A thrilling Belgian Grand Prix was won by George Russell whose alternative strategy was just enough to hand on in a close finish with his team mate. Talking of alternative, here is our 2024 Belgian F1 Grand Prix Result Summary.
This 2024 Belgian Grand Prix Result, Laps that Matter summary, Review & Ratings which gives you just enough to catch up with. With just a hint of cynicism, bias, opinion and colour. The perfect bite sized review for those who couldn’t be bothered, or don’t have enough time.
READ MORE:
2024 Belgian GP Preview
The F1 Donkey’s Belgian GP Bold Predictions
Our 2024 F1 Season Summary
2024 Belgian F1 Grand Prix Result Race Summary
Didn’t see the race live? Don’t have time to watch the whole race? Here’s where we capture the laps where stuff happened. We write these live as we go, sort of like a minute by minute for the football, but marginally more interesting.
Setting the scene – A wet qualifying saw Max Verstappen dominate by taking pole position by six tenths of a second, but sadly for him he took a ten place grid penalty and will start 11th. He still starts favourite for the race. Charles Leclerc inherits 1st place on the grid, and alongside him is the unfamiliar sight of Sergio Perez, the Mexican just made it into Q3 by three thousandths of a second. The previously dominant McLarens are only 4th and 5th, and hopefully have a better strategy for this race. At least this weekend they do have a faster car to worry about behind them. The Red Bull of Max Verstappen is a rocket ship, but with a more compeditive grid in 2024, will he slice through the field like in previous races and seasons?
GRID (Starting Order) – LEC PER HAM NOR PIA RUS SAI ALO OCO ALB VER (11th)
Lap 1 – Pole sitter Charles Leclerc gets away well and leads the field in and out of the first corner hairpin. Sergio Perez loses second place to a fast-starting Lewis Hamilton. Lando Norris drops a few places and ends up behind his team mate and a Ferrari and Mercedes. Max Verstappen makes a decent start from 11th and is up to 9th with a move into the final chicane.
ORDER – LEC HAM PER PIA RUS SAI NOR ALO VER ALB
Lap 2 – Max Verstappen passes Alonso for 8th, and after a failed move on Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris is only just in front of Max Verstappen in a key battle between two big chances for the race.
Lap 3 – Lewis Hamilton passes Charles Leclerc for the lead. The Ferrari almost looked like it was standing still as the Mercedes flew past. The Mercedes sets fastest lap at the end of Lap Three.
Lap 4 – The top eight cars are all within a second of each other, meaning all cars except the leader can use DRS, so the racing will be tight for a while here. It’s a nice look seeing all the cars in one view going up the Kemmel straight.
ORDER – HAM LEC PER PIA RUS SAI NOR VER ALO ALB
Lap 6 – Leader Lewis Hamilton radios his team to advise there is something down near his legs in the car. One wonder if it is the reported Mercedes sabotage or a new F1 movie based on Snakes on a Plane.
Lap 7 – Zhou’s race is more pointless than usual as is an early retirement with a lack of power.
Lap 8 – The top eight are starting to spread a little with plus one second gaps between the top four. Perez is apparently complaining about the pace of the car to his team, which is a nice reversal to usual. Nico Hulkenberg pits for new rubber already. Daniel Ricciardo and Williams drivers do so a lap later.
Lap 11 – Max Verstappen pits, going for the undercut. George Russell too is in. They come out behind 12th placed Yuki Tsunoda. Will McLaren, Ferrari respond?
Lap 12 – Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri all pit. The undercut has worked for George Russell as he passes Oscar Piastri out of the pits, but the Aussie tells Russell to bugger off and takes his place back within the long straight. Piastri sets about attacking Perez.
Lap 13 – Charles Leclerc pits and rejoins ahead of Perez. Lando Norris stays out as does Carlos Sainz on hard tyres who leads the race. Oscar Piastri is flying and takes Sergio Perez at the same spot as Russell the lap before. That’s a net third place after stops. And he sets fastest lap too.
ORDER – SAI NOR HAM LEC PIA PER RUS VER MAG TSU
Lap 16 – Lando Norris pits after losing a bit of time in second place. How much time? Well he rejoins six seconds behind Max Verstappen.
Lap 17 – Red Bull give Verstappen the license to go on the attack, which will be exciting to see the fallout. Nothing straight away, except for Lando Norris setting a fastest lap behind him. Perez is backing up Russell into Verstappen, either on purpose or not. Meanwhile Norris has halved the gap to Verstappen. At the front the non-pitting Carlos Sainz still leads but Lewis Hamilton is within three seconds.
