Race 2018 F1 Belgian Grand Prix Full Race Replay

Race 2018 F1 Belgian Grand Prix Full Race Replay

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Race Info
Date    26 August 2018
Official name    Formula 1 2018 Johnnie Walker Belgian Grand Prix
Location    Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Stavelot, Belgium
Course    Permanent racing facility
Course length    7.004 km (4.352 miles)
Distance    44 laps, 308.052 km (191.415 miles)

Formula One Belgian Grand Prix 2018 What to Watch

The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend marks the return of Formula 1 after a four-week hiatus.

With a course that provides opportunities for overtaking and variable weather, the race is frequently one of the most interesting on the schedule.

With back-to-back victories at the German and Hungarian Grands Prix right before the summer break, Lewis Hamilton leads the championship going into the 13th race of the 2018 season.

Last year at Spa, Lewis Hamilton turned pole position into victory in his 200th Grand Prix, making it three straight Mercedes victories. Daniel Ricciardo finished last on the podium despite starting sixth, while the Briton finished ahead of Sebastian Vettel.

When the two Force India drivers collided, leaving debris on the track, Vettel attacked for the lead after pitting later than Hamilton, but the Mercedes driver defended brilliantly to maintain his car ahead until a safety car was brought out.

Late in the race, Vettel had another chance to pass for the lead thanks to the safety car, but Hamilton managed to stay out of DRS range and win, and Ricciardo was awarded a penalty by Kimi Raikkonen after the Finn refused to slow down when yellow flags were raised.

Early in the race, Max Verstappen experienced a mechanical failure, and Fernando Alonso's McLaren engine issue prevented him from finishing in the lead.

This year, there is nothing new in terms of the track. There will be 44 laps, the same amount as the previous year, and the same layout at Spa.

After choosing the ultrasofts over the mediums in 2017, Pirelli is bringing different compounds to the event this year, employing the medium, soft, and supersoft tires.

Since the last race, however, a lot has changed off the track. Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, and Carlos Sainz have all announced that they will be switching teams at the end of 2018, with Alonso leaving Formula One entirely. One of the main topics of discussion heading into this weekend appears to be the F1 driver's market.

Speaking of tires, it appears that a variety of tactics will be employed during this race. 

Ricciardo has more red-striped tires than any other driver from the top three teams, while Mercedes has fewer supersoft tires than the other leaders.

In comparison to other teams on the grid, McLaren has adopted a more cautious approach, bringing only four sets of the softest compound and four of the mediums. The only team to bring nine sets of supers is Williams.

Last year, the majority of drivers made two pit stops, most of them for their second tire change during the safety car period.

Throughout the race, all three compounds were utilized; however, Ricciardo utilized the ultras to gain three positions, while Hamilton preferred the softs to maintain his lead. Depending on the weather and whether there are any safety car periods, a one-stop strategy might be feasible because Pirelli has made the compounds more difficult to use during this year's event.

The track will have a mix of weather throughout the weekend, with rains predicted during practice and bright intervals arriving on Sunday for the race.

The weather is expected to dry out in the afternoon for FP2 and qualifying after raining during FP1 and Saturday morning. Nevertheless, Sunday appears to be a dry day.

Additionally, Sunday will be a little warmer than Saturday, which can have an impact on tire setup and wear, especially if the track is still drying out before qualifying.

Mercedes has won on F1's last three trips to the track, demonstrating their dominance there in recent years. If Hamilton and Nico Rosberg hadn't teamed together in 2014, Ricciardo would have won. Otherwise, it would have been four.

With four victories from 2004 to 2009, Raikkonen is the most successful driver from Belgium's current grid, despite Hamilton's two victories in the last three years. The current champion has failed to finish the Belgian Grand Prix four times, and he has more retirements at Spa than any other track. 

Despite finishing fourth in his debut year, Hamilton has only missed the podium once in his career.

Being poorly qualified at Spa does not necessarily translate into a dismal performance on Sunday. In 2011, 2012, and 2013, podium finishers were from outside the first eight on the grid, and Hamilton finished on the podium in 2016 despite starting 21st. In the past ten races, just half of the pole sitters have won the race the next day.

Although many drivers consider Spa to be one of their favorite places on the current schedule, Alonso doesn't appear to enjoy the track. 

The two-time winner has retired six times at Spa and has never won in Belgium; the only occasion he hasn't seen the chequered flag is in Montreal. However, because reserve driver Lando Norris will be in his vehicle for FP1, he will have a lighter duty than usual at Spa.

Given that some drivers are approaching their season-long maximum allotment of engine components, some drivers may be considering grid penalties this weekend. This week, Renault acknowledged that Nico Hulkenberg will probably receive a punishment before the season ends, but they might wait until this race since it's often one of the strongest for the German.

He was the middle teams' top finisher last year and has two four-place finishes at the track. Last year, five drivers received grid penalties due to engine problems and gearbox modifications.

It's still unknown what Force India will be doing this weekend, despite the fact that FP1 starts in less than 24 hours. Since the last race, a company formed by Lawrence Stroll has purchased the team; however, it seems that various legal matters, including as the usage of the Force India brand, are still pending resolution. According to several rumors, the team may decide to boycott the race entirely, alter the driver, or make a last-minute name change.