In the round-up: Daniel Ricciardo is dissatisfied by this 13th place on the grid for today’s Belgian Grand Prix
In brief
Ricciardo frustrated by Q2 exit
After being eliminated in Q2, Daniel Ricciardo admits he was unhappy with his position on today’s grid after the promise RB showed in practice.
“I don’t love 13th,” he said. “I do feel like we were better than that. It was a call we made at the time. It didn’t seem like a silly one, it just didn’t work out for us.
“Q2, we did the first run, I think we were there somewhere in the top ten, and then a little bit of rain started to come. So we thought ‘okay, let’s set the time now in case the rain gets heavier and the track gets slower, let’s try and do what we can’. So we were able to improve a little bit, maybe a tenth or something. But then the rain stayed light enough that at the end everyone was able to improve. So we were back in the garage and that’s when we got knocked out. So that was for sure frustrating, but I don’t argue with our train of thought up until that moment. If it rains heavier, then we look like the good guys. It just didn’t work out for us.
“But I’m definitely happy with the pace we had. I felt like every time we set a representative time, we were a top ten car. We didn’t get rewarded with it today.”
Magnussen suffered suspension problem
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu revealed that Kevin Magnussen was fighting with a rear suspension problem as he was knocked out of F1, slower than team mate Nico Hulkenberg.“Kevin’s car looks like it had a physical issue with the rear suspension which we can see on the data,” Komatsu explained.
“So we’re now looking into that, but I’m sure we can put that one right tonight”
101 track limits strikes in F3
Trident Formula 3 driver Sami Meguetounif earned an eye-watering 30 seconds of time penalties in yesterday’s Formula 3 sprint race after the stewards determined he had exceeded track limits ten times over the 12-lap race.
Meguetounif took the chequered flag in sixth place but was demoted to 27th in the final classification with his penalty.
He was one of 11 drivers who received time penalties for exceeding track limits multiple times during the race, with a total of 101 track limits strikes counted over the race. Mari Boya was hit with 25 seconds of penalties for eight infringements, the most prolific offender aside from Meguetounif.
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Links
Horner suggests McLaren should have let Norris win Hungarian GP (Sky)
''But they gave a two-lap undercut to Lando, so obviously wanted him ahead of Oscar. Having put him ahead, it's tough on the driver to say 'we want you to drop behind your team-mate. If this championship is lost by seven points at the end of the year, every point counts at the end of the day. Different teams go racing in a different way but Lando is the closest challenger and you have to put your eggs in one basket at some point.''
TikTok stars get tax money, free airfare to promote Las Vegas (Las Vegas Review Journal)
'Influencers were contracted to promote Las Vegas through Instagram posts, TikTok videos and specified hashtags. They were provided flights, hotel stays and other accommodations, including, at times, Super Bowl tickets and helicopter rides, records show. Three influencers and two Ykone representatives also received LVCVA-purchased tickets to Las Vegas’ Formula 1racing event last November, agency records show.'
Tramnitz ''disappointed'' to miss F3 podium in hard-fought Spa race (Formula Scout)
''With the track being still a bit wet in Eau Rouge, it was really difficult. La Source was always fine. But then Eau Rouge made a difference. If I was too close, it made it really tough to stay close. And to be a bit further was an advantage. And for sure I think I had like four or five moments in Eau Rouge where I thought there was not really a lot missing to going into the wall. So it was quite on the limit every lap.''
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Social media
Notable posts from X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and more:
“Hopefully in the dry conditions things come back our way a little bit.” 🧡#BelgianGP 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/MgTAmP55qQ
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) July 27, 2024
It’s always so special having the factory team trackside with us 🇧🇪
A huge thank you to the whole team for their work on and off the track💚 pic.twitter.com/lkKwg1r9aq
— Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) July 27, 2024
Extraordinary sunset over Spa-Francorchamps this evening (video by kathrynn.444 on IG) #BelgianGP 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/WDm3ULlid4
— Sean Kelly (@virtualstatman) July 27, 2024
To all the fans who braved the rain today, we appreciate you. 🧡#BelgianGP 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/F6mlkl2EMR
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) July 27, 2024
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- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Comment of the day
Sergio Perez may have been satisfied to take second on the grid for today’s Belgian Grand Prix, but Ben Rowe isn’t too impressed…
He was 0.003 seconds away from being knocked out in what was clearly the best car in this session. He should have been able to claim P2 and gain pole from it. P3 and 0.6s off Max Verstappen is still reasonable though as he didn’t have the upgrades.
