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![]() ![]() Shell Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Francorchamps, Belgium Race Distance: 44 laps, 308.052 km The circuit at Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most storied courses in all of F1. The original 9.3 mile course created out of the public roads between Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot in 1924 has been reduced to a much safer 4.3 mile course. While the infamous Masta Kink was lost in the name of safety, the phenomenal Eau Rouge turn remains, and is one of the most spectacular curves in all of motorsports, taken by Formula 1 cars flat-out. The rest of the course has a very old-school feel as it winds over and around the local hill-sides, providing the drivers the feeling of actually driving somewhere rather than just lapping in an enclosed stadium. Last season's race began with a mess as Grosjean started a chain reaction wreck that took out nearly all the front runners in turn 1. Pole sitter Button escaped the carnage and went on to win. Vettel and Raikkonen rounded out the podium. A damp and drying racetrack set the stage for qualifying where only a last second lap allowed Hamilton to grab the pole for Mercedes. Red Bull teammates Vettel and Webber take positions 2 and 3, ahead of Rosberg in the other Mercedes is 4th, while di Resta get's Force India's highest qualifying spot of the season in 5th by opting for intermediate tires at the start of the session. The top 10 qualifiers at Spa: HAM VET WEB ROS DIR BUT GRO RAI ALO MAS It only took a single run down the Kemmel Straight for Vettel to pass Hamilton and drive off into the distance for a dominating win. In an impressive drive from 9th to 2nd, Alonso would have made good on his prediction of a win had Vettel's pace been less than other-worldly. Hamilton turns his pole position into a podium position by finishing 3rd. Rosberg and Webber round out the top 5. Raikkonen, the man in 2nd overall to Vettel, loses a lot of ground in the championship when a brake failure takes him out of the race.
Shell Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Francorchamps, Belgium ![]() ![]() |