Ten of the best pictures which tell the story of the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
Kimi Raikkonen
Spa specialist Kimi Raikkonen looked quick throughout the weekend but a first-lap collision ruined his race.
Dmitry Mazepin and Toto Wolff
Toto Wolff denied this conservation with Dmitry Mazepin was about the Russian billionaire’s displeasure at his attempt to purchase Force India being thwarted by the team’s administrators, who chose a consortium backed by Lawrence Stroll instead.
“I said hi to him, we had a nice chat but not about that topic,” said Wolff when asked by RaceFans. “I was talking with him, Moko and crazy Pasquale [Lattuneddu] about the weather in Sardinia and nothing else.”
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen, whose mother is Belgian, sported a special orange helmet for the race which is as close as he gets to a home grand prix.
Stoffel Vandoorne
Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne did likewise, and also added Bruce McLaren’s signature as the team marked 50 years since its first victory. But Vandoorne endured a terrible weekend, ending every session he started at the bottom of the times.
Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas tackles F1’s most famous corner. His efforts were to no avail in qualifying as an engine change penalty meant he had to start at the back.
Sergio Perez
Lightning-fast reflexes by Sergio Perez kept his Force India out of the Raidillon barriers when rain fell during qualifying. He survived and joined his team mate on the second row of the grid in a stunning performance for the ‘new’ team.
Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc
Fernando Alonso’s wasn’t much better – he was rammed by Nico Hulkenberg at the start, provoking this enormous crash with Charles Leclerc.
Esteban Ocon, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez
The Force India pair almost caused an upset by attacking Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton for the lead at the start. Vettel stayed ahead, however, and went on to take a commanding win.
Max Verstappen
It was a lonely race for Verstappen, but his fans appreciated a podium finish.
Sebastian Vettel
It wouldn’t be a Vettel win without an obligatory finger pic.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
greg-c (@greg-c)
28th August 2018, 12:38
I think Ocon could have made that move stick,
Gary
28th August 2018, 12:49
Caption for picture #1
“Toto, come on, zere iz alvays a price vor everything, even vor a zeat at Mercedes F1. How about vun-hundred million dollarz, iz dat a high enough price?”
Phylyp (@phylyp)
28th August 2018, 12:51
That picture of Vettel is guaranteed to rile up his haters (“finger boy”) :-D
sumedh
28th August 2018, 14:52
I love Max’s helmet. That shade of orange was also used by Massa at Brazil 2012 (which was also a tribute to a parent – his father) and it looked really awesome, better than his original fluorescent helmet.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
28th August 2018, 15:20
I wish they do away with enforced helmet designs, and let drivers change them as they wish (the way it used to be, instead of the one joker permitted now). It did give a small talking point, allowed drivers to express themselves. The only good to have come of that rule is that some drivers have standardized on quite iconic designs (Vettel, Alonso, etc.)
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
28th August 2018, 18:24
@phylyp
Couldn’t agree more. Such a daft and petty rule.
Clay_T
29th August 2018, 1:25
Since they’re nearly impossible to see behind the flip flop anyway.
I say let teams paint the halo in drivers colors, to match their helmets.
Gary
28th August 2018, 17:03
In the picture of lap-one, on the kemmel straight, you can see where the “trick” superior engine power of the Ferrari and Force Indias are driving by Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes “as though Lewis is standing still”. I’m surprised Lewis didn’t “let (the Force Indias) past as they were going to just pass him again on the next straight”.