770 replies to this topic

[f1paul]

Formula 1 is back on the road and we will have 9 races in 14 weeks to decide the title. As per usual, we resume in Belgium at one of the most famous circuits in the world.

 

 

What happened last year?

Quite a bit actually. Hamilton had more grid penalties than the number of posts on this forum in the couple of weeks.   But he ended up finishing 3rd. This did help him though. 

 

 

Magnussen literally had his balls sucked into the wall at Radillon there. Meanwhile, Mad Max Verstappen was very feisty with the Ferraris which made this forum go wild.

 

 

But it was someone called Nico Retired Rosberg who controlled the race to take victory in a not so classic Belgian Grand Prix. 

 

Did you know that Spa is one of the few circuits that Fernando Alonso hasn't won at

 

Hopefully we will get more moments like this:

 

Overrated in my opinion but still a great moment and a great race. 

 

 

 

Best Spa race on this circuit configuration for me!

 

 

 

Hopefully, we don't see too much of this or else the FIA will go safety crazy. I mean it's not like they're going to introduce the halo or something is it any time soon. Oh no wait they are.   

 

(Remember to sign Jordan44's petition) I won't say anymore on that topic for now, please discuss this topic in a slightly more serious and argumentative thread.

 

But back to Spa. These are the highlights from that epic 1998 race.

 

 

Other highlights and underrated races include the 1985 and 1995 Belgian Grand Prix which you can find on that very famous site which has billions of videos. You know the one with the red black and white colours on the logo. Other sties are available.

 

The biggest winning margin was in 1963 when four minutes and 54 seconds separated race winner Jim Clark and second-placed Bruce McLaren

 

I've not watched any races this year can someone give me a quick review

 

Yeah but out of everyone on this forum I'm not the best person to do it but here it goes

 

Round 1 Australia: Yay no Mercedes dominance

 

Vettel won the race with a good strategy from Ferrari (for once) and Hamilton came second. Ricciardo had a bad weekend in front of his home crowd. That was it really. 

 

Round 2 China: The race that might have been on a Saturday http://forums.autosp...and prix 2017

 

I mean it was never really going to happen. Hamilton had the better strategy this time as Vettel recovered from a bit of bad luck with some great moves.

 

 

Giovinazzi was disappointing after crashing in qualifying and the race but at the front Hamilton dominated whilst the battles went on behind him.

 

Round 3 Bahrain: "Brakes failed"

 

Those were the words of Max Verstappen as his bad luck started but we witnessed a great opening stint with 5 cars in a train at one point as Bottas was slow but at the front after taking his first ever pole. Hamilton got a 5 second time penalty for something that I can't remember and ultimately lost to Vettel. 

 

Round 4 Russia: First win for a Finn

 

Bottas held on from Vettel and the last 10 laps were intense but it was another "shockingly" boring race in Sochi with only 1 overtake apparently. 

 

Round 5 Spain: Race of the year for me

 

A lot of people will say that Baku was but for me Spain was the race of the year so far because the DRS and tyres were perfect for once. You could overtake but not too easily or not too hardly (that doesn't make sense "hardly" but oh well) and there was strategy with a borderline 2 stop race. I loved the battle between Hamilton and Vettel it was epic! That's what made me fall in love with this season and it was just so good to see. Even the drivers loved it. 

Vettel's great move on Bottas

 

Round 6 Monaco: Dang Alonso's engine blew up but Satoooooooo!!!

 

Had to get a bit of Indycar in here and I've done that now. 

 

 

Fernando Alonso did F1 proud at the Indy 500 and that race was a million times better than the Monaco Grand Prix. Raikkonen took pole and led the opening sting but Vettel "somehow" got ahead and I will never know how. It really does puzzle me.   

 

Round 7 Canada: Dominant Hamilton

 

 

Hamilton's astonishment when receiving a Senna helmet after equaling his hero's pole tally. Come on Lewis you've still got to catch Schumi! Only joking, he will get there at some point and God knows what he will get but Hamilton was on top form in Canada and never looked like losing. Vettel got into trouble but limited the damage. Hit top 2 streak run was over though at 6.   

