Nearly 16 years in the past, Lewis Hamilton took the chequered flag first on the finish of a heart-stopping ultimate sequence of laps to win the Belgian Grand Prix for the primary time in his Components 1 profession.
Or so he thought. Two hours after stepping off the rostrum, trophy in hand, the McLaren driver was knowledgeable victory was now not his.
Deemed to have minimize the Bus Cease chicane and gaining a bonus whereas battling Kimi Raikkonen for the lead three laps from the end, the stewards handed Hamilton a 25-second hammer blow which value him victory, handing it to his championship rival Felipe Massa.
A decade-and-a-half later, the ripple results from that single incident can nonetheless be felt all through trendy Components 1. It was the primary in a sequence of controversial incidents that marred the conclusion of that 2008 title struggle – authorized battles are nonetheless being fought over one other. However what occurred at Spa arguably began a shift within the tradition of the game the place interventions by the stewards went from a rarity to a regularity.
Regardless of over 100 victories in his grand prix profession, the lack of that win in 2008 would without end be some extent of frustration for Hamilton. However in 2024, when that day was nothing however a distant reminiscence, the racing gods returned the win they took away all these years in the past. Solely this time, his personal staff mate can be the one to pay forfeit.
Mercedes have been anticipated by many to be stronger by way of Spa’s flowing curves than they’d been the earlier weekend across the super-sized karting monitor that’s the Hungaroring. However Crimson Bull’s resurgence had seen Max Verstappen return to the highest of the instances in a drizzly qualifying session, whereas Sergio Perez had even backed up his staff mate with third-fastest time.
Hamilton had crushed the 2 McLarens, which dominated the earlier Sunday, to fourth on the grid. However with Verstappen paying for a fifth energy unit with a 10-place grid penalty, Charles Leclerc had picked up pole in his place, whereas Hamilton had moved as much as third.
Spa had gone from soggy to sunny by the point automobiles lined up on the grid for the beginning of the 14th spherical of the championship. With low downforce and low grip anticipated from the semi-repaved circuit, nobody was entertaining the considered something however a two-stop technique. Nearly everybody had opted to start out the race on the medium compound; among the many prime 10, solely the seventh-placed Ferrari of Carlos Sainz Jnr was on hards.
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For the third successive Belgian Grand Prix, a Ferrari lined up on pole place. However wouldn’t it nonetheless be main by the point it reached Les Combes?
Sure, was the reply. A yr in the past Perez had been in a position to slipstream Leclerc up the hill final yr to grab the lead by the tip of the Kemmel Straight, however this time Hamilton ensured the Crimson Bull driver wouldn’t get that very same alternative. As a substitute, Hamilton jumped to the within of him on the method to La Supply, earlier than successful the race to Eau Rouge to assert second. Behind, Lando Norris left a lot room for staff mate Oscar Piastri to the within that he launched his outdoors tyres to the gravel within the course of, dropping behind George Russell and Sainz because of this.
The highest 5 reached Les Combes virtually as a single unit, Leclerc rising along with his lead intact, from Hamilton, Perez, Piastri and Russell in fifth. Verstappen gained a modest two locations by the tip of the opening lap to sit down in ninth, earlier than driving round Fernando Alonso firstly of the second lap for eighth – which means solely his seven foremost rivals now sat forward of him.
Hamilton waited till the beginning of lap three to make his transfer on Leclerc. However regardless of the DRS activation level on the exit of Raidillon being 75m additional down the circuit than latest years, the shorter zone was little profit to the Ferrari and Hamilton breezed by way of into the lead earlier than reaching the tip of the straight. However as soon as out in entrance, Hamilton didn’t take off within the clear air. As a substitute, the highest eight automobiles belonging to the highest 4 groups all remained lined by lower than ten seconds – all caring for his or her Pirellis over outright tempo.
So it remained till the tip of lap ten. Whereas a number of of the midfield runners had stopped by then, Russell was the primary of the leaders to pit, receiving the decision as he ready to hit the brakes for the ultimate chicane. Round 23 seconds later, Russell returned to the monitor simply behind Tsunoda on laborious tyres. Whereas he didn’t comprehend it on the time, he would find yourself having to make his new rubber final all 34 remaining laps of the race.
Verstappen adopted Russell into the pits, Crimson Bull having an eye fixed on getting forward of Norris. On the finish of the following lap, Hamilton, Perez and Piastri have been all in. Though Russell had solely had seven kilometres of profit from his recent hards, that was sufficient for him to beat the McLaren out of the pit lane. Nonetheless, Piastri instantly tucked into his slipstream and popped out to move Mercedes within the DRS zone approaching Les Combes.
The following lap, one other place gained by Piastri. This time Perez, on new mediums, was the sufferer, shifting Piastri as much as what was prone to be a internet third place behind Leclerc, who had additionally stopped. Sainz was now main, with Norris additionally but to cease behind. Regardless of a visit throughout the gravel at Stavelot following a snap of oversteer, on lap 15, costing him two seconds, Sainz stayed out whereas Norris determined now was the time to pit. However because of permitting virtually all of his rivals to pit earlier than him, Norris right down to eighth place by the staff he rejoined with recent hards.
