WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain
FIA World Endurance Championship
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Hamilton wins after Russell disqualification
Hamilton wins after Russell disqualification: Analysis of the Belgian Grand Prix, brought to you by Bahrain International Circuit
The great Murray Walker once described Spa as the ultimate test of the Grand Prix driver and it has been a driver favourite throughout the ages. The elevation changes, not least the magic of Eau Rouge, add to the spectacle at one of the most historic races on the calendar. As the last race before the summer break, it was a critical weekend up and down the grid, with the championship set to be far closer than anyone could have envisaged just a couple of months ago. Red Bull were desperate for a high double points score, McLaren wanted to continue momentum after last weekend, Mercedes were firmly on the up and Ferrari were looking to fulfill the promise of a car that should be competitive at the front.
The drama began in Spa even before the cars hit the track, as it was revealed that Max Verstappen would take a ten-place grid penalty for going over his engine allocation for the season. It meant for a tantalizing prospect for the race. Verstappen would be aiming for a charge through the field – something he has shown plenty of appetite for in the past.
As we approached the first day on track, it became clear that the Olympics wasn’t the only sporting event in Europe to be affected by the weather, as two practice sessions and Saturday’s qualifying were undertaken in wet conditions. Max Verstappen gave everyone a reminder of his expertise in being quick in the rain and set a dominant lap to top the time sheets. He was over half a second ahead of Leclerc who, together with Perez, would take the front row of the grid. This was a hugely important weekend for the Mexican, as there were plenty of chatter in the paddock that this could be his last race to prove to Red Bull that he deserves his seat. He was fortunate to scrape through Q1, but would have been delighted to start second, and with Verstappen so much further back, it was a chance to really prove what he can do. Hamilton again showed his prowess in the wet, and he would start alongside Norris on the second row, followed by Piastri and Russell.
The resurfaced track in Belgium meant for higher tyre degradation, making strategy calls that much more important. It’s also the longest track on the calendar, meaning that the 44 laps flew by for the 380,000 fans attending over the weekend and the millions more on television.
As the race got underway, Leclerc got off to a brilliant start, whilst Hamilton took Perez off the line, with Piastri also gaining a place. Norris found the gravel, losing him two places, as Russell and Sainz made the most of that opportunity. Further back, Verstappen was already up to eighth after the first lap, although it would be prove to be tough for the World Champion to get through the rest of the field for the remainder of the race.
By lap ten, there were just nine seconds between the top eight, as they approached their first set of pit stops, with a two-stop strategy the most likely. Red Bull blinked first and went in on lap 11, followed by Russell. Hamilton followed the next lap, as well as Piastri and Hamilton, with Leclerc just behind. Norris and Sainz stayed put as they were hoping that fresher tyres at the end of the race would pay dividends.
The front runners after the first set of stops were Hamilton, followed by Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Russell, Verstappen and Norris. When the second round of pit stops came on lap 26, Leclerc went first, then Hamilton the following lap, followed by Verstappen, Norris, then Piastri. George Russell was asked about the timing of his stop and was adamant that he could make it to the end on what was already aging tyres.
With ten laps to go, the two Mercedes of Russell and Hamilton were upfront, followed by Leclerc and Piastri, then Verstappen and Norris. With Russell on old tyres, it was always going to be a challenge to hold off Hamilton, but it was an exceptional performance from Russell to hold off his teammate to take the chequered flag. It would have been comfortably Russell’s best win in Formula 1 but there was late drama after the race after it became clear that his car was under investigation for being underweight. Two hours after the race, it was announced that Russell’s car was 1.5 kilos below the minimum weight of 795 kilos, and, in the absence of mitigating circumstances, handed the victory to Hamilton. Whilst the team acknowledged the genuine error, some pundits suggested it could have resulted from a combination of extra tyre wear on the single stop strategy, plus the lack of cool down lap could have contributed to this. Either way it was heartbreak for the British driver.
As a result, Piastri was promoted to second having overtaken Leclerc, with the driver from Monaco taking the final podium place. Verstappen followed, then Norris and Sainz. With Perez finishing in eighth after a promising finish in qualifying, there is no doubt they will have to address that elephant in the room over the summer break.
F1 will return on 25 August for the Dutch Grand Prix. Verstappen will be hoping that the home support will reinvigorate his season, whilst the recent form of Mercedes and McLaren will hope to ensure that the rest of the season goes right to the wire.
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