But he was incredibly lucky to even get through to Q3. He also was right in the drop zone in Q1 until the last moment, which could have been the end of everything if anyone triggered a yellow flag in a sector Perez was in. He took his time to set good times in the sessions.
Ben Rowe
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Big Galah, Solo, Holly and Bill Niehoff!
On this day in motorsport
PacificPR (@streydt)
28th July 2024, 0:18
I agree with the COTD. A hairline, that was all that made Perez his day and still.. unless Perez pulls one out of the bag tomorrow- I think RBR would be wise to give Yuki a go after the summer break (or get Sainz for 25). Still even Horner can see that odd choices McLaren made. It’s such a shame to have a team that can match or even better the pace of the RBR’s but don’t have the wits.
Nick T.
28th July 2024, 3:09
My comments mirrored COTD. And that .003 is across the longest lap on the grid. He was extremely lucky. I hope to god we see the back of him after the summer break.
Le Jimster (@lejimster82)
28th July 2024, 3:40
Were he to have a terrible quali/race it was looking like they would drop him. The thing is I can’t see a good argument to put Ricciardo in that seat and Yuki doesn’t appear to have a chance. I can’t see them throwing Lawson straight into a Red Bull either.. So they’re stuck with Checo.
They really need to get some fresh blood in at VCARB as they’re stuck with no real options. I would swap Ricciardo out for Lawson to start with personally.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
28th July 2024, 5:09
@lejimster82
There is no obvious downside though, is there. Unless you genuinely believe Danny would be notably worse.
Nick T.
28th July 2024, 10:01
The argument I see is that Ricciardo has been solid (unless someone wants to say Yuki hasn’t drive well) and he is the only driver that beat Max at RBR let alone wasn’t so severely destroyed they were demoted or dropped out of F1. More importantly, unlike Checo, he likes his car to handle just like Max does. Not many drivers on the grid who do. We know DR’s ceiling is way higher than Checo’s. So, all I see IS arguments to put him in the car if they’re not willing to try Yuki. Lawson straight into RBR with a medicore junior formula record and only four races under his belt is just a recipe for disaster IMO. He can always be put in next season after 10 races side by side with Yuki to evaluate the two of them against one another. If you put Lawson in now, you love the chance to evaluate DR at RBR just to rush Lawson in.
Ross
28th July 2024, 10:38
Don’t understand the constant downplaying of Ric, yes Tsu got some early runs on the board this year. But Ric has been building momentum, his highs have been high he has just needed to access that more often. He has spent the majority of this set of regulations in a car that was completely wrong for his driving style, and was coached into oblivion by the team. I’m not surprised it’s taken him a while to settle into the team, but he has and the results are speaking for themselves. Had he been on the track at the end of q2 instead of trying to bank two laps early in the session he would’ve be in q3, while tsu has struggled all weekend. Ric is a better bet than perez, he’s been regularly out qualified by Sargeant… which is horrific in a RBR car.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
28th July 2024, 3:20
So Horner has just confirmed what everyone suspected at the time – someone in the team wanted Vettel ahead of Webber at Malaysia so they pitted him first…
Jere (@jerejj)
28th July 2024, 5:46
Great-looking sunset helped by cloudy-weather at the time.
notagrumpyfan
28th July 2024, 8:26
Not sure why this site keeps on reposting Sean Kelly’s Twitter feed. And especially not this one, as he admits himself it a repost of somebody’s Instagram post. So much for committing to only going for the original source.
Notwithstanding the above, this is one of his best Tweets; maybe stay away from complaining about travel, weather, or work schedule.
Leo B
28th July 2024, 12:09
‘We were better than that.’
No, because when the music stopped he had no chair.