2015 Belgian Grand Prix

 2015 Belgian Grand Prix

Racing data
11th of 19 races in the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship
Surname:	2015 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix
Date:	23rd August 2015
Place:	spa
Course:	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Length:	301.048 km in 43 laps of 7.004 km
Planned:	308.052 km in 44 laps of 7.004 km
Pole position
Driver:	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
Time:	1: 47.197 min
Fastest lap
Driver:	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes
Time:	1: 52.416 min (lap 34)
Podium
First:	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
Second:	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes
Third:	Romain Grosjean	Lotus Mercedes

The 2015 Belgian Grand Prix took place on August 23 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Spa and was the eleventh race of the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship .

report

backgrounds

After the Hungarian Grand Prix , Lewis Hamilton led the drivers' standings by 21 points over Nico Rosberg and 42 points over Sebastian Vettel . In the constructors' championship, Mercedes led Ferrari with 147 points and Williams with 232 points .

At the Belgian Grand Prix, Pirelli provided the drivers with the tire compounds P Zero Medium (white) and P Zero Soft (yellow), as well as Cinturato Intermediates (green) and Cinturato Full Wets (blue) for wet conditions .

Compared to the previous year, there were modifications in some places on the route. The curbs in the La Source and Eau Rouge curves have been renewed, and a new safety fence has been erected in the latter. Between the corners of Stavelot and Blanchimont , the grass was replaced with green asphalt on the first two meters next to the track.

There were two DRS zones that remained unchanged compared to the previous year. The first zone was on the Kemmel Straight and began 310 meters after the Raidillon . The measuring point was 240 meters before the entrance to the Eau Rouge curve . The measuring point for the second zone was 160 meters before the bus stop chicane , on the start-finish straight, 30 meters after the last bend, the DRS zone began.

The FIA announced before the race to rule changes that affected the automated to a large extent start the vehicles. For example, the friction point of the clutch was not allowed to be changed between the time the pit lane lights turned green (30 minutes before the start of the race) and the start of the race. In addition, technical aids that could be used to automatically determine the optimal grinding point were banned. In addition, the pit radio was severely restricted before the race, and discussions about the start procedure immediately led to a penalty.

Before the race, it was announced that McLaren was using an upgraded version of the Honda engine when racing . Honda used three of the five tokens still available for this . During the race, the Ferrari customer team Sauber received the improved version of the Ferrari 059/4 for the first time , which the works team had been using since the Canadian Grand Prix .

Ferrari contested the 900th Grand Prix as a designer this weekend.

Pastor Maldonado (six), Marcus Ericsson , Max Verstappen (five), Romain Grosjean , Sergio Pérez (four each), Vettel (three), Jenson Button , Hamilton, Nico Hülkenberg , Daniil Kwjat and Roberto Merhi (two each) went with penalty points into the race weekend.

With Kimi Räikkönen (four times), Vettel (twice), Felipe Massa , Hamilton, Button and Daniel Ricciardo (once each), six former winners competed in this Grand Prix.

The race stewards were José Abed (MEX), Yves Bacquelaine (BEL), Garry Connelly (AUS) and Emanuele Pirro (ITA).

training

In the first free practice, Rosberg set the fastest time in 1: 51.082 minutes ahead of Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo . Training had to be interrupted after an accident in Maldonado.

In the second free practice too, Rosberg set the fastest time in 1: 49.385 minutes ahead of Hamilton and Ricciardo. Training had to be interrupted twice after an accident by Rosberg due to a puncture and an accident by Ericsson.

In the third free practice session, Hamilton set the fastest time with a lap time of 1: 48.984 minutes ahead of Rosberg and Vettel.

Qualifying

The qualifying consisted of three parts with a net running time of 45 minutes. In the first qualifying segment (Q1), the drivers had 18 minutes to qualify for the race. All drivers who achieved a time in the first section that was a maximum of 107 percent of the fastest lap time qualified for the Grand Prix. The best 15 drivers reached the next part. Hamilton was fastest. The two Marussia and McLaren drivers and Felipe Nasr were eliminated.

The second qualifying segment (Q2) lasted 15 minutes. Rosberg was the fastest. Raikkonen stopped on the track and qualifying was then interrupted. Verstappen and Raikkonen, who both could not set time, Ericsson, Kwjat and Hulkenberg were eliminated.

The final section lasted twelve minutes, during which the first ten starting positions were assigned. Hamilton secured pole position with a time of 1: 47.197 minutes in front of Rosberg and Bottas. Hamilton achieved his tenth pole position this season and the sixth in a row.

