2014 Belgian Grand Prix (Aug 22-24)

[Wouter Melissen]

After some seat reshuffling it looked like three-time Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer and Alexander Rossi would compete for Caterham and Marussia but the latter was re-replaced by original driver Max Chilton after FP1. Bigger news, however, was the confirmation that Max Verstappen, son of Jos, will race for Toro Rosso starting next year. He will be just 17 years old then.

In the opening practice sessions, it was business as usual as the two Mercedes topped the field and Maldonado crashed out. Lotterer was hugely impressive behind the wheel of his Caterham, especially considering he had not driven the car or any F1 machine for many years.

Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired Gap Laps
1 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:51.577 25
2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:51.674 0.097 24
3 14 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:51.805 0.228 16
4 22 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:52.404 0.827 21
5 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:52.818 1.241 17
6 11 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 1:52.903 1.326 24
7 20 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 1:52.922 1.345 23
8 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1:52.937 1.360 22
9 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:52.972 1.395 19
10 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1:53.172 1.595 20
11 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:53.369 1.792 11
12 26 Daniil Kvyat STR-Renault 1:53.594 2.017 21
13 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:53.597 2.020 20
14 99 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 1:53.703 2.126 14
15 19 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1:53.968 2.391 20
16 25 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Renault 1:54.189 2.612 20
17 36 Giedo van der Garde Sauber-Ferrari 1:54.335 2.758 16
18 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault 1:55.336 3.759 21
19 17 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Ferrari 1:55.782 4.205 19
20 42 Alexander Rossi Marussia-Ferrari 1:57.232 5.655 20
21 45 Andre Lotterer Caterham-Renault 1:57.886 6.309 24
22 9 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 1:57.977 6.400 24

Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired Gap Laps
1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:49.189 26
2 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:49.793 0.604 28
3 14 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:49.930 0.741 19
4 19 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1:50.327 1.138 24
5 22 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:50.659 1.470 31
6 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1:50.677 1.488 26
7 26 Daniil Kvyat STR-Renault 1:50.725 1.536 25
8 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:50.977 1.788 16
9 20 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 1:51.074 1.885 31
10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1:51.077 1.888 26
11 25 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Renault 1:51.383 2.194 26
12 99 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 1:51.450 2.261 29
13 11 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 1:51.573 2.384 28
14 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:52.196 3.007 25
15 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:52.234 3.045 18
16 17 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Ferrari 1:52.776 3.587 23
17 21 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1:53.955 4.766 7
18 4 Max Chilton Marussia-Ferrari 1:54.040 4.851 18
19 9 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 1:54.050 4.861 30
20 45 Andre Lotterer Caterham-Renault 1:54.093 4.904 24
21 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault No time 2
22 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault No time 0

[Wouter Melissen]

Bottas goes quickest on a drying track.

Pos No Driver Team Time/Retired Gap Laps
1 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1:49.465 12
2 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:49.733 0.268 9
3 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:49.739 0.274 13
4 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:49.817 0.352 9
5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:49.817 0.352 13
6 14 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:49.890 0.425 9
7 26 Daniil Kvyat STR-Renault 1:49.893 0.428 11
8 22 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:50.203 0.738 11
9 19 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 1:50.423 0.958 11
10 25 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Renault 1:50.535 1.070 10
11 11 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 1:50.592 1.127 12
12 20 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 1:50.748 1.283 11
13 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 1:50.814 1.349 10
14 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1:50.866 1.401 11
15 99 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 1:50.962 1.497 12
16 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1:51.509 2.044 9
17 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault 1:51.610 2.145 10
18 21 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1:51.898 2.433 15
19 17 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Ferrari 1:52.457 2.992 14
20 4 Max Chilton Marussia-Ferrari 1:52.984 3.519 14
21 9 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 1:54.294 4.829 11
22 45 Andre Lotterer Caterham-Renault 1:55.008 5.543 13

[Wouter Melissen]

The Mercedes dominance continues with Rosberg snatching pole by over two seconds to third placed Vettel. In very difficult conditions, Lotterer managed to outqualify his team-mate by a full second.

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps
1 6 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 2:07.130 2:06.723 2:05.591 22
2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 2:07.280 2:06.609 2:05.819 22
3 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault 2:10.105 2:08.868 2:07.717 24
4 14 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 2:10.197 2:08.450 2:07.786 21
5 3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing-Renault 2:10.089 2:08.989 2:07.911 21
6 77 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 2:09.250 2:08.451 2:08.049 23
7 20 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 2:11.081 2:08.901 2:08.679 22
8 7 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 2:09.885 2:08.646 2:08.780 21
9 19 Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 2:08.403 2:08.833 2:09.178 20
10 22 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 2:10.529 2:09.272 2:09.776 22
11 26 Daniil Kvyat STR-Renault 2:10.445 2:09.377 16
12 25 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Renault 2:09.811 2:09.805 13
13 11 Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 2:10.666 2:10.084 16
14 99 Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 2:11.051 2:10.238 17
15 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 2:10.898 2:11.087 16
16 17 Jules Bianchi Marussia-Ferrari 2:11.051 2:12.470 14
17 13 Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault 2:11.261 9
18 27 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 2:11.267 8
19 4 Max Chilton Marussia-Ferrari 2:12.566 8
20 21 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 2:13.414 4
21 45 Andre Lotterer Caterham-Renault 2:13.469 9
22 9 Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault 2:14.438 9

[pimento]

Thoughts on the Merc incident? Looked to me like Rosberg could have pulled out of it (seems he's admitted such too) but it also seems that Hambone drove too fast back to the pits, destroying the tyre carcas and thusly wrecking his floor, ruining his downforce and race. He seems to just be content with blaming Rosberg for the whole thing though, and the comments from Wolff and Lauda are all pretty damning for Rosberg.

[Ferrer]

I thought it was all Rosberg's fault, unfortunately 'milton got hit the worse... unfair but on the other hand it is racing indeed.

[pimento]

Yea, it was right for FIA not to hand down a punishment for it. It's down to the team to thwack Rosberg in the back of the head and remind him that it's team first in these cases.

[Ferrer]

At this rate though, Lewis is going to lose the championship for reasons not related to his driving at all.

In my opinion, and bearing in mind what we have seen so far, he deserves the title more than Rosberg, but the fastest driver not always wins as it turns out...

[Revo]

In my opinion, and bearing in mind what we have seen so far, he deserves the title more than Rosberg, but the fastest driver not always wins as it turns out...

True champions do not whine like little babies. Hamilton needs to shut up and deal with that Rosberg situation.

[Ferrer]

Oh don't get me wrong, I don't like Hamilton at all, but it is undeniable that he is a great racing driver.