 

Round 8 Azerbaijan: ARRRGGGHHHH!!! Is this Formula 1???

 

Words cannot describe what happened but this can (see above)

 

Round 9 Austria: Bottas saves Mercedes

Hamilton was off form so Bottas took pole and the race win with a great drive and just held off Vettel in the closing laps. Hamilton was off the podium. Not a great race again but you rarely get 2 epic races in a row in F1.

 

Round 10 Britain: Mercedes dominance returns?

Usually when Hamilton wins the British Grand Prix he wins the championship. That was broken last year. Hamilton won it again this year and Ferrari suffered punctures which may cost Vettel dearly. Verstappen wanted to play bumper cars as well.

 

Round 11 Hungary: Ferrari back on form

Just like Monaco Ferrari dominated but a problem for Vettel made it a difficult race but he held on. Mercedes played the team orders game very well but it could well come back to haunt them at the end of the year.

 

 

​And also we had a contender for moment of the year...

 

 

All of this leaves us with the championship looking like this.

 

 

That's a summary of so far. Of course more stuff happened but I've already been doing this thread for well over an hour so I'm gonna stop there.

 

The furthest back any winner has started from at Spa is 16th - that was Michael Schumacher in 1995.

 

Back onto Belgium. This is the circuit.

 

 

Or so I wish!

 

 

It's that guy who had a virus!

 

Unfortunately Spa has been ruined thanks to the FIA who have put so much tarmac runoff that it's almost insulting. I remember the days were there used to be sand traps and were you ACTUALLY got beached, never mind gravel traps. But now you go off the circuit and just pick up speed and can even gain an advantage. Spa is one of many circuits that has been ruined thanks to the FIA and runoff areas. It's still a great track but it has lost its edge unfortunately. It's just not the same. Why can't we at least have grass as runoff so that you still get punished. This is why I hope F1 never go back to the Nodschlife because it will just be ruined, like Spa. 

 

 

Look at Eau Rouge for example over the years. What a sound though from this video.

 

This is the actual track layout

 

Still an awesome circuit as I've said and this year's cars will look great around it.

 

Jacky Ickx and Thierry Boutsen are Belgium's only Grand Prix winners, but neither man managed to win his home event. I doubt Vandoorne will win but you never know. 

 

 

Yeah the ultra soft at Spa, just shows what a great job Pirelli have done with the tyres again. Good to see a bit of variety though. Strategy will be interesting, hopefully like Spain. 

 

Watch out for a surprise turbo change for Vettel because he's on his 4th one. One more and it will be a 10 grid place penalty. Thanks to pdac, we can see how close everyone is to a penalty. http://forums.autosp...nit-usage-2017/

 

Drv  Team   ICE    TC   MGUh  MGUk   ES    CE
Ham  Merc    3     3     3     3     2     2  
Bot  Merc    3     3     3     3     2     2  
Ric  RB      4     4     5     2     2     2  
Ver  RB      3     3     4     2     2     2  
Vet  Fer     3     4     3     3º    3º    3  
Rai  Fer     3     4     3     3º    3º    3º 
Per  FI      3º    3º    3º    2     2     2  
Oco  FI      3º    3º    3º    2     2     2  
Mas  Wil     3º    3º    3º    2     2     2  
Str  Wil     3º    3º    3º    2     1     2  
Alo  McL     6     8     8     6     5     4  
Van  McL     4     7     7     4     5     5  
Kyv  TR      4º    4º    4     2     3     3  
Sai  TR      3     3     4     3     2     3  
Gro  Haas    3     4     3     3     2     2  
Mag  Hass    3     4     3     3     2     2  
Hul  Ren     3     3     4     3     3     3  
Pal  Ren     3     4     4     2     3     3  
Eri  Saub    3     3     3     3     3º    3º 
Weh  Saub    3     4º    4º    3     2     3  

ICE:  Internal Combustion Engine
TC:   Turbo Charger
MGUh: Motor Generation Unit (heat)
MGUk: Motor Generation Unit (kinetic)
ES:   Energy Store
CE:   Control Electronics
º Change since last GP

Thank you pdac, we all really appreciate this thread because it really helps us going into race weekends.Keep up the good work! The above is something for discussion.

