Nico Rosberg has claimed victory at the Belgian Grand Prix to close the gap in the drivers’ championship to nine points to Lewis Hamilton, who finished third.
Daniel Ricciardo finished second for Red Bull, with the Force Indias of Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez taking fourth and fifth.
An incident filled race saw both Ferraris forced to fight back through the field after a first corner collision, while Max Verstappen dropped to 11th after a series of pitstops.
As the lights went out, Verstappen got a poor start and was swamped by the two Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen and dived to the inside of Raikkonen into La Source. The two Ferraris made contact, sending Vettel spinning, while secondary contact between Verstappen and Raikkonen damaged both front drivers front wings.
With two wounded cars out front, there was frantic action behind leader Rosberg as Raikkonen and Verstappen recovered to the pits. At the end of the first lap, Rosberg led from Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa and Romain Grosjean’s Haas. Pascal Wehrlein collided with Jenson Button at Les Combes, putting both out of the race.
Carlos Sainz Jnr suffered a tyre delamination after Radillion, forcing him into retirement and bringing out a virtual safety car. The race soon resumed, but was then almost immediately neutralised when Kevin Magnussen lost control of his Renault at the top of Eau Rouge and crashed hard into the barriers.
The safety car was deployed, with many drivers opting to pit. But it soon came apparent that the barriers would need extensive repair and the race was red flagged for damage repairs.
After a brief delay, the race resumed with Rosberg leading from Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, who had avoided all the chaos at the start to find himself fifth.
It was not long before the championship leader passed the McLaren, before demoting Hulkenberg a few laps later to find himself in a remarkable third place long before the half way point of the race.
Ferrari steadily fought back through the field, with Sebastian Vettel mounting a late charge to take sixth place behind the Force Indias.
Nico Rosberg controlled the pace out front and held on to an untouched lead to take his first victory around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Daniel Ricciardo finished second, while Lewis Hamilton took the final step on the podium.
Force India capped off a brilliant weekend with fourth and fifth for Hulkenberg and Perez, followed by Vettel and Fernando Alonso in seventh for McLaren.
Valtteri Bottas passed team mate Felipe Massa in the latter stages, before Kimi Raikkonen snatched ninth from the Brazilian. After struggling with a damaged car all race, Max Verstappen finished just outside of the points in 11th.
WheelToWheel (@lolzerbob)
28th August 2016, 14:57
Ridiculous booing for Rosberg, again at Spa.
Uzair Syed (@ultimateuzair)
28th August 2016, 14:58
Agreed.
Kingshark (@kingshark)
28th August 2016, 14:59
The one great thing about F1 moving to Asia is that Asian fans typically don’t boo drivers irrationally.
LeftedF1
28th August 2016, 19:10
Singapore 2013 begs to differ. They booed Vettel just for dominating the race
Conor (@leftedf1)
28th August 2016, 19:12
Vettel would beg to differ. In 2013 he got booed a few times in Asia. It’s a shame booing made it to F1.
Calum
28th August 2016, 15:02
I didn’t get the booing either.
The guy drove a faultless, fair and clean race.
Nothing that went wrong with any other driver today was Rosberg’s fault.
rico nosberg
28th August 2016, 15:05
they can’t get over 2014, it would rosberg make more likeable if he just would play the “bad guy”
gp3engine
28th August 2016, 15:09
they can’t get over 2014, i think rosberg should just play the “bad guy”
would be much cooler
Parth Joshi
28th August 2016, 15:24
Probably Ves fans and not LH fans.
BasCB (@bascb)
28th August 2016, 16:03
Agreed. And I found it strange that instead of calling the fans out on it (like he did in Silverstone), here Hamilton mentioned how great the fans had been too.
It came from the group of English flag waving fans right in front of the podium, who had first cheered “Lewis, Lewis” and then started booing once Rosberg came out. They even repeated that during the interviews. Shame on those “fans”
Cyber
29th August 2016, 10:35
Unfortunately again the British crowd… I wish those hooligans would go back to their soccer.
Kribana (@krichelle)
28th August 2016, 14:58
Mercedes still look OP when in front as ice beam on a dragon pokemon… If you look at Nico, because he’s been the benchmark today for pace, he had it super easy…
gp3engine
28th August 2016, 15:10
ricciardo after the race to rosberg: cruising?
Uzair Syed (@ultimateuzair)
28th August 2016, 14:59
Congratulations to Verstappen for a wonderful P11. Keep it up, boy!
gdewilde (@gdewilde)
28th August 2016, 15:07
That’s sarcastic, I hope? Pushing people of the track and not even making the same corner yourself… Should have been penalised today!
Patrick (@paeschli)
28th August 2016, 15:10
I don’t understand why Kimi had to give that place back, he was in front, was pushed wide and Verstappen didn’t make the corner himself.
