The result means Hamilton stays top of the drivers’ standings, nine points ahead of Rosberg, who collected his first win in Spa-Francorchamps, his sixth of the season and the 20th of his career.
Advertisement
Hamilton though was able to take advantage of the chaos at the start.
Hamilton salvaged third place and 15 points from the Spa-Francorchamps weekend after several engine change penalties saw him start from the back row of the grid. Kevin Magnussen in his Renault lost control at the popular corner, “Eau Rouge”. I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen in the race and I was just trying to keep my head down all the time and focus on the long run pace.
Rosberg should be nervous with the fearless teenager alongside him.
On the run down the hill, Verstappen’s front wing came loose, while Raikkonen’s auto sprayed sparks from the rear for the rest of the lap – all three men pitted at the end of the lap. Raikkonen’s auto was also damaged and he had to drive slowly around in a hail of sparks to return to the pits. It was a year later, in 1992, when Schumacher claimed his first ever Formula 1 victory, before going on to win another 90 to become the sport’s most successful driver.
On lap two, Carlos Sainz’s right rear exploded on the Kemmel Straight.
The safety auto was initially deployed, but damage sustained to the tyre barrier meant the race was suspended to allow for further repairs. The Renault driver limped away from the incident.
“And the vehicle was great in the race so of course everything still needs to come together and the start is critical and then with the red flag and everything it becomes a bit more complicated and messy”.
On lap 5, Kevin Magnussen then ran over the kerbs at Eau Rouge and spun backwards into the barriers, initially bringing out the safety vehicle, before the race was red flagged.
By lap 9 he was already at 11th behind Fernando Alonso, still aeons away from the podium.
Yet Rosberg would have hoped to be within touching distance, if not ahead of Hamilton, following his penalty. It is great for Mercedes and still great for the championship [too].
The Briton, victor of six of the last seven races leading up to the Belgian round, still leads the championship but by a narrower nine-point margin with eight of a record 21 races still to run.
Raikkonen – who is twice Verstappen’s age – let his frustration out, saying “his only interest is to push me off the track”.
There was also almost a collision in the pit lane between Hulkenberg and Alonso on lap 24. Hulkenberg finished P4 ahead of Sergio Perez in P5. Alonso’s vehicle is on its third Honda power unit for the weekend because of numerous failures in practice and qualifying.
Verstappen races under the Dutch flag but was born in Belgium to a Belgian mother, and they love him here as one of their own.
Advertisement
Ultimately the Ferarris had the final word in the stoush, with Vettel finishing sixth, Raikkonen ninth and Verstappen 11th. The move has helped the team surge ahead of Williams in the constructors’ championship. The Haas pair had been running in the top six after the drama at the start of the race.