 

This has got me wanting to watch the race, when is it?

 

 

Formula 1 Grand Prix of Belgium Programme

Thursday 

 

Promoter Activity Public Pit Lane Walk (3 day ticket holders only) 16:00 - 18:00

Friday 

 

Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 07:00 - 08:00

GP3 Series Practice Session 08:30 - 09:15

Formula 1 First Practice Session 10:00 - 11:30

FIA Formula 2 Practice Session 11:55 - 12:40

Paddock Club Paddock Club Truck Tour 12:45 - 13:15

Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 12:45 - 13:45

Formula 1 Second Practice Session 14:00 - 15:30

Formula 1 F1 2 Seater (x4) 15:40 - 16:00

FIA Formula 2 Qualifying Session 16:20 - 16:50

GP3 Series Qualifying Session 17:10 - 17:40

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Practice Session 18:00 - 18:45

 

 

Saturday 

 

Paddock Club Paddock Club Track Tour 08:30 - 09:00

Formula 1 Team Pit Stop Practice 08:30 - 09:15

Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 08:30 - 09:35

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Qualifying Session 09:45 - 10:15

Formula 1 Third Practice Session 11:00 - 12:00

Formula 1 F1 2 Seater (x8) 12:15 - 12:45

Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 12:30 - 13:45

Paddock Club Paddock Club Truck Tour 12:50 - 13:20

FIA Formula 2 Drivers' Parade 13:00 - 13:20

Formula 1 Qualifying Session 14:00 - 15:00

Formula 1 F1 2 Seater (x4) 15:10 - 15:30

FIA Formula 2 First Race (25 Laps or 60 Mins) 16:00 - 17:05

Promoter Activity Drivers' Fan Forum TBC 17:05 - 17:20

GP3 Series First Race (17 Laps or 40 Mins) 17:35 - 18:20

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup First Race (11 Laps or 30 Mins) 18:35 - 19:10

 

 

Sunday 

 

GP3 Series Second Race (13 Laps or 30 Mins) 09:00 - 09:35

FIA Formula 2 Second Race (18 Laps or 45 Mins) 10:15 - 11:05

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Second Race (11 Laps or 30 Mins) 11:25 - 12:00

Formula 1 Benetton/Schumacher 25th Anniversary 12:05 - 12:15

Paddock Club Paddock Club Truck Tour 12:20 - 12:45

Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 12:20 - 13:05

Formula 1 Drivers' Track Parade 12:30 Formula 1 F1 2 Seater (x2) 12:50 - 12:55

Promoter Activity Starting Grid Presentation 13:00 - 13:15

Formula 1 National Anthem 13:46

Formula 1 Grand Prix (44 Laps or 120 Mins) 14:00 - 16:00

POST RACE AUTOSPORT FORUM MADNESS

 

WATCH THE F2, GP3 AND PORSCHE SUPERCUP (actually stuff the Porsches  ) action as well. All times are local, take an hour off if you live in the UK, a few more hours if you live in USA, Canada or South America and Mexico of course but don't forget to add some hours if you live in Asia or to the east of Belgium.

 

 

 

 

This is the most effort I have ever put into an OP so I hope it's a good one but I hope that the Belgian Grand Prix is a mega one. Bring it on! 

 

Edited by f1paul, 21 August 2017 - 18:07.

[f1paul]

Prediction: Max Verstappen win 

[f1paul]

Yeah a build-up thread this early. Crazy innit    Literally just wasted nearly 2 hours of my time but oh well. 

Edited by f1paul, 19 August 2017 - 14:34.

[Lights]

A Verstappen win would be perfect. Too bad he threw some of his hard-earned karma away at the start of the Hungarian GP.  Who knows how much is left now?

[AlcidioG]

A Verstappen win would be perfect. Too bad he threw some of his hard-earned karma away at the start of the Hungarian GP.  Who knows how much is left now?

