What did you think of today’s race? Share your verdict on the Belgian Grand Prix.
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Join in the latest poll and give your verdict on the race: 10 being the highest and 1 the lowest. Please vote based on how entertaining and exciting you thought the race was, not on how your preferred driver or team performed.
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Rate the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix out of ten
- 10 (1%)
- 9 (1%)
- 8 (7%)
- 7 (14%)
- 6 (26%)
- 5 (19%)
- 4 (18%)
- 3 (8%)
- 2 (3%)
- 1 (3%)
Total Voters: 272
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2018 Belgian Grand Prix
- Top ten pictures from the 2018 Italian Grand Prix
- Vettel passes Prost with 52nd F1 victory
- 2018 Belgian Grand Prix Star Performers
- Vettel’s irresistible charge puts Hamilton on alert in title fight
- Paddock Diary: Belgian Grand Prix day four
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Jonathan (@jonny705)
26th August 2018, 15:38
6. One point on for the start chaos
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
26th August 2018, 15:39
6. One point on for the start chaos. Couldn’t put it better.
Jere (@jerejj)
26th August 2018, 15:40
A decent race although a bit straightforward for this circuit’s standards, but not too bad.
Strontium (@strontium)
26th August 2018, 15:40
6. One point on for the start chaos
phpguy
26th August 2018, 15:41
Was it better than average? No, so that’s under 5. Was it the worst race ever? No, so it’s above 1.
I’ll give it a 2, 2.5 for the first lap. Now let’s see how funny everyone will vote for this again.
Sham (@sham)
26th August 2018, 15:41
Really quite dull. Only a 6 due to the track.
On a less interesting circuit, it would have been a 3-4.
Velocityboy (@velocityboy)
26th August 2018, 15:42
A procession, with DRS again being too powerful. I never thought I’d consider Spa boring but this race was.
Asanator (@asanator)
26th August 2018, 17:22
If the DRS was too powerful surely it wasn’t a procession!
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
26th August 2018, 15:42
Boring race. I gave it a 2. No emotion at all except the start. Then, DRS was way too powerful so every overtake felt like cars blasting past trucks on a motorway.
Lauri (@f1lauri)
26th August 2018, 16:00
Same for me. 3 points. Really there was no racing. Force India didn’t race RBR and Bottas just came through with the help of DRS.
Jonny Edwards (@racectrl)
26th August 2018, 22:27
Exactly. DRS basically did what it does best, deprive of us battles on track. Today’s race was a perfect example of how devastating DRS can be. Without it we would’ve seen some good battles on track. DRS has no place on a circuit like Spa.
elchinero (@elchinero)
26th August 2018, 16:35
<> 10-4 on THAT!
Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
26th August 2018, 15:43
4/10
Excluding the start mayhem, it was really dull with terrible TV coverage as usual…
David BR (@david-br)
26th August 2018, 16:20
+1 My vote too, poor race, basically all DNF-powered unshuffling of the mixed up starting grid. Don’t see how Hulkenburg being a liability to himself and everyone else merits an extra point.
David BR (@david-br)
26th August 2018, 16:21
* DRS-powered
Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
26th August 2018, 23:07
Yeah, DRS at the Kemmel straight was too powerful.
The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
26th August 2018, 17:14
4 here too
Sarah Nolan (@sez1981)
26th August 2018, 22:46
So disappointing – 4
Steven Robertson (@emu55)
26th August 2018, 15:43
Apart from the start, the race lacked any further drama. One stop strategies and an over effective DRS turned this into a snoozefest.
regs (@regs)
26th August 2018, 15:43
They should have local commentators each race instead of annoying Brundle every time.
Sam (@)
26th August 2018, 15:47
Brundle is ok…..it’s the other guy that makes me hit the mute button.
matiascasali (@matiascasali)
26th August 2018, 21:50
you’re spoiled kids… if you ever get to see a race with latin american broadcaster you’ll go running asking for the SkyF1 team…
budchekov (@budchekov)
26th August 2018, 15:45
4, no more, after seeing LEC’s halo maybe the ‘debate’ will end.
A little love for the Haas boys?
Ju88sy (@)
26th August 2018, 15:45
5 I forgot to add one point for the chaos!
Phylyp (@phylyp)
26th August 2018, 15:48
Ugh, the DRS zone on the Kemmel straight needs to be shortened. Make it start much later, so the cars can’t complete an overtake before arriving at the corner. And then let them sort it out like racers.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
26th August 2018, 15:49
They need to remove DRS from the Kemmel straight next year, It’s been far too powerful every year since DRS was introduced & we saw on the initial start & few laps after the SC (Where we saw a lot of very good racing with the slipstream) that DRS simply isn’t needed there.
