Race report
So, that’s about us, and it’s onto Monza next week with everything to race for. Bye!
Rosberg concedes that the crowd were hoping to see Verstappen on the podium, congratulates Hamilton’s achievement, and then Ricciardo bantoriously makes Webber drink fizz from a shoe.
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Daniel Ricciardo is outstandingly chuffed with himself, leaping about after the anthem and then again after the booze starts flying. They pose for pictures and then out comes Mark Webber.
Rosberg, meanwhile, leaps with joy as Deutschlandlied begins. There’s a mixed reaction from the crowd.
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So, that’s a great afternoon’s work for Nico Rosberg - he couldn’t have done things any better or any differently. But it’s also a great afternoon’s work for Lewis Hamilton, who got lucky with the carnage in front of him and bagged points he can’t possibly have expected. He looks thoroughly delighted as he takes to the podium.
In comes Rosberg to weigh himself, past a white chesterfield. He does not sit on it, and rightly so - they are deeply uncomfortable things.
Hulkenberg is fourth, Perez fifth, then Vettel, Alonso, Bottas, Raikonen, Massa and Verstappen.
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Nico Rosberg wins his first ever Belgian Grand Prix!
He leads from start to finish, while Daniel Ricciardo is second and Lewis Hamilton comes third. He now leads the drivers’ championship by 9 points.
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We’ve barely seen Nico Rosberg in this race, and the reason is...
The top three are all on their final lap as Hamilton sets the fastest lap. He’s going to break the course record for the worst ever course position turned into a podium finish.
Lap 43/44 and Ricciardo is standing strong. Alonso, meanwhile, is holding on as Bottas pours it on. That’s the thing with ducks, they look like they’re sitting but you can’t see what’s going on below the surface.
Bottas, in eighth, is going for Alonso, “a sitting duck” but Massa loses his DRS and is immediately overtaken by Raikkonen.
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Lap 41/44, and Rosberg is easing home as Hamilton sets the fastest lap of the afternoon. He’s still eating into Ricciardo as well, a second and a half on the first two sections of the next circuit, but he needs something to happen - simply driving faster won’t do it.
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Five laps to go, and after an absurd opening passage, things have settled down. But the race has set up the rest of the season beautifully.
Lap 39 now, and Rosberg is still lapping quicker than Ricciardo. Hamilton is reeling him in too, but will run out of laps before he gets sufficiently close to strike. The gap is 14.263.
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So, assuming Hamilton stays in third, his lead at the top of the drivers’ championship will decrease from 19 to 9. But given his starting spot at the back of the grid, and his likely loss of the aforementioned lead, he’ll be all over that.
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Verstappen, meanwhile, has gone by Guttierez into 11th spot. He does not hang about waiting to be asked, that lad, though in commentary they reckon he needs to learn to pick his fights more astutely.
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Rosberg is nearly 12 seconds ahead of Ricciardo, who is in the region of 18 seconds ahead of Hamilton - but can his tyres last another eight laps?
So, a leaderboard:
- Rosberg
- Ricciardo
- Hamilton
- Hulkenberg
- Perez
- Vettel
- Alonso
Lap 34 now and Hamilton is right up behind Hulkenberg, whom he smokes with minimum effort; can he get up to Ricciardo in second?
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Hamilton comes out ahead of Perez and is fourth, but should be able to get by Hulkenberg, whose tyres have been on ten laps now.
Hamilton pits - this time they’re very sharp, and off he toddles. 11 laps to go.
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Hamilton is struggling to live with Ricciardo on the straights, and it doesn’t look like he’ll be able to pull that place back. In front, meanwhile, Rosberg is flying away - his lead is 11-odd seconds on lap 32/44.
And, back to Hamilton, the chances are he’ll need to stop again, so he could really use with getting by Ricciardo to give him a chance of converting his current third place into a podium finish.
14 laps to go!
Lap 29 and Hamilton has closed to within 0.207 of Ricciardo, while Perez does brilliantly to stroke his way past Massa. “Hard driving,” says our commentator of their gentle collision.
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Here comes Bottas ... he takes out Verstappen on lap 28 ... and Verstappen, already struggling on his tyres, goes into the pits.
This is breathless stuff, though it’s been quiet up front for a little bit.
Ha! Vettel is ahead of Verstappen again!