Several drivers received starting place penalties. Grosjean was moved five starting positions back because his gearbox was changed. Verstappen was moved back ten positions because he used more than four copies of the components of the engine unit with the sixth internal combustion engine. Alonso was given a total of 55 positions to use the seventh and eighth specimen of the combustion engine, the turbocharger and the MGU-H as well as the sixth and seventh specimen of the MGU-K and the sixth control electronics, button for the use of the eighth and ninth specimen of the turbocharger and the MGU-H as well as the seventh and eighth specimen of the combustion engine and MGU-H set back 50 positions. Since, due to a rule change, relocations that cannot be carried out in full are no longer converted into further penalties, there is no further penalty for these three drivers besides being relocated to the end of the starting field.

run

On the way to the starting grid, Hülkenberg complained about the lack of power from his engine. After he pitted again, the team put him on the starting grid. In the warm-up lap, he again complained of a lack of engine power. After the team had initially instructed him to drive into the pit lane, he was informed shortly thereafter that he would take part in the start. Here his engine died, for this reason there was a second training lap and Hulkenberg's vehicle was pushed into the pits. However, the mechanics did not manage to get the vehicle ready to drive again, so that Hülkenberg did not take part in the race.

During the second warm-up lap, Carlos Sainz junior also complained of a loss of performance. After the warm-up lap he drove into the pit lane and started the race two laps late.

At the start, Hamilton stayed in the lead, behind him were Pérez, Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas and Rosberg. Pérez attacked Hamilton on the outside thanks to his higher top speed at the end of the Kemmel straight , but Hamilton stayed in front. Rosberg was able to pass Bottas on the first lap and was now in fourth place. On the second lap, Maldonado suffered an engine failure while lying in sixth place, he drove back to the pits and parked the vehicle.

Hamilton managed to break away from Pérez and Ricciardo, followed by Rosberg, Vettel, Bottas, Grosjean, Massa and Verstappen. Ricciardo came to the pits to change tires on lap seven, and one lap later Pérez also changed tires, but fell behind Ricciardo after the pit stop. When Bottas stopped, the Williams team fitted three tires of the softer compound and one tire of the harder compound, which resulted in a drive-through penalty for Bottas. On the twelfth lap, Pérez managed to overtake Ricciardo. At this point in time, Hamilton, Rosberg and Vettel were in the lead, three drivers who had not yet made a pit stop. Rosberg pitted one lap later, just ahead of Pérez in third place. When Hamilton came to the pits a lap later to change tires, Vettel took the lead for one lap before changing tires too. After the first pit stops, Hamilton was ahead of Rosberg, Pérez, Grosjean, Ricciardo and Vettel.

Grosjean passed Pérez on lap 20 and was now in third place. Ricciardo had to park his vehicle on the track with a technical defect, so there was a virtual safety car phase . Grosjean, Massa, Räikkönen and Verstappen use this for their second pit stop. Vettel was back in third place, ahead of Grosjean, Kwjat, Pérez, Massa, Räikkönen, Verstappen and Bottas.

On laps 30 and 31, Hamilton and Rosberg came to the pits for their last tire changes, so their positions remained unchanged. Shortly afterwards, the first raindrops fell near the racetrack, but the track initially remained dry. Grosjean succeeded with his fresher tires to shorten the gap to Vettel significantly. Kwjat fell behind Raikkonen with his last pit stop, but overtook Raikkonen shortly afterwards. Verstappen passed Bottas on lap 40, while Kwjat overtook Massa on the same lap. One lap later, Kwjat also overtook Pérez and was now fifth.

Vettel meanwhile had to defend himself against the attacks by Grosjean. On lap 42 he suffered a right rear tire damage, at which point he had covered 28 laps on the tire. He pitted to change tires and dropped back to twelfth place. Verstappen passed Raikkonen on the last lap, but Räikkönen was able to counter again and stayed in front.

Hamilton won the race ahead of Rosberg and Grosjean. It was the sixth win for Hamilton and the seventh one-two for Mercedes this season. Grosjean and the Lotus team took their first podium since the 2013 Indian Grand Prix . The top 10 were completed by Kwjat, Pérez, Massa, Räikkönen, Verstappen, Bottas and Ericsson.

The first three positions in the drivers 'and constructors' championships remained unchanged.