If they want to keep DRS on the start straight fine as it doesn’t work too badly there but it simply is not & never was needed on the Kemmel!
David BR (@david-br)
26th August 2018, 16:23
+1 There’s simply no incentive for drivers to try to pass elsewhere when its guaranteed on the Kemmel straight. It’s not as though Spa lacks places for overtaking. But why bother risking anything when incident-free passing is assured?
Phylyp (@phylyp)
26th August 2018, 16:49
@stefmeister – my comment just above yours mentions shortening the DRS zone, but reading your comment and giving it some more thought makes me agree with you, it would do F1 good to remove DRS from the Kemmel straight. Right now with DRS, a car is punished for being just ahead of another car coming out of Eau Rouge.
The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
26th August 2018, 17:11
+1
Ericsson getting reovertaken by Hartley was ridiculous.
Jonny Edwards (@racectrl)
26th August 2018, 22:35
FIA have proved to be incompetent when it comes to correctly judging the length of DRS zones. With DRS being more powerful next year there is potential for disaster. As mentioned previously, overtaking has always been too easy on the Kemmel straight since they introduced DRS yet FIA at no point have stepped in to shorten the zone. Infact, when have they ever shortened a DRS zone? All they ever do is make it longer with disastrous results (Bahrain this year being one example). Today’s race was an insult and the FIA should be ashamed.
John H (@john-h)
26th August 2018, 17:34
Absolutely agree 100%, but no one is listening.
Kribana (@krichelle)
26th August 2018, 15:50
Boring race. 5. Only thing exciting was Ham vs Vet during the first stint and the first part of the 2nd stint. I guess Lewis decided to go ERS “None” and Lean revs.
ColdFly (@)
26th August 2018, 15:51
6/10
great circuit, but not good racing.
these cars go full speed through most turns; I think even Ricciardo without a wing could have done that.
were are the sprinklers?
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
26th August 2018, 15:51
A little dull for Spa but I suppose that’s what happens when a bunch of entertaining and competitive drivers are effectively eliminated at turn 1. For the sake of keeping cars in the race (not to mention making it safer), I wonder if moving the start line will ever be considered so La Source isn’t turn 1.
Chaitanya
26th August 2018, 15:55
5: at best, other than messy start a boring race afterwards.
MG1982 (@mg1982)
26th August 2018, 15:57
Maaaaan, that Ferrari is so faaaaaast… VET barely finished 10sec ahead of a HAM who was cruising for the last 15 laps! So faassst that he didn’t take the Fastest Lap.
Ferrari destroyed RAI’s race again to give the win to VET! Probably they read the comments from yesterday on this site that RAI is gonna win…. and couldn’t let that happen… ’cause he’s just a no.2.
Great race by Perez. Ocon just showed his inexperience. Trying to pass a Mercedes and a Ferrari at the same time…..?!? Foolish. FIA should investigate that, ’cause at Monaco they gave up their position with an open heart, saying that they were on a different race. I’m really curious to find out what happened now that they realised it’s the same race for everybody and that they won’t destroy their tyres and race by being 1st!
Martin
26th August 2018, 17:08
Exactly. It is a testament to how well Hamilton has driven that even though Ferrari have the faster car and Hamilton has had one more mechanical DNF than Vettel, one more mechanical failure in Qualifying than Vettel and one more gearbox grid penalty than Vettel he still has a significant championship lead.
Oh you were being sarcastic? Well that just shows your fundamental lack of knowledge of F1. Vettel was cruising as soon as he had 3+ second gap.
Jorge Lardone (@jorge-lardone)
26th August 2018, 17:29
“Ferrari destroyed RAI’s race again to give the win to VET!”
What??????? Kimi was hitting by another driver!!!!
Jorge Lardone (@jorge-lardone)
26th August 2018, 17:36
“Meanwhile Daniel Ricciardo made contact with the rear of Kimi Raikkonen’s car.”
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
26th August 2018, 16:00
FORMULA DRS!
krxx
26th August 2018, 16:10
Boring, like it has been more often than not at Spa.
Hulk took out (eventually) 5 cars with one crash, all by himself. Record?