Sainz opted to stay out till simply earlier than half-distance on the finish of lap 20. That put Hamilton again within the lead, however his benefit over Leclerc was nonetheless the identical because it had been earlier than their respective stops. Behind, Perez was struggling to drag away from Russell, regardless of his softer tyres. It didn’t take lengthy for the Mercedes to move him.
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After the primary day on operating on Friday, many drivers reported tyre put on being far worse than they’d anticipated – probably exacerbated by the combination of recent and outdated asphalt. However groups have been discovering that the tyres they faraway from their automobiles have been in a a lot better situation than they’d anticipated. Hamilton’s race engineer Peter Bonnington reported that “put on on the earlier set seems to be good”, implying that he might probably afford to lean extra on his tyres if he needed.
However even when these within the battle on the entrance needed to push extra, the soiled air impact remained their largest limitation. Norris’s pursuit of Verstappen was pissed off by a lock-up for the McLaren driver into the ultimate chicane, forcing him to overlook it, whereas his staff mate Piastri was struggling to shut up on Leclerc forward of hm.
On lap 26, Piastri was freed when Leclerc was introduced in for a second cease for laborious tyres, instantly setting his private finest lap of the race. When Hamilton lined the Ferrari on the finish of the following lap, Piastri continued to seek out extra time, posting a brand new quickest lap of the race on his 15-lap outdated tyres.
“I used to be amazed at how a lot distinction the soiled air made at this time,” he later defined. “When Lewis and Charles pitted for the second cease, I feel I went like one second sooner simply because I had clear air.”
Regardless of their unleashed driver’s tempo on his well-used laborious tyres, McLaren have been at all times meaning to convey Piastri in. Mercedes have been additionally planning to pit Russell, however dealing with the prospect of probably falling to seventh with a danger of being caught and handed by Perez, Russell was wanting to zig whereas the others zagged.
“Take into consideration the one-stop,” he prompt to race engineer Marcus Dudley, who didn’t appear at first.
“Now, George, we have to give it every thing we’ve bought to maintain up this hole to Perez and we’re going to have Norris an undercut menace quickly,” Dudley knowledgeable him.
“Are you these tyres gained’t go to the tip?,” Russell challenged him.
“They’ll,” Dudley conceded, “however we predict it’s faster to cease.”
However Russell was adamant. “In the mean time, they’re simply going faster and faster, the tyres. I’m nonetheless going inexperienced, mate.” Afterwards Russell confirmed the lap time achieve largely got here on the brand new sections of monitor.
Russell’s pleas have been beginning to sway his staff. Dudley let him know Mercedes have been “discussing” his proposal. However because it turned clear he would lose a number of positions if he did cease, it was beginning to change into definitely worth the gamble.
“And George, simply confirming you’re completely happy to remain out?,” Dudley double-checked. “Sure!” Russell affirmed earlier than his engineer had even completed talking.
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Whereas Mercedes have been now committing to a one-stop, McLaren nonetheless agreed that new tyres can be faster over the 14 remaining laps. Piastri was introduced in from the lead and instructed to be “correct on the marks.” On this he failed, and his entrance jack man went for a wild journey as Piastri ran lengthy.
“I simply went in a bit sizzling actually,” Piastri later admitted. “It wasn’t my most interesting second. I don’t suppose it actually value a lot within the scheme of issues.”
A 4.4 second cease was removed from supreme, however he nonetheless rejoined the place he would have completed, forward of the Crimson Bulls however a few seconds behind Leclerc in fourth. Russell was now within the lead, however regardless of setting his private finest lap of the race in clear air, Hamilton was six tenths sooner than him on 16-lap youthful hards. Hamilton was instructed had six tenths a lap to take out of his staff mate to catch him earlier than the tip of the race.
“I used to be simply watching the TV screens each lap, down after Eau Rouge, and simply trying on the hole each single lap,” Russell defined after the race. “They usually simply weren’t catching me as fast as I anticipated. And my lap instances have been simply enhancing each single lap.”
Whereas Hamilton was slowly reeling Russell in, Piastri was the quickest automotive on monitor by a large margin. He hunted down Leclerc earlier than sweeping across the outdoors of the Ferrari with a daring transfer at Les Combes to maneuver as much as third. However getting by Leclerc so shortly gave him eight laps during which to try to chase down the Mercedes forward.
Hamilton was consuming into Russell’s lead forward, taking virtually a second a lap out of his staff mate till he was simply outdoors of DRS vary with 5 laps remaining. Regardless of a possible one-two, no staff orders have been issued by Mercedes.
“Take into consideration strat-13,” Bonnington prompt to Hamilton in his pursuit of the chief. “Simply be sure to give one another loads of house.”