Registration list

team	No.	driver	chassis	engine	tires
Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid	Mercedes-Benz PU106B Hybrid	P
	06th	Nico Rosberg
Infiniti Red Bull Racing	03	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull RB11	Renault Energy F1 2015	P
	26th	Daniil Kvyat
Williams Martini Racing	19th	Felipe Massa	Williams FW37	Mercedes-Benz PU106B Hybrid	P
	77	Valtteri Bottas
Scuderia Ferrari	05	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari SF15-T	Ferrari 059/4	P
	07th	Kimi Raikkonen
McLaren Honda	14th	Fernando Alonso	McLaren MP4-30	Honda RA615H	P
	22nd	Jenson Button
Sahara Force India F1 Team	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India VJM08	Mercedes-Benz PU106B Hybrid	P
	11	Sergio Perez
Scuderia Toro Rosso	33	Max Verstappen	Toro Rosso STR10	Renault Energy F1 2015	P
	55	Carlos Sainz Jr.
Lotus F1 Team	08th	Romain Grosjean	Lotus E23 Hybrid	Mercedes-Benz PU106B Hybrid	P
	13	Pastor Maldonado
	30th	Jolyon Palmer
Manor Marussia F1 Team	28	Will Stevens	Marussia MR03	Ferrari 059/3	P
	98	Roberto Merhi
Sauber F1 Team	09	Marcus Ericsson	Clean C34	Ferrari 059/4	P
	12	Felipe Nasr

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b} The Lotus with the starting number 30 was used in the first free practice for Palmer. Grosjean then took over the vehicle with his number 8 for the rest of the race weekend.

Classifications

Qualifying

Item	driver	constructor	Q1	Q2	Q3	begin
01	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1: 48.908	1: 48.024	1: 47.197	01
02	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	1: 48.923	1: 47.955	1: 47.655	02
03	Valtteri Bottas	Williams-Mercedes	1: 49.026	1: 49.044	1: 48.537	03
04th	Romain Grosjean	Lotus Mercedes	1: 49.353	1: 48.981	1: 48.561	09
05	Sergio Perez	Force India-Mercedes	1: 49.006	1: 48.792	1: 48.599	04th
06th	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull-Renault	1: 49.664	1: 49.042	1: 48.639	05
07th	Felipe Massa	Williams-Mercedes	1: 49.688	1: 48.806	1: 48.685	06th
08th	Pastor Maldonado	Lotus Mercedes	1: 49.568	1: 48,956	1: 48.754	07th
09	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	1: 49.264	1: 48.761	1: 48.825	08th
10	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Toro Rosso-Renault	1: 49.109	1: 49.065	1: 49.771	10
11	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India-Mercedes	1: 49.499	1: 49.121	-	11
12	Daniil Kvyat	Red Bull-Renault	1: 49.469	1: 49.228	-	12
13	Marcus Ericsson	Clean Ferrari	1: 49.523	1: 49.586	-	13
14th	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari	1: 49.288	no time	-	16
15th	Max Verstappen	Toro Rosso-Renault	1: 49.831	no time	-	18th
16	Felipe Nasr	Clean Ferrari	1: 49.952	-	-	14th
17th	Jenson Button	McLaren Honda	1: 50.978	-	-	19th
18th	Fernando Alonso	McLaren Honda	1: 51.420	-	-	20th
19th	Will Stevens	Marussia Ferrari	1: 52.948	-	-	15th
20th	Roberto Merhi	Marussia Ferrari	1: 53.099	-	-	17th
107 percent time : 1: 56.532 min (based on Q1 best time of 1: 48.908 min)

Remarks

1. ↑ Grosjean was moved five starting positions back due to a gear change.
2. ↑ Raikkonen was moved five starting positions back due to a gear change.
3. ↑ Verstappen was moved back ten starting positions due to the use of the sixth internal combustion engine.
4. ↑ Button was moved 50 starting positions back due to the use of the eighth and ninth units of the turbocharger and the MGU-H as well as the seventh and eighth units of the combustion engine and MGU-H.
5. ↑ Alonso was moved 55 starting positions back because of the use of the seventh and eighth units of the combustion engine, the turbocharger and the MGU-H as well as the sixth and seventh units of the MGU-K and the sixth control electronics.