HUHHII (@huhhii)
26th August 2018, 16:23
DRS is killing the Belgian GP
Jorge Lardone (@jorge-lardone)
26th August 2018, 17:29
+1
krxx
26th August 2018, 16:24
Bottas could start from 17th on the grid, crash, drive a whole lap with a broken car, make an extra stop and still get by all the drivers not racing for the top 3 teams. Formula 1A and 1B.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
26th August 2018, 16:53
Puts the dominance of the top 3 into another perspective when you put it like that…
(Gotta credit RBR though, for being able to punch where they are, without being a works team and all the benefits it brings).
krxx
26th August 2018, 20:00
Yeah hahah, but for the right perspective I should have mentioned the SC too. So he basically went from 14th to 4th in 35 laps of Spa.
toiago (@toiago)
26th August 2018, 17:31
One huge factor is the DRS. It really has taken the shine out of recovery drives, greatly benefiting those playing in the A league. If there had been DRS back in 2005, Raikkonen would have won the Japanese GP for a country mile, depriving us of one of the best races ever – heck, he could even have won the championship, since he had to start so many GPs out of position due to engine penalties. I mention this just as an example, I’m sure there may be others.
krxx
26th August 2018, 19:46
True.
Girts (@girts)
27th August 2018, 13:41
@toiago I think both of you are right. The combination of the performance gap and DRS was deadly yesterday. Maybe DRS would have worked (sort of) if the gap between, let us say, Mercedes and Force India was minimal – then you could argue that cancelling out the negative effects of dirty air lets us watch exciting battles that would otherwise be impossible. But that is also one of the reasons why F1 will never be able to get the DRS right. I totally agree with you on the ‘recovery drives’ these days.
Markp
26th August 2018, 16:39
Ferrari win 10 out of 10. Hopefully a few Ferrari 1 2’s coming up which is an automatic 50 out of 10. Merc dnf and Ferrari 1 2 is 75 out of 10 and both mercs dnf with Ferrari 1 2 is 100 out of 10. Hping for 2004 domination in all remaining races, best sport to watch when that happens.
budchekov (@budchekov)
26th August 2018, 17:00
“What was the main thing you’ll remember about it”
The picture of LEC’s post crash halo.
greg-c (@greg-c)
26th August 2018, 17:05
I gave a 4, and that’s with an extra 1 for the start chaos,
Please kill DRS on kemmel Straight,
The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
26th August 2018, 17:05
I hate how the channel 4 team just don’t acknowledge how boring and broken the racing was.
Canderous (@yoshif8tures)
26th August 2018, 17:15
3/10 boring. I’m just glad we have the premier league on again.
budchekov (@budchekov)
26th August 2018, 17:41
+1
joe jopling (@jop452)
26th August 2018, 17:24
3 from me…memorable was 1st lap….not memorable the next 43…..
I love f1…this was atrocious…..(once again qualifying was miles better)
Jorge Lardone (@jorge-lardone)
26th August 2018, 17:25
7/10. 4 for the race, 10 for the circuit. Spa-Francorchamps is one of the best places in the world for races of formula 1.
Very good work by Vettel.
Neil (@neilosjames)
26th August 2018, 17:34
Thought it was a bit flat. I can only remember a handful of particularly dramatic or interesting moments, and two of those happened before the end of the first lap… the crash, then the four-way into Les Combes.
After that, the little Ericsson Hartley scrap was fun. But the part I’ll remember was the beautiful Bottas pass on Hartley, which was ridiculously good.
The rest was just DRS passes, predictable field-spreading and back-of-the-seat nothingness. Gave it a 6.
John Toad (@)
26th August 2018, 17:40
Promised much but delivered little
Michal (@michal2009b)
26th August 2018, 18:37
Typical race in recent years when circumstances didn’t help. Big gap between the top 3 teams and class B, one-stop strategy and tyre management must lead to processional racing. We must hope for SC in order to make it more interesting like China, Baku, Austria or Silverstone.
Godwin Joseph (@godwin)
26th August 2018, 19:30
1. Because of the 1st lap.
Gitanes (@gp4-gitanes)
26th August 2018, 19:54
5. One point on for the start chaos
Pjotr (@pietkoster)
26th August 2018, 22:01
The race a 3. Dutch party weekend a 9.
Jon (@johns23)
27th August 2018, 1:07
3 points. What a shocker
us-brian (@us-brian)
27th August 2018, 2:05
This one is getting a 4 from me. The only thing besides the first corner shunt which had me kinda worried for a second was the run down kemel straight on lap 1. After that every chance of a good fight throughout was over. DRS was killing the race. And the field was stretched out so fast…. it was impossible for much to happen besides Bottas flying by with DRS open.
Matt (@hollidog)
27th August 2018, 7:43
Gave it a 4 and I was there. God I hate DRS, I don’t know why I bother getting excited seeing a driver close a gap and get right up behind another, it’s just a forgone conclusion that there’ll be another undramatic DRS pass. Please can this failed experiment at making “racing” “exciting” end?
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
27th August 2018, 10:38
5. After the first lap incidents and the safety car restart not much of note happened. There were a couple of battles further down the field but not for long.
I really hope someone from FIA or Liberty is reading this thread. To echo what several others have said DRS is making it far too easy for the faster cars and depriving us of battles. The drivers of the faster cars could just wait for the DRS zone and sail past the other cars. This is not racing!!
