Spa is a racer’s track with heavy loads of downforce with blind apex going hard to flat out not thinking anymore about it over 42 laps.
These Formula One guys are worth every penny they’re paid when you hit this circuit for a Grand Prix. Walking around the Ardennes Forest is a blessing in disguise as the rough terrain is reminiscent of how drivers take to the track.
Sad news with the loss of F2 Driver Anthoine Hubert who crashed at Raidillon into Eau Rouge as his car bounced back onto the track he was t-boned by Correa who had nowhere to go. The car was split in two. Earlier on Mick Schumacher had a crash being able to get clear of any injury.
Qualifying was all about beating the traffic on track to bank a flying lap. Albon’s Red Bull debut saw him doing race distance prep in FP2 and FP3 for the race with an engine change penalty. Gasly starts 16th in the Toro Rosso. Renault F1 pulled the pace out to finish inside the top 10. McLaren were not so fortunate so w ended up with Ferrari 1-2, AMG Mercedes
With multiple power unit changes six drivers have been penalised grid places.
| POS | NO | DRIVER | CAR | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | FERRARI | 1:43.587 | 1:42.938 | 1:42.519 | 17 |
| 2 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | FERRARI | 1:44.109 | 1:43.037 | 1:43.267 | 17 |
| 3 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | MERCEDES | 1:45.260 | 1:43.592 | 1:43.282 | 19 |
| 4 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | MERCEDES | 1:45.141 | 1:43.980 | 1:43.415 | 19 |
| 5 | 33 | Max Verstappen | RED BULL RACING HONDA | 1:44.622 | 1:44.132 | 1:43.690 | 16 |
| 6 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RENAULT | 1:45.560 | 1:44.103 | 1:44.257 | 17 |
| 7 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | RENAULT | 1:45.899 | 1:44.549 | 1:44.542 | 16 |
| 8 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI | 1:45.842 | 1:44.140 | 1:44.557 | 18 |
| 9 | 11 | Sergio Perez | RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES | 1:45.732 | 1:44.707 | 1:44.706 | 18 |
| 10 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | HAAS FERRARI | 1:45.839 | 1:44.738 | 1:45.086 | 18 |
| 11 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | HAAS FERRARI | 1:45.694 | 1:44.797 | 12 | |
| 12 | 4 | Lando Norris | MCLAREN RENAULT | 1:46.154 | 1:44.847 | 12 | |
| 13 | 18 | Lance Stroll | RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES | 1:46.000 | 1:45.047 | 8 | |
| 14 | 23 | Alexander Albon | RED BULL RACING HONDA | 1:45.528 | 1:45.799 | 8 | |
| 15 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI | 1:45.637 | 7 | ||
| 16 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO HONDA | 1:46.435 | 5 | ||
| 17 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | MCLAREN RENAULT | 1:46.507 | 6 | ||
| 18 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO HONDA | 1:46.518 | 4 | ||
| 19 | 63 | George Russell | WILLIAMS MERCEDES | 1:47.548 | 6 | ||
| NC | 88 | Robert Kubica | WILLIAMS MERCEDES | DNF | 2 |
Q1 107% time – 1:50.838
Note – Stroll, Albon and Kvyat to start from back of grid due to multiple power unit element changes. Hulkenberg, Ricciardo and Sainz each drop five grid places for use of additional power unit elements. Kvyat also penalised five grid places for an unscheduled gearbox change. Kubica races at stewards’ discretion after failing to set a qualifying time. Source F1.com
