lap would be behind the Safety Car. The rain intensified, and the start got delayed by 25 minutes. 



The Safety Car led the field away for the formation lap, but several drivers complained about the conditions and visibility. After a couple of formation laps, the stewards decided to suspend the Race Start!


The drivers returned to the pit lane, awaiting further instructions. 


The mechanics carried out repairs on the Red Bull car after Perez's crash on his sighting lap. As a result, Perez failed to take part in the formation laps. Meanwhile, Jonathan Wheatley, Red Bull Sporting Director, contacted the FIA, requesting that the Race Director allow Perez to join the race at the restart. Michael Masi, the Race Director, decided to consult the stewards before giving his final verdict on Perez's participationThe result was positive, and Perez got the nod to start the race from the pit lane ( if the race commenced ). 

Eventually, the work got completed, and Perez was ready to race.


The waiting game continued, and the stewards stopped the race clock to accommodate at least one hour of racing before sunset. The FIA kept postponing updates hoping for the weather to improve.


Meanwhile, Aston Martin changed the rear wing on Stroll's car, which attracted the stewards' attention.


Finally, after a wait of more than three hours, the FIA announced that the race would resume. The timer got set to one hour as the Safety Car led the cars out onto the track. There was a collective roar by the fans who hoped to see some racing finally.


However, the weather didn't let up, and several drivers complained about aquaplaning and visibility. A procession of 3 laps behind the Safety Car followed, and the race got Red Flagged!


As per the FIA Regulations, half the Championship points would get awarded if the race lasted for more than two laps and up to 75% of the total distance. Citing no improvement in the conditions, the Race Director announced that the race would not resume.


The results of Qualifying stood became the final classification for the race, barring Perez's crash and the relevant penalties.


So Verstappen won the race, with Russell and Hamilton on the podium. Ricciardo finished in P4 for McLaren, followed by Vettel, Gasly and Ocon. Leclerc, Latifi and Sainz completed the top 10.


The latter half of the field comprised of Alonso, Bottas, Giovinazzi, Norris, Tsunoda, Schumacher, Mazepin, Stroll, Raikkonen and Perez.


The results allowed Verstappen to reduce the deficit to Hamilton to 3 points. More importantly, Red Bull saved some mileage on his engine, considering that his second unit was irreparable. In the Constructor Standings, Red Bull trailed Mercedes by 7 points.


Perez was the biggest loser since his accident on the sighting lap robbed him of free points and could have put Red Bull above Mercedes. 



Russell's P2, combined with Latifi's P9, helped Williams bag 10 points, extending their buffer over Alfa Romeo to 17. The finish should cement P8 for Williams in the Constructor Championship. Russell deserved the podium, the fruit of his effortshaving delivered sensational results in Qualifying in the past and even playing the team game at the Hungarian GP.



Ricciardo's P4 allowed him to jump Gasly for P8 in the Drivers' Championship, besides being his best finish for McLaren. McLaren reclaimed P3 from Ferrari, narrowly leading them by 4.5 points. As for Ferrari, the tactical gaffe in Qualifying proved costly. However, the damage to their P3 hopes was minimal, and the team could turn its fortunes around at Zandvoort.



As for Aston Martin, Vettel added 5 points to the tally versus Gasly's 4 for Alpha Tauri and Ocon's 3 for Alpine. Only one driver scored points for each of the three midfield teams, thus maintaining the status quo. 



The atrocious conditions denied F1 fans across the world an exciting Belgian Grand Prix. The race turned out to be the shortest in the sport's history, and it was the Medical Car that completed the most laps on race day. However, citing the safety of the drivers, the FIA made the right decision to postpone and eventually suspend the race.



Kudos to the fans and the marshalls at the track for displaying exemplary patience and resolve over four hours, waiting for a race. The drivers acknowledged their heroism, passion and love for the sport.



While rain and weather played spoiled sport in Belgium, F1 fans had Zandvoort in the Netherlands to look forward to the following weekend. The track would finally make its debut on the F1 calendar, and the Orange Army would come out in droves to support their home hero Max Verstappen, cheering him on to possible victory.



Thankfully, we have five more races in six weeks, so the frustrations from the Belgian GP will soon fade away.