Traverse (@hellotraverse)
28th August 2016, 15:27
+1
gdewilde (@gdewilde)
28th August 2016, 15:10
@ultimateuzair obviously sarcastic :-D didn’t get it until I posted my previous comment!
Uzair Syed (@ultimateuzair)
28th August 2016, 15:25
Hehehe! :D
Calum
28th August 2016, 15:00
Lots of shenanigans and drama. Little bit of controversy with Kimi and Max, great drives by Alonso and Hulk. Can’t fault a clinical drive by Rosberg.
Happy to see KM walked away from his accident.
Really enjoyed that race.
Webber drinking from Dan’s shoe on the podium was just the icing on the cake!
Sridhar
28th August 2016, 15:01
Wondering why Verstappen got away without a penalty. Ridiculous driving and desperate moves like running people off track. Mad Max reborn.
Uzair Syed (@ultimateuzair)
28th August 2016, 15:05
Agreed, pathetic driving by him. If Rosberg gets penalties for doing the same thing, then Verstappen should too.
gp3engine
28th August 2016, 15:12
verstappen and hamilton are favored by the stewards, that’s why
Rafael (@rafael-o)
29th August 2016, 1:17
Finally, someone said it! After Rosberg’s (ridiculous) penalty in Germany, I thought someone “up there” probably doesn’t want him to win this year’s title. Likely the powers that be are thinking the publicity Lewis brings will not be as spectacular, if he is not world champion? Btw, I’ve become a fan of the Brit over the past couple years, but lately something about him has annoyed me again (throwback to 2007-2009); plus having a new champion – even for just a year – would be good.
As for Verstappen, I’m a big fan of the guy. But I do agree the stewards are less strict with him (his aggressive defence vs Raikkonen in Hungary this year surely would have earned him a penalty, had he been any other driver on the grid), probably because he is the hottest thing in F1 at the moment. Quite similar to…. surprise, surprise! Lewis Hamilton in 2007 — his rookie year (remember the crane “assist” in the 2007 European GP? He was the only one who received “a lift” amongst the other cars who were parked in the gravel with him. Which I remember made one pundit write, “surely someone wanted him in the race”).
Mark G (@)
28th August 2016, 15:15
Yeah, I’ve generally agreed with Horner’s statements to date that Max’s moves have been on the limit, but acceptable, however today he was just plain clumsy and at times very very dangerous.
Max’s very late move on the Kemmel straight could have ended in a huge crash if Kimi didn’t back out. It’s simply not ok to jink and block like that at such high speeds when the car behind is right up underneath your gearbox.
Jon Thereyougo (@jon-thereyougo)
28th August 2016, 15:18
This kind of driving is a result of DRS.
It’s the only way to defend against a car behind with DRS open, still it looks dangerous and unfair.
Best racing was when DRS was disabled after the re-start.
carbon_fibre
28th August 2016, 15:01
How did Verstappen not get investigated for the milliards of incidents he took part in? I don’t get it. Why is his driving encouranged? Actually, not even the Alonso/Hulk pit lane got investigated. What were the stewards doing?
My problem with Verstappen’s start, is that he clearly lost 2 positions to Ferrari, but he was reluctant to concede them (sign of immaturity). The run up is too short and the corner too tight for a maneuver like that to work. What Vettel did doesn’t matter.
gdewilde (@gdewilde)
28th August 2016, 15:08
Exactly what I was thinking +1
Hardik Panjwani (@scarlet-fever)
28th August 2016, 15:38
Someone check the steward’s room for beer and chocolates.
BasCB (@bascb)
28th August 2016, 16:05
The start was the only point where Verstappen is clearly not the one to blame at all. He was not locking up, nothing, until Vettel hit Kimi and that made Kimi swerve even more towards Max and hitting Max. After that he did seem to be carrying a bit of a grudge, especially with the Ferrari cars!
geoffgroom44 (@)
28th August 2016, 15:01
I am not a fan of Nico, but he is a skilled driver and I would never boo him. Such actions devalue this sport. He has enough to contend with: Lewis comes from 43 points behind, even pit starts at Spa….and still leads the championship. Nico has been unfortunate to compete at a time when F1 has produced a Lewis.
Guybrush Threepwood
28th August 2016, 15:06
Max’s driving sunk to a new low today. One of the most amateur drives I’ve seen since Maldonado to be frank.
He needs to learn that he can’t drive like he’s playing a video game.
gp3engine
28th August 2016, 15:14
i would drive like that too if the stewards don’t do anything
Friederike (@rike)
28th August 2016, 15:08
Lauda is furious telling German TV that he will talk to jos that he has to talk to his sun
Mark G (@)
28th August 2016, 15:08
Couple of mistakes with strategy today that probably removed the possibility of a real battle between Lewis and Daniel.