Lap 20 – Carlos Sainz pits from the lead, he went long on the hard tyres and will only stop once. He rejoins in 8th.
Lap 21 – George Russell overtakes Sergio Perez for fourth, and Red Bull pit him at the end of the lap to allow Max Verstappen through. Strange though, you’d think they would prefer Perez to stay out on track and slow Norris down. Sets up a nice battle between Norris and Verstappen, with the McLaren slightly faster.Vaping has become a popular alternative to traditional smoking, offering users a convenient way to enjoy nicotine without the harmful tar and chemicals found in cigarettes. The elf bar 1500 stands out as a top choice for effortless vaping, delivering an impressive 1500 puffs of rich flavor and satisfying nicotine. With its sleek design and user-friendly features, the Elf Bar 1500 allows you to enjoy a smooth, enjoyable experience anywhere, making it the perfect solution for those seeking a hassle-free way to vape.
ORDER – HAM LEC PIA RUS VER NOR SAI PER ALB OCO
Lap 25 – Just under 20 laps to go, and Lewis Hamilton is cruising out front with a two second lead to Leclerc. The rest of the top eight are starting to spread out except for Norris who remains on Verstappen’s tail. The Red Bull is not slicing through the field like a few expected. The pit window opens for the second stops.
Lap 26 – Charles Leclerc makes his second stop and rejoins behind his team mate Sainz in 7th. Further back Daniel Ricciardo is looking quite racey with some nice overtakes. Perhaps he could catch Perez and steal his seat.
Lap 27 – Lewis Hamilton pits and rejoins in front of Leclerc but behind Sainz. Oscar Piastri leads another race. And he won’t have to share this one. He “celebrates” with a fastest lap.
Lap 29 – Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen pit for new tyres. Verstappen comes out behind his team mate and Sainz a place further back. Lando Norris pits on Lap 30, and he comes out behind the two Red Bulls. The Rd Bulls swap positions half way around the lap to give Max some breathing space.
Lap 30 – Oscar Piastri pits but it is a longer one as he arrives for his pit stop too fast. Piastri comes out just in front of Max Verstappen. Lando Norris overtakes Sergio Perez down the Kemmel straight. Norris sets a fastest lap as he closes in on Max Verstappen.
ORDER – RUS HAM LEC PIA VER NOR PER SAI ALO BOT
Lap 34 – The McLarens are the faster cars at the moment with Piastri closing in on Leclerc for third place and Lando Norris continuing to push Max Verstappen.
Lap 36 – Oscar Piastri nails Charles Leclerc into the Les Combes corners for third place. They battle inside-outside for the combination of corners but Piastri makes it stick. There’s still enough time and still a small enough gap for a win. George Russell is currently leading but has one pit stop less. Four second behind is Lewis Hamilton who is five seconds ahead of Piastri. Interesting finish coming up.
ORDER – RUS HAM PIA LEC VER NOR PER SAI ALO RIC
Lap 40 – George Russell is hanging on in front of Lewis Hamilton but it won’t last long, the Brit is within a second. Piastri is within 4.5 second of Hamilton. Norris still on Verstappen’s tail. Carlos Sainz gets past Sergio Perez for seventh. Four laps to go and much to be decided.
Lap 41 – Looks like the Mercedes drivers are given the green light to race each other. Lewis within half a second, but he won’t want to take too long. Piastri under four seconds behind now.
Lap 42 – Russell still leads Hamilton as they start the third last lap, Piastri is within 2.8 seconds. Hamilton thinks about a move into Les Combes but pulls out as stays put. Piastri keeps shaving time behind them.
Lap 43 – The two Mercedes are still battling with Russell doing a super job on old tyres. No move into the usual spot again for Hamilton. Piastri is within 1.4 second now. Can the McLaren get within DRS on the last lap? Russell stays in front into the final chicane, the last lap awaits.
FINAL LAP – Hamilton locks his tyre going into the first corner, probably costing him a chance now. Piastri within DRS range. No mistakes for Mercedes now. Halfway around the final lap and Hamilton is so close, but the long sweeper might be enough for Russell to stay in front. No late dive into the final chicane from Hamilton and Russell wins. Piastri right on Hamilton’s tail as they cross the line. A great win for George Russell on old tyres on the one stop. Behind the top three fourth to sixth were close together as well.