 

He doesn't need karma... he needs it to rain to have a chance at a win

Edited by AlcidioG, 19 August 2017 - 14:41.

[Fatgadget]

Yay!....I love Spa. This a circuit for the brave. Those that can sling their balls out of the cockpit and go for it! 

[Cliff]

I'm doing a raindance so Max could have a fairytale win at his home grand prix, after all the bad things that have happened in the first half of the season. 

[Fatgadget]

I'm doing a raindance so Max could have a fairytale win at his home grand prix, after all the bad things that have happened in the first half of the season. 

Max not only the rain master is he? ..Who won the last rain race  anyone?

[H0R]

1. It's Burnenville, not Brunenville.

2. Any Spa thread without mentioning Dan Gurney's awesome win in 1967 is worthless.

3. Who cares? Well done!           

[monolulu]

Max not only the rain master is he? ..Who won the last rain race anyone?

Must be Lewis... Brazil last year ?

Edited by monolulu, 19 August 2017 - 15:30.

[monolulu]

Went to Spa last year it's a great race track. Sat in a sea of orange luckily the natives were friendly!

[Jovanotti]

Excellent OP, brings back a lot of memories

It's this time of the year again!

Edited by Jovanotti, 19 August 2017 - 15:54.

[taz]

Went to Spa last year it's a great race track. Sat in a sea of orange luckily the natives were friendly!

 

Natives? The Dutch are orange, we Belgians aren't.. orange, but red..

Let's hope for a lot of Stoffel supporters this year
 

Edited by taz, 19 August 2017 - 15:51.

[cpbell]

Thanks for the thread!

I agree regarding the way that the changes in runoffs have neutered the challenge of Spa (as has the gradual realignment of the track through Eau Rouge/Raidillon over the years which has had the effect of making it easier for drivers to take that section flat-out).

Edited by cpbell, 19 August 2017 - 16:25.

[cpbell]

BTW, does anyone have any idea why everyone bar the Red Bulls, Williams and Vandoorne have chosen multiple sets of softs when they're surely unlikely to have much influence on strategy given how ridiculously hard the compounds are this season?

[RECKLESS]

I will not be able to watch the qualy nor the race live next weekend... so:

It's gonna be a Finnish 1-2 finish I bet!

[Kucki]

Spa has been castrated.

[Neno]

We hope for first podium of the season   Palmer ofcourse without points. 

[Risil]

Spa has been castrated.

 

Too much run-off that's indistinguishable from the track, yes. Still a nice layout and a beautiful location. Still really, really fast.

[MasterOfCoin]

"Magnussen literally had his balls sucked into the wall at Radillon there.".......Which is quite amusing after he told Hulkenberg to suck his balls....  

[P123]

Yay!....I love Spa. This a circuit for the brave. Those that can sling their balls out of the cockpit and go for it!

Only in the wet. In the dry these days... not so much. It's been Tilke'd.

[f1paul]

"Magnussen literally had his balls sucked into the wall at Radillon there.".......Which is quite amusing after he told Hulkenberg to suck his balls....  

That was the intention!   

 

That reminds me to add something to the OP though. 

[f1paul]

BTW, does anyone have any idea why everyone bar the Red Bulls, Williams and Vandoorne have chosen multiple sets of softs when they're surely unlikely to have much influence on strategy given how ridiculously hard the compounds are this season?

 

Maybe they think the high speed nature of the circuit will mean that there could be more degradation than normal and they've therefore gone conservative. Red Bull are always aggressive with their tyre choice and it's unsurprising to see Ferrari and Mercedes going slightly conservative because they have the most to lose. It's really the FP sessions where the tyre choice makes a big difference really. Hopefully, everyone will have to use wets or inters anyway!

[IceSpeed]

Great OP!!!

I believe VET's turbo's have been fixed, based on approval from the FIA over reliability,so he should be fine for the rest of the season.

[MikeV1987]

Well done on the op, too bad it made my shitty old iphone 5 lock up twice! 

