F1. Belgium 2024 Review

By Gavin Huet, Chelsea Wintle and Aiden McLaughlin

Chelsea – George Russell. All the pre-race discussion was whether Max Verstappen could last the race with only one set of hard tyres at his disposal, but nobody was openly considering a single stop strategy until Russell said it. He took a punt, and the punt paid off. Hamilton’s praise was grudging, saying the strategy was never offered to him, but he never asked. Despite the unfortunate afterward, Russell drove the race he needed to drive, cradling a very tired (sorry) set of hards across the line with aplomb. It should have been a well-deserved victory.

Aiden – I’ve struggled with this more than most races, and the only certainty here for me was that it’s a Mercedes driver. For all of George’s Russell’s quality on Sunday, in getting that car to P1 on the track with a one-stop strategy, and after much internal wrangling, I just can’t choose a driver that was ultimately disqualified, even though it wasn’t his fault. I have no doubt that my decision will also form part of the debrief from Toto Wollf, but I’m sorry Toto, I’ve made my decision. Instead, Lewis Hamilton is my DOTD. He moved into second place past Sergio Perez on the opening lap and then past Charles Leclerc a lap later. He was leading comfortably until his second pit stop and was the best driver on the two-stop strategy to take the 105th win of his Formula One career.

Gavin – Initially I thought this would be George Russell because of the strategy and then the win. Then came the disqualification, but even then I was going to give it to him because it was not his fault he got disqualified and he did win. However, this is ultimately a team sport and the Mercedes team got something badly wrong here. Looking at George’s drive he got the lead through strategy, I cannot even think of an overtake. Compare that to Lewis Hamilton who eventually got crowned the winner and you see a drive that showed him passing opponents on the first lap before hunting down the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc to take the lead of the race, and making it all look very easy. Lewis looks like a man transformed, suddenly he has the confidence to take that car and fight, and win. If the momentum continues then Mercedes and their drivers will be title contenders next season, pity Lewis will be driving a red London bus around the tracks by then.

 

Moment of the weekend

Chelsea – This came on Monday for me, a day when I doggedly avoid the internet until knocking off time, when Fred Flinstone-style I yabba-dabba-doo my way into the lounge to watch a race I am blissfully ignorant of. Not so Monday morning, when a fellow enthusiast greeted me at work with, “Can you believe they took the race off George?” Thanks Seth. Still, it’s a tidy anecdote to lead into the moment of the weekend, which is when Mercedes found that car #63 was a monstrous 1.5 kilograms underweight, leading to Russell’s disqualification. It was a strategic blunder worthy of Ferrari, and that’s saying something. Post-race, Lewis Hamilton was awarded the win, with Piastri coming in second and Leclerc third.

Aiden – This came a couple of hours after the chequered flag when 798kg became 796.5kg after some fuel was drained out of George Russell’s winning Mercedes car. Yep, a difference of a decent sized bag of sugar ruined Russell’s day and handed Lewis Hamilton the win, and moved everyone else in the points up a spot. By the way, Fernando Alonso also employed a one-stop strategy to finish in ninth position.

Gavin – Oscar Piastri was looking to be in the hunt for another race win, he was driving a solid race and not making any mistakes. And then came his pit stop. He overshot the pit markings and the poor front jack mechanic really took the full force of the car as it hit that jack. To his credit the mechanic did a fantastic job and got the McLaren up on the jack before releasing Oscar back into the pit lane. But the damage was done, not only to the poor mechanic’s body but to Oscar’s race. Because of that slow pit stop he re-entered the race behind the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc and just did not have the pace to get past it to start hunting down the leaders. Ironically Oscar also had the fastest pit stop of the weekend.

 

Hot take of the weekend

Chelsea – Of the top four teams, this race really was anybody’s. Of the 44 laps, Hamilton and Russell led 14 each, followed by Sainz for 8 and Piastri and Leclerc four each. Verstappen was still a favourite early on, having won the same race from 14th position last year. Perez, sadly, never featured in predictions and rightly so. He finished in 7th position, 42 seconds behind Hamilton, leading many to assume Sunday would be his final day with the team. Not so – Red Bull have since recommitted to the man they re-signed only weeks ago, which is bad news for Kiwi Liam Lawson, but potentially good news for Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. Perez’ last eight outings have brought 8th, DNF, DNF, 8th, 7th, 17th, 7th, and 7th. If this continues, the rest of the season is going to be a lot more competitive than it might have been otherwise.

Aiden – Once is misfortune, twice is careless. This is now Mercedes’ second disqualification in just over nine months. Last October, Lewis Hamilton was disqualified after the United States Grand Prix, after a *checks notes* failed plank wear inspection. We all know that the teams are pushing the limits as much as a famous All Black number seven once did (hands off etc) but ultimately you have to have a legal car, otherwise you have nothing. Toto Wolff won’t throw anyone under the bus, or the car, in public, but in private he will be fuming that they have thrown a one-two finish in the bin. An uncomfortable debrief for all concerned and a real big rock under the beach towel during the summer break.

Gavin – Can Lando Norris please learn how to start a race without losing places? This is the driver who thinks he could be a title contender this season and was willing to undermine his team and teammate for the win, yet the stuff he should be doing easily is what is letting him down. This is the second race in a row where in his own words the start has dictated his race and finishing position. He has so much talent but race starts is obviously not one of them.

 

Cold take of the weekend

Chelsea – There are four remaining seats to be filled for the 2025 season, at Mercedes, Alpine, RB and Sauber. With Kimi Antonelli all but confirmed for Mercedes, my beady eye remains on RB, and the conspicuous absence of a locked-in Daniel Ricciardo. Could Liam Lawson be on the cusp of a signing after all? In a year where the silly season started particularly early, there’s still some potential excitement to be had over the summer break.

Aiden – In the ruthless world of Formula One, Christian Horner’s decision to back Sergio Perez to come back after the summer break, despite his poor performances, is a real outlier. This isn’t 2022 or 2023 in many ways; the Red Bull is no longer the dominant car in the paddock and Perez isn’t picking up the points or race wins like he was in previous seasons. The longer Perez fails to spark, the more bizarre the decision to keep him becomes. In the past, Horner and Red Bull have been quick to dispose with the talent of Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly, and quite why Perez gets more time is unclear; is it the sponsorship money he brings? Does he not have enough faith in the potential replacements? The summer break won’t see the pressure on Perez lessen, and every weekend he will be under the spotlight, even if he does string some results together.

Gavin – A Belgium Grand Prix with no rain or safety car showed team strategy in all its glory. And without both drivers working together you ultimately end up going backwards, so will Red Bull’s decision to keep Sergio Perez in that second seat blow up in their face as another team takes the Constructors Championship, and what would that mean to the team hierarchy and decision makers? For someone who signed a contract extension already this year and now has been backed for the rest of the season, the scrutiny will not end anytime soon. I didn’t think he would get through the summer break and he has, but if the results are anything to go by then it is only a matter of time.

 

Bonus Pictures of the Week

Spa-Francorchamps. Absolutely stunning race track when the sun is shining which luckily this year it was.

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