run

Item	driver	constructor	Round	time	begin	Fastest lap
01	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	43	1: 23: 40.387	01	1: 52.504 (34.)
02	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	43	+ 2.058	02	1: 52.416 (34th)
03	Romain Grosjean	Lotus Mercedes	43	+ 37.988	09	1: 54.779 (37th)
04th	Daniil Kvyat	Red Bull-Renault	43	+ 45.692	12	1: 53.032 (29.)
05	Sergio Perez	Force India-Mercedes	43	+ 53.997	04th	1: 54.796 (29.)
06th	Felipe Massa	Williams-Mercedes	43	+ 55.283	06th	1: 54.093 (23.)
07th	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari	43	+ 55,703	16	1: 54.517 (30.)
08th	Max Verstappen	Toro Rosso-Renault	43	+ 56.076	18th	1: 53.276 (36.)
09	Valtteri Bottas	Williams-Mercedes	43	+1: 01.040	03	1: 54.646 (23.)
10	Marcus Ericsson	Clean Ferrari	43	+1: 31.234	13	1: 54.022 (30.)
11	Felipe Nasr	Clean Ferrari	43	+1: 42.311	14th	1: 53,991 (29.)
12	Sebastian Vettel	Ferrari	42	DNF	08th	1: 55.316 (29.)
13	Fernando Alonso	McLaren Honda	42	+ 1 lap	20th	1: 53.692 (34th)
14th	Jenson Button	McLaren Honda	42	+ 1 lap	19th	1: 55,533 (38th)
15th	Roberto Merhi	Marussia Ferrari	42	+ 1 lap	17th	1: 58,174 (32nd)
16	Will Stevens	Marussia Ferrari	42	+ 1 lap	15th	1: 58,150 (33.)
-	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Toro Rosso-Renault	32	DNF	10	1: 54.680 (25.)
-	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull-Renault	19th	DNF	05	1: 56.263 ( 02.)
-	Pastor Maldonado	Lotus Mercedes	02	DNF	07th	-
-	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India-Mercedes	00	DNS	11	-

World Cup stands after the race

The first ten of the race got 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 point (s) respectively.

Driver ranking

Item driver constructor Points 01  Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 227 02  Nico Rosberg Mercedes 199 03  Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 160 04th  Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 82 05  Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 82 06th  Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 79 07th  Daniil Kvyat Red Bull-Renault 57 08th  Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull-Renault 51 09  Romain Grosjean Lotus Mercedes 38 10  Max Verstappen Toro Rosso-Renault 26th 11  Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 25th

Item driver constructor Points 12  Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 24 13  Felipe Nasr Clean Ferrari 16 14th  Pastor Maldonado Lotus Mercedes 12 15th  Fernando Alonso McLaren Honda 11 16  Carlos Sainz Jr. Toro Rosso-Renault 9 17th  Marcus Ericsson Clean Ferrari 7th 18th  Jenson Button McLaren Honda 6th 19th  Roberto Merhi Marussia Ferrari 0 20th  Will Stevens Marussia Ferrari 0 -  Kevin Magnussen McLaren Honda 0

Constructors' championship

Item constructor Points 1  Mercedes 426 2  Ferrari 242 3  Williams-Mercedes 161 4th  Red Bull-Renault 108 5  Lotus Mercedes 50

Item constructor Points 06th  Force India-Mercedes 49 07th  Toro Rosso-Renault 35 08th  Clean Ferrari 23 09  McLaren Honda 17th 10  Marussia Ferrari 0

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Stefan Ziegler: Medium is the trump card: Pirelli announces tire types up to Monza. Motorsport-Total.com, June 18, 2015, accessed June 24, 2015 . 
2. ^ ^{A b} Mario Fritzsche: Spa: Two DRS zones and new curbs. Motorsport-Total.com, August 19, 2015, accessed on August 19, 2015 . 
3. ↑ Christian Nimmervoll: Technical details: FIA mobilizes against starting aid. Motorsport-Total.com, July 10, 2015, accessed July 10, 2015 . 
4. ^ Ruben Zimmermann: McLaren-Honda: In Spa penalties through engine upgrade. Motorsport-Total.com, August 20, 2015, accessed on August 21, 2015 . 
5. ↑ Dominik Sharaf: No drive update: Ferrari lets Sauber wait two months. Motorsport-Total.com, June 4, 2015, accessed June 4, 2015 . 
6. ↑ Mario Fritzsche: Emanuele Pirro works again as race steward. Motorsport-Total.com, August 19, 2015, accessed on August 19, 2015 . 
7. ^ GP Belgium in Spa-Francorchamps / 1st free practice. Motorsport-Total.com, August 21, 2015, accessed on August 21, 2015 . 
8. ↑ Fabian Hust, Christian Nimmervoll: Formula 1 Spa 2015: Rosberg faster than Hamilton. Motorsport-Total.com, August 21, 2015, accessed on August 21, 2015 . 
9. ^ GP Belgium in Spa-Francorchamps / 2nd free practice. Motorsport-Total.com, August 21, 2015, accessed on August 21, 2015 . 
10. ↑ Fabian Hust: Formula 1 Spa 2015: Rosberg fastest day despite departure. Motorsport-Total.com, August 21, 2015, accessed on August 21, 2015 . 
11. ^ GP Belgium in Spa-Francorchamps / 3rd free practice. Motorsport-Total.com, August 22, 2015, accessed on August 22, 2015 .