[AmateurExpert]

Epic OP, well done!

[turssi]

Is the race next weekend already?

[davidlan]

good opening post, thank you for all the time and effort.

 

Dave

[RECKLESS]

Is the race next weekend already?

Yes it is.

 

And Monza comes back-to-back.

[Nonesuch]

How boring to end up voting for the most popular option on all three questions! I'm disappointed. (For the record, I went with: Hamilton / Hamilton / 7 ).

 

Anyway, Spa-Francorchamps is always a fantastic event. Bring it on!

[MattK9]

BTW, does anyone have any idea why everyone bar the Red Bulls, Williams and Vandoorne have chosen multiple sets of softs when they're surely unlikely to have much influence on strategy given how ridiculously hard the compounds are this season?

 

Spa has similar levels of tyre deg to Silverstone. And the red supersoft was too soft for a one stop race at silverstone as ferrari found out. Plus spa has punched tyres before where the idiots cut the kerb at the top of eau rouge/raidillon.

[TomNokoe]

I expect a one stop.

Hungary had 50°C track temps and the super soft still went half the race.

Edited by TomNokoe, 20 August 2017 - 10:41.

[Kalmake]

BTW, does anyone have any idea why everyone bar the Red Bulls, Williams and Vandoorne have chosen multiple sets of softs when they're surely unlikely to have much influence on strategy given how ridiculously hard the compounds are this season?

RBR has preferred low downforce approach at Spa. Williams does that everywhere. McHonda has to because they are down on power.

[Kalmake]

I expect a one stop.

Hungary had 50°C track temps and the super soft still went half the race.

Spa has much higher loads with all the fast corners.

[MortenF1]

RBR has preferred low downforce approach at Spa. Williams does that everywhere. McHonda has to because they are down on power.

How is this a response to why some teams have picked multiple sets of softs?

[Kalmake]

How is this a response to why some teams have picked multiple sets of softs?

Because they plan to put more energy into the rubber than those 3 teams.

[pkonsti]

I've made a statistic of the Belgian GP's, containing all the results from 1950-2016.

Schumacher is heading the list, but this weekend Hamilton or/and Vettel can overtake Michael.

The first table:

http://www.kepfeltol...elga_GP_ENG.jpg

The second (laps led):

http://www.kepfeltol...P_k_r_k_ENG.jpg

[JG]

It's Kimi-time!

[zike]

anyone knows the weather prediction?

[TomNokoe]

anyone knows the weather prediction?

Same as always.

Mild (17-21°C) with a chance of rain!

[RainyAfterlifeDaylight]

It's Kimi-time!

Ferrari strategists say Ciao!

[Jovanotti]

Same as always.

Mild (17-21°C) with a chance of no rain!

Fixed fy.

[Trust]

I hope it doesn't rain, it will ruin Kimi's chances.

[taz]

Belgian weather forecast:

https://www.meteo.be...65656-Weer.html

 

roughly translated:

friday & saturday: showers coming out of France, going North. (short) thunder storm possible

temps up to 25c

 

sunday: dry and partly cloudy in the morning, in the afternoon possible thunder storms followed by rain, coming from the West

temps up to 25c

Edited by taz, 21 August 2017 - 11:04.

[ConsiderAndGo]

Belgian weather forecast:

https://www.meteo.be...65656-Weer.html

 

roughly translated:

friday & saturday: showers coming out of France, going North. (short) thunder storm possible

temps up to 25c

 

sunday: dry and partly cloudy in the morning, in the afternoon possible thunder storms followed by rain, coming from the West

temps up to 25c

Realistic weather forecast for Spa: No one has  scooby-doo! 

[Stephane]

If it is like last week, we could have rain on three different parts of the track and still a lot of dry places. The showers are very localised these days.

[Ev0d3vil]

Same as always.

Mild (17-21°C) with a chance of rain after the race!

Fixed further..

[Afaf]

It's Kimi-time!

 

Kimi fans just say this every race now. And its never true.

[zike]

what about the tyres pressure?

[Wuzak]