FINAL ORDER (Across the line) – RUS HAM PIA LEC VER NOR SAI ALO OCO
Update: Some of us on certain sides of the planet needed to go to bed after the race, but a few hours later discover that George Russell was disqualified for his car being underweight. That gives Lewis Hamilton the win, Oscar Piastri second and Charles Leclerc third. In a good day for Australians, Daniel Ricciardo gets the final point. He may well get more than that come Dutch GP time. George Russell’s ratings and comments stay, as it was still a great drive.
Here we go through the field and highlight the very best (Great) of the race, and the plodders, the over-ambitious, the out of luck, and simply hopeless (Grape).
These points get added to our Driver of the Season scores. points for a great nomination, and -5 for the worst or grapest driver in the pack. Then it is +2 /-2 for honourable or dishonourable mentions.
THE GREAT-EST – GEORGE RUSSELL
Some kind of drive. Left out too long for a two stopped he changed over to a one-stop and drove a great race to keep his faster team mate behind on newer tyres.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
LEWIS HAMILTON – On track for a win at mid distance, but outdone by his team mate’s storming drive. A great return to form though, with a third straight podium.
OSCAR PIASTRI – Possibly an even better drive than his first win last weekend? Gained spots at the start again, good strategy, a few good overtakes and chased the Mercedes hard at the end. A few more laps and who knows. Another podium and closes the gap for the Championship. Given his few mistakes, could he be the title challenger from afar?
CHARLES LECLERC – Decent performance in a car that is probably fourth fastest. Inherited pole with a fine lap.
MAX VERSTAPPEN – Good damage limitation after taking a ten place grid penalty. Kept ahead of his main championship rival (for now). Took pole in the wet by six tenths of a second, so he’s still plenty fast in the right conditions.
VALTTERI BOTTAS – On track for 10th place and a point in the last third of the race. Didn’t keep it, but still better performance than usual out of his Kick/Stake/Sauber.
DANIEL RICCIARDO – After his usual dropped places at the start, he made some good overtakes, and certainly looked racier than his team mate and Sergio Perez…..nudge, nudge. Had a point for tenth until late.
THE GRAPE-EST – GUANYU ZHOU
The only retirement and pretty early. Misses out on driving around this great circuit.
DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS
LANDO NORRIS – Another wasted weekend to a degree. The McLaren is fast but qualified fifth. Made an ordinary start which gave him the worst of the strategy. Finished behind Max Verstappen and his team mate was a few more positions up the road. If he’s not careful his team mate may take all the momentum into a Championship tilt too.
SERGIO PEREZ – Had a real chance from second on the grid, with his team mate in 11th, to take control of his own destiny. He dropped through the field, and complained about the car, finishing eight and last of the fast cars. Whilst not terrible, it was also not great. Will he return from the summer break, that’s the big question for the summer holiday.
Was it a good race, loads of action, a tense ending, a surprise result or DNF, or just a big, fat, snooze-fest?
We rate the big race itself, so we know which races to go back and watch in the off season or one to simply remember the winner for the post season quiz nights.
ON TRACK ACTION – 7 / 10
Some close racing and a few good overtakes at the front of the field. Plenty of overtakes in the midfield. Close racing at the end. Good enough.
ANY SURPRISES? – 5 / 5
Mercedes winning with a 1-2 was pretty surprising on the balance for the whole weekend.
SEASON IMPORTANCE – 3 / 5
Max Verstappen stays ahead of his nearest rival, so a small gain there. The question is whether the Mercedes pace has stick around or Oscar Piastri can consistently beat Verstappen and Norris.
ENDING 8 / 10
A tense finish as the Mercedes drivers duked it out on different strategy. And Oscar Piastri was closing in fast. The race really needed another few laps.
OVERALL RATING 23 / 30
Plenty to like from the race on a circuit it’s hard not to enjoy. A pleasurable way to end the first half of the season.
2024 F1 Race Rankings
R13 – Hungarian Grand Prix…19/30
R12 – British Grand Prix…25/30
R11 – Austrian Grand Prix…27/30
R10 – Spanish Grand Prix…19/30
R09 – Canadian Grand Prix…22/30
R08 – Monaco Grand Prix…17/30
R07 – Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix…23/30
R06 – Miami Grand Prix…23/30
R05 – Chinese Grand Prix…15/30
R04 – Japanese Grand Prix…18/30
R03 – Australian Grand Prix…23/30
R02 – Saudi Arabia Grand Prix…9/30
R01 – Bahrain Grand Prix…13/30
2024 F1 Season Power Rankings
Stay tuned for our Power Rankings from the race soon as it is currently being calculated and will be ready on Monday.
Why not check the latest race ratings – 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix Ratings
Or check out our 2023 Season Driver Rankings and Stats