Does anyone listen. I see this morning’s story about extending DRS zones at the next few races. Is this necessary?
Thomas Bennett (@felipemassadobrasil)
27th August 2018, 10:53
Four. I am not sure why people are adding points for the start crash. It ruined what might have been with Leclerc, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo and Raikkonen. 5 more cars must have livened it up a bit.
Dave
27th August 2018, 12:14
This one failed, to be honest.
Homerlovesbeer (@homerlovesbeer)
28th August 2018, 4:42
3 for me. Exciting start that went downhill rapidly after that. The race results were certain after 20 laps.
The first 6 places were never in doubt.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
29th August 2018, 1:07
I don’t understand, the comments here all agree the race was horrible and if it were for the comment it wouldn’t even be sufficient.
However, from what I see in the voting it might as well get 6 or something as average.
As one of the few I liked it and voted 8, with a 7% group who voted that, not overkill as the 3% who voted 9 or 10, but I gave it 8 for the spectacular accident at start, for having 3 drivers with top cars in recovery, although unfortunately ricciardo was 2 laps behind and raikkonen’s floor was destroyed, for the overtakes verstappen did on the force indias, vettel on hamilton, hartley on ericsson and vice versa and some more overtakes spread out over the race.
I’d say at least IMO spa still produces great racing in a time where overtaking is hard, it did this year and it did in 2017.
The most likely reason for the very low marks I think is that people want to see more fighting at the front, and here we clearly had ferrari > mercedes > red bull in the same order and with huge gap, eventually like 11 sec and 22 sec.
Matt (@hamiltonfan1705)
29th August 2018, 18:15
Seems like this year I attended both the most exciting race of the season and the least exciting race of the season…
PJA (@pja)
31st August 2018, 23:05
I gave the race a 6.
Apart from the action at the first corner I didn’t find it a very exciting race
As in Hungary it was a wet qualifying, although only Q3 was wet this time, and again this meant Hamilton was able to secure pole even though dry practice indicated that Ferrari were quicker than Mercedes.
However the nature of the Spa circuit meant that unlike in Hungary If the Ferraris did have the quicker race pace then they would be able to take the lead on track during the race, and this is what happened.
We have seen in previous years that pole is not as important at Spa as at some other circuits and it usually not until after the Kemmel Straight on the opening lap when the order has settled down, in the race build up they also mentioned that there was a strong head wind at that point on the circuit so it would present an even better opportunity for overtaking on the opening lap than usual.
Last year Vettel almost got past Hamilton on the opening lap on the Kemmel Straight but as the Mercedes was still the best engine Hamilton managed to retain the lead, this year with the Ferrari power unit now the best I thought it was highly likely Vettel would be leading at the end of lap one and my prediction turned out to be correct.
Apart from the crash at the start the race didn’t really deliver any surprises, after lap one I thought barring reliability the order of the leaders was set, Verstappen should make his way to third and it was just a question of how far up Bottas would get so there was no suspense during the Grand Prix regarding the podium.
There seemed to be plenty of overtakes throughout the race but as most of them were straight forward DRS moves they didn’t excite me much either.
It was undoubtedly a dramatic start with the crash and it will be interesting to see what the FIA investigation says about what affect the Halo had, from the initial footage I saw and the marks on the car I wasn’t certain if Alonso’s McLaren would have actually hit Leclerc or landed just in front of his helmet if the car did not have the Halo device.
The two drivers who made mistakes at the start were Hulkenberg and Bottas, who both locked up and ended up hitting other cars, if you ignored the end result of the impacts the initial error was one which is not unusual at the start of races and although both drivers were punished after the race I wonder what action would have been taken if the resultant crash had not been so spectacular.
I tend to be more forgiving of incidents on the opening lap so, maybe it is because this or because of how long I have been watching F1 but I was not thinking Hulkenberg should be punished for locking up at the start until the stewards had announced the decision and even now I think I wouldn’t disagree if the stewards had taken no action.
On the Channel 4 coverage post-race Steve Jones thought David Coulthard was joking when he said he wasn’t punished for his mistake at the start of the 1998 Belgian GP in the rain which meant over half the grid were taken out. I suppose it just shows how different F1 is now compared to 20 years ago.
Have the FIA ever stated how much the Stewards take into account the consequences of a coming together when they decide on any punishments or have they not made any official announcement so they have plenty of grey area to make their decisions.
With how the pace of the Ferraris and Mercedes now seem to compare it is only a question of when Vettel will retake the lead in the Drivers’ Championship. If Mercedes cannot find an answer to Ferrari’s improvements Hamilton will be hoping for rain in future races as that is what has benefited him in recently.