Lewis would surely have been happy to finish as high as 3rd before the race, but when it was red flagged I think he could easily have pushed for 2nd if the team had left him on his set of mediums (which had been run at a slower than usual pace even before the VSC and Safety Car). It was clearly the better race tyre and could have lasted until the next round of pit stops in my opinion.
I’d have also stuck him on mediums for his third stint too as he’d have had more of an opportunity to pass Daniel, build a gap and push on softs on a cooler track at the end.
Easy to say from the comfort of my sofa though.
Martin
28th August 2016, 15:36
There was no benefit to leaving him on used tyres, they could have switched him to new mediums instead which may have been better but I still don’t think higher than third was possible. Hamilton’s setup was too compromised in the middle sector in order to be able to overtake in the first/third sectors. Mercedes obviously never imagined they’d be up to 5th after 7 racing laps but once he was there the lack downforce compared to Ros/Ric really hurt in terms of making progress.
Alex
28th August 2016, 15:20
Williams again messing up the strategies, Bottas was running 4th, pit stop one lap later during the safety car, dropped to 12th… Well a great recovery race by Bottas, he said himself it was one of his best.
Blazz
28th August 2016, 15:24
My problem with Verstappen is his moving under breaking. He was on the left on the outside with Raikkonen, then takes the inside line, then wobbles… It very much reminds me of how Schumacher used to drive. It is only a matter of time until manners are put on him. Lucky for him he has been doing it against a mature Raikkonen, put other younger drivers like Palmer or recently graduated GP2 drivers and it is almost always going to end up in a big shunt in my opinion. Glad Magnussen is okay, great recovery from Vettel as well. Rosberg untroubled and nailed the start. Lewis did well to finish on the podium, although if the event wasn’t red flagged it would have been interesting to see how the race would have unfolded with the front runners on the softs. Exciting start but quite a subdued finish in my opinion.
Hardik Panjwani (@scarlet-fever)
28th August 2016, 15:29
Will HAM take more penalties at the next race in ‘fairness’ to ROS at the next race in response to the good luck that was showered on his head today? Nope right? This is what was wrong with Merc stacking up all the penalties in one race even though the rules (unfairly) allowed it.
And someone better sit down with VES and talk to him before he messes up big time.
I started watching F1 in 2000 and the ’07 and ’08 seasons seem to have the been the zenith of professional competition in F1. After that it seems like anything goes as long as its ‘entertaining’ – teammates reneging on off track agreements on track, gimmicks like double points, mid season rule changes, changes in interpretation of rules from race to race, punishing minor infractions of lesser drivers while letting off dangerous driving of better drivers, back markers making leaders go off the racing line, teams screwing drivers by overselling seats.
Hoping CVC finds a buyer that vales F1 and things change for the better in the sport.
Martin
28th August 2016, 15:46
“Will HAM take more penalties at the next race in ‘fairness’ to ROS at the next race in response to the good luck that was showered on his head today? Nope right? ”
Hold on, so Hamilton is penalised in three separate qualifying sessions and you think Rosberg is being treated unfairly? Hahahahaha
geoffgroom44 (@)
28th August 2016, 17:29
agreed Martin. hahaha. I see no mention of the ‘bad luck’ that deluged on Lewis’s head earlier in the season or does H think all these earlier engine problems were also a Merc plot to liven up the season?
pcxmac (@xsavior)
28th August 2016, 19:57
did you see 2014 when qualifying reliability issues brought back Nico Rosberg ?
you don’t even have to claim a conspiracy, the claim, Merc have effectively brought Nico Rosberg back in to contention by allowing reliability issues to hamper Lewis. That is a correct statement, and is very much true.
KnGS (@)
28th August 2016, 15:37
Quite dangerous driving by Verstappen. I wonder how the stewards didn’t even investigate that and Hulk,Alonso pitlane fiasco. Probably snoozing.
Good driving by Hamilton, Rosberg and Alonso to not get involved in the incidents.
Jerejj
28th August 2016, 15:53
I wasn’t too happy with Verstappen’s driving today, especially when he moved, and therefore, forced Kimi to slow down to avoid a rear-end collision on the Kemmel straight at more than 300 kph.
Yoseph
28th August 2016, 16:21
I was hoping someone would teach Verstappen a lesson today.
Gabriel (@naylamp)
28th August 2016, 16:59
VET kind of did. When he passed him on Kemmel straight by the left he went to the right to avoid VES taking the inside on the next turn. That caused VES to lock his tyres.
dex022 (@dex022)
28th August 2016, 18:03
Yeah,that was epic and i was laughing like mad when i saw Vettel taught him a lesson.
Cyber
29th August 2016, 10:49
Don’t think Verstappen will learn anything until his car is smashed to pieces at the trackside. Unfortunately. So far Verstappen has not received any remarks from the race stewards, so Verstappen only receives the signal, that all is great and he can continue driving as he does.
Yoseph
29th August 2016, 19:53
Exactly!