However regardless of getting inside a second and incomes the advantage of DRS, Russell was managing to maintain effectively out of attain of his staff mate when he wanted to most, alongside the Kemmel Straight. Piastri was additionally closing, taking greater than a second a lap out of Russell.
“That’s a great lap, Oscar,” Piastri’s engineer Tom Stallard inspired him. “Hamilton’s catching Russell forward. There’s going to be motion forward – we wish to be there.”
However simply as Piastri had found how a lot clear air might give him earlier within the race, each he and Hamilton have been now realising that these ultimate automotive lengths can be exponentially more difficult to make up.
“I undoubtedly thought he was going to be very shut,” Russell later admitted. “However equally, I recognise how tough it’s to overhaul right here. We’re all operating these skinny rear wings – the drag isn’t substantial.”
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Hamilton tried however couldn’t discover a technique to get tucked up within the slipstream of the opposite Mercedes. In the beginning of the ultimate lap, all three have been lined by below two seconds. Hamilton’s exit from La Supply was not ok to get him the momentum he wanted to make a transfer and now it regarded as if Russell was about to drag off the nice escape. Hamilton was not shut sufficient by way of Blanchimont to dare dream of a last-gasp lunge and Russell exited the chicane to energy over the road and full one of many nice heists in latest grand prix historical past.
At each different circuit on the calendar, drivers full a victory lap after taking the chequered flag. Drivers invariably use this chance to drive over the discarded marbles of rubber from the 80 tyres which have pounded the floor for an hour and a half.
This doesn’t occur at Spa, the longest monitor on the calendar, so automobiles are despatched backwards up the pit lane instantly after the end. Whereas Russell pumped his fists in delight on his technique to parc ferme, a defeated Hamilton mentioned nothing over his radio.
“It was such a tough race,” Russell mentioned. “We spoke a lot this morning in regards to the two-stop, the three-stop. However all of the sudden the tyres, the automotive felt actually, actually good.
“I used to be trying on the hole to Lewis and the speed he was catching me and I simply thought ‘there’s no motive why we will’t keep out right here and do that one cease and try to make it work’.”
Hamilton had completed virtually every thing he might must earn the victory, all however discover a well past his staff mate on the finish. Though completely happy to have been able to safe a one-two for his staff, Hamilton’s disappointment at his staff mate out-foxing him – and getting the prospect to to start with – was evident.
“George did a unbelievable job at this time,” Hamilton conceded. “A unbelievable effort to go the one-stop.
“It was fairly easy crusing, to be sincere. I used to be totally in management. I had loads of tempo and tyres and simply didn’t find yourself as deliberate.”
Piastri’s unrivalled tempo on the finish of the race had not been sufficient for him to discover a manner by the Mercedes on the dying. However on a day when Mercedes confirmed how sturdy they nonetheless have been, Piastri was glad along with his efforts.
“I feel we executed an important race, had a fast automotive and finally simply didn’t put it in the suitable place in qualifying yesterday,” he mentioned. “Given the place we began, very completely happy. However, finally, I feel there was a bit extra potential this weekend.”
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Leclerc’s fourth place in what was probably the fourth-fastest automotive of the weekend was a superb achievement – as was Verstappen’s climb to fifth place from eleventh. Norris was naturally displeased to have fallen two locations to sixth, with Sainz in seventh an affordable consequence and Perez dropping from second to eighth something however. Fernando Alonso additionally efficiently executed a one-stop to assert ninth, whereas Esteban Ocon confirmed Hamilton and Piastri the way it was alleged to be completed by catching and passing Daniel Ricciardo for the ultimate level within the closing laps.
As Russell climbed up on the highest step of the rostrum, he was rightfully thrilled to have pulled off top-of-the-line strategic victories in latest reminiscence in addition to holding off his seven-times world champion staff mate for a win for the second time in his profession. However whereas he celebrated, destiny was brewing a bitter tonic for him beneath the rostrum because the FIA’s scrutineers started their commonplace checks.
Similar to Hamilton in 2008, Russell realized two hours after taking the chequered flag that each one that effort in pursuit of a hard-earned triumph could about to return to nothing. At 6:48pm, the inevitable turned official. Stewards’ doc quantity 44 of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend confirmed the formal disqualification of Russell for his automotive failing to succeed in the minimal weight restrict – which means that automotive quantity 44 was now the winner.
Russell’s victory and Mercedes’ one-two have been no extra. Whereas Mercedes not less than stored the win with Hamilton, it was a merciless blow, decreasing one of the spectacular tactical strikes of the season to a footnote. Piastri was promoted to second, whereas Leclerc gained a podium end as reward for his personal spectacular efforts.
For Hamilton, his a hundred and fifth grand prix victory, and second in three rounds, was the primary of his profession he had inherited hours after the race had ended – in addition to the primary post-race disqualification of a winner in three a long time. However though he by no means would have needed his staff mate to be sacrificed for it, not less than Hamilton might really feel as if he had been returned that win he had misplaced all these years in the past.