Ricciardo is struggling for grip on lap 26 - his laptimes have soared, and in he goes. Meanwhile, Verstappen’s hectoring forced Perez on the slip road, and now, Vettel has nailed Verstappen around the corner. But Verstappen, who looks like he might be struggling for traction certainly isn’t on the straight, and immediately gets his eighth place back.
I’m sure it’s not just me who can’t hear the name Hulkenberg without hearing this.
On lap 24, Hulkenberg and Bottas go in, and Hulkenberg and Alonso reach the line of the pit lane together ... Hulkenberg gets out in front. “Did Alonso hit you?” asks Force India. “Yes,” says Hulkenberg. More as i get it.
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The red jack got stuck during Hamilton’s pit, so he was in there a fraction longer than intended. But he’s out now and ahead of Kvyatt in ninth, while others start coming in. We’re now on lap 23, but it won’t be for another 15 till we really know who’s well-placed.
On lap 22 Hamilton pits, and Danil Kvyatt follows him in. Kvyatt is tenth, but has a gaggle of cars behind him.
“Anyone would think that Lewis Hamilton was in some kind of supercar compared to the other drivers,” tweets Gary Naylor.
Doesn’t being the best driver get you the best cars?
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Finally, Raikkonen is by Grossjean - he’s tenth now. It is reckoned that most of the chaps are going for a two-stop strategy now; we’re on lap 21.
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Grossjean and Rakkonen touch wheels as the latter tries taking out the former. The door is closed.
Rosberg’s tyre choice seems to have been a good one - he’s lapping faster than Hamilton at the moment.
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And Hulkenberg offers Hamilton the outside! He takes it and goes by! Tat puts him third, from second bottom - with Ricciardo five seconds in front.
0.600 is the difference between Hulkenberg and Hamilton.
Hamilton, after a bad lap 16, is having a good lap 17, catching up on Hulkenberg in front of him; Vettel is now up to eighth.
Vettel goes past Grossjean and is up to ninth; not bad given his being caught up i all that first lap kerfuffle.
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Magnussen’s injury might be a concern for Monza next week, we’re told.
We’re now on lap 14 of 44, and Ricciardo is extended the gap to Hulkengerg, in third, but otherwise, the gaps are generally staying the same.
Ricciardo is lapping at roughly the same pace as Rosberg, though Rosberg is on a softer tyre.
Raikkonen reckons Verstappen has no interest but shoving him off the track; Verstappen probably reckons he’s just quicker. Now, Verstappen is 14th, Raikkonen 15th.
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Hamilton rinses Alonso on the camel straits! Raikonnen and Verstappen duel again and Raikonnen is now ahead!
Magnussen is conscious, but has an ankle injury, say the FIA.
Alonso tries to slip by Hulkenberg but can’t, while Massa almost takes out Hamilton.
And away we go again!
The cars are exiting the pit lane.
Rosberg and Ricciardo both have soft tyres on; Alonso and Hamilton have soft compounds.
A minute until we restart.
Pepople in the crowd have seen themselves on the big screen. They are waving to themselves, despite being themselves.
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“Definitely wasn’t Vestappen’s fault,” tweets Matthew McCluskey. Vettel squeezed Kimi and Verstappen both. Could have all been avoided if more room on outside.”
This promised to be a ridiculous race; we’ve had not even a quarter of it, and already it’s been ridiculous beyond any expectations of ridiculousness.
Magnussen’s car has now been winched off the wall. It’s going to need a new chassis, at least, before Monza.
Deep breath.
.@KevinMagnussen loses control and smashes into the tyre barrier! Luckily he's alright. #beINF1 #BelgiumGP pic.twitter.com/KdrozeqArO
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) August 28, 2016
The race will restart in ten minutes...
We’ve still got plenty of time to complete the entirety of the race.
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, will be fifth when we restart. He must be chortling hard, so too Fernando Alonso, who is now fourth.
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Christian Horner reckons it was Vettels’ fault.
Verstappen is telling his team that the original crash wasn’t his fault, but to my amateur, inexpert eye, if it was anyone’s fault, it was his.
The drivers are stretching their legs.
In the meantime, it’s a free tyre change for one and all.
They’ve red flagged the race - the cars will come into the pits and line up at the end of the lane. This is probably because the removal of Magnussen’s debris requires the tractor that they’re using encroaching onto the track.
Hulkenberg has pitted, running third, so too has Bottas, and lapped cars are now free to unlap themselves. Rosberg and Ricciardo are yet to stop and they’re first and second. Hamilton, meanwhile, has had his strategy absolutely vindicated - two stops might now do it for him. We’re on lap 9 of 44.
If lapped cars are allowed to unlap themselves, that’ll work nicely for Raikkonen...
We’re on lap 8 of 44 and the safety car is still out. The marshals are over to where Magnussen crashed and starting what looks like an extensive clear-up job; the car is hanging off the barrier like a moose.
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Hamilton, starting on the medium compound tyre, is now seventh - but lots of his rivals are pitting.
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It’s not easy to fathom what’s happened to Magnussen there - the bodywork flew off the car even before the impact, by the look of it, which is not good at all.
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Oh my! Kevin Magnussen has hammered his Renault straight into the tyre barrier! Strewth. He’s ok though, gets up and limps away. But they rekcon he was doing 190mph at time. The safety car is coming out.
Rsonerg leads, Hulkenberg second, then Ricciardo, Bottas, Perez. Hamilton is 12th.
The race is off again!
But Button is out!
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“They just turned into me,” says Vettel; but was he too close?
So to try and describe exactly what happened there: Vettel was a little bit tight around the first corner and had Verstappen trying to pass on the inside, leaving him no choice but to hit Raikkonen coming round the outside.
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The virtual safety car is out!
The marshals are cleaning up the debris from that first crash.
Hamilton is 15th, I think; well, that’s what they said. Jensen Button also pitted after lap 1, presumably running over some debris.
Raikkonen is in the pits - he’s in trouble, his car is a mess.
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Sainz is out! There is a ridiculous amount going on!
Verstappen pits at the end of lap 1 to sort out his wing - he bashed up his car in the chain reaction which followed that Vettel crash. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz’s back rear tyre explodes!
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Yep, Vettel is last, having started fourth on the grid - oh dear.
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Verstappen has lost some of his front wing! Rosberg leads from Verstappen ... phew!
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Lights out and off we go!
Vettel goes at the first corner! He’s last!
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They’re lining up...
Lewis Hamilton will be trying to stop only twice - and hasn’t ruled out finishing on the podium.
The rolling lap is underway...
Nico Rosberg can’t mess this up can he? He can’t afford to mess this up can he?
To be clear, though its not as hot as has been, it’s still a lovely day in Spa. I was always 7 Eleven man myself.
Ron Dennis says McLaren will sort out the drivers for next season at Monza, or at least start talking about them. And I’ve finally realised of whom he reminds me...
Brabançonne time.
Worthy children of Low Countries
Whom a fine passion has aroused,
To your patriotic fervour
Great successes lie in store.
Remain under arms, so that naught shall change!
Let us keep to the same will,
And we shall see Orange bloom anew
Upon the tree of Liberty.
Verstappen’s chap reckons the lower temperature will give him a lap or two extra on the supersofts.
Jimmy Anderson and Professor Green are knocking around the pit lane, you’ll be pleased to know. More news as I get it.
Email! “Can’t believe anyone watches F1 for bumps and scrapes - that’s what Nascar is for,” suggests Andrew Benton. “So why do people watch F1?”
I don’t think the chap meant bumps and scrapes, exactly - more the frisson of danger that hopefully won’t materialise.
Ah - it seems that Ferando Alonso will be starting last, just behind Lewis Hamilton.
The computer says three stops is the way to go, so Max Verstappen’s boys are on the money - apparently.
The soft tyres should last 12 laps, the supersoft 8 - but it’s a bit cooler than it has been, so how knows.
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Personally, I watch dangerous sports because of the skill level and intensity of competition, not for the thrill of potential death or serious injury. Those are things that make me want to turn off.
“Would fans respect the drivers as much if F1 were less dangerous ... other sports are far more dangerous,” says Sky’s reporter. Hmmmm.
Preamble
A race at Spa is never less than intriguing, but this year’s Belgian Grand Prix - today’s Belgian Grand Prix - now’s Belgian Grand Prix! - is freighted with and liberated by even more intrigue than usual. Lewis Hamilton leads Nico Rosberg by just 19 points in the drivers’ championship with eight races to come after this one, and Hamilton starts today from the back of the grid, while Rosberg is in pole. And, at the same time, an unusually hot track means an unusually varied strategy situation; have summadat!
Lights out: 1pm BST
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