Dive into F1Lead’s thorough analysis of the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, featuring driver ratings and pivotal moments.”
In a weekend at Spa defined by fluctuating fortunes, Charles Leclerc exploited inclement weather during qualifying to clinch a surprising pole, ultimately maintaining his composure under race conditions to secure a commendable third-place finish in a Ferrari that was not the weekend’s quickest.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton delivered a masterful performance, ascending from third to win, showcasing both strategic acumen and impeccable driving. Conversely, Max Verstappen, grappling with an engine penalty, admirably mitigated the repercussions, navigating from eleventh to fourth.
Fernando Alonso, leveraging an improved Aston Martin, seized ‘Class B’ pole and effectively translated it into an eighth-place finish. George Russell, amid a challenging qualifying, made a strategic gamble that propelled him to a provisional victory, albeit later disqualified.
Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo both maximized their cars’ potential in challenging circumstances, securing ninth and tenth respectively.
Oscar Piastri showcased promise by finishing second, narrowly missing further opportunities to challenge the leaders.
The weekend was less favorable for others, including Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, who struggled to convert their setups into meaningful results, finishing fifteenth and seventh. The event underlined the critical interplay of strategy, weather, and raw driving skill in Formula One.
| Driver | Overview |
|---|---|
| Charles Leclerc | Start: 1st, Finish: 3rd. Thrived under challenging conditions to secure pole, outperforming the Ferrari’s actual pace. Held his ground despite a performance disadvantage, showcasing exemplary skill. Verdict: Extracted the maximum from the Ferrari. |
| Lewis Hamilton | Start: 3rd, Finish: 1st. Mastered Spa from qualifying to race, taking command early on. Questions linger over his late-race tactics, yet his victory on conventional strategy was unassailable. Verdict: A flawless weekend. |
| Max Verstappen | Start: 11th, Finish: 4th. Faced a tough weekend with an engine penalty, yet his rapid ascent in the race mitigated the damage effectively. Verdict: Successfully limited the damage. |
| Fernando Alonso | Start: 8th, Finish: 8th. Alonso’s resurgence continues with a strong performance, leading the midfield with strategic nous. Verdict: Fully capitalized on his opportunities. |
| George Russell | Start: 6th, Finish: DSQ. Despite a challenging qualifying, Russell’s strategic brilliance nearly secured a win, only to be disqualified. Verdict: A brilliant race overshadowed by qualification woes. |
| Esteban Ocon | Start: 10th, Finish: 9th. A starring role in qualifying and a solid race performance highlight Ocon’s weekend, despite technical challenges. Verdict: Optimized his limited resources. |
| Oscar Piastri | Start: 5th, Finish: 2nd. Narrowly trailed his teammate in qualifying but excelled in the race, challenging the leaders. Verdict: Not perfect, but impressive nonetheless. |
| Daniel Ricciardo | Start: 13th, Finish: 10th. Overcame early challenges and strategic gambles to secure a point, making significant progress through the field. Verdict: A commendable effort throughout the weekend. |
| Alex Albon | Start: 10th, Finish: 12th. Albon was close to breaking into the top ten but fell short in the race’s crucial phases. Verdict: Kept competitive despite challenges. |
| Valtteri Bottas | Start: 14th, Finish: 15th. Explored strategic alternatives, ultimately not yielding the desired outcomes. Verdict: Maximised potential within constraints. |
| Carlos Sainz | Start: 7th, Finish: 6th. A promising start in qualifying faded with grip issues, complicating his race. Verdict: Adverse conditions hampered potential. |
| Sergio Perez | Start: 2nd, Finish: 7th. A subpar race following a decent qualifying position, failing to leverage his starting advantage. Verdict: Missed a significant opportunity. |
| Lando Norris | Start: 4th, Finish: 5th. Acknowledged a less than optimal performance, with errors early in the race affecting his finish. Verdict: Rough edges in need of smoothing. |
| Kevin Magnussen | Start: 17th, Finish: 14th. Managed a respectable race amidst challenges, sticking to a strategic approach. Verdict: A solid, if quiet, weekend. |
| Lance Stroll | Start: 15th, Finish: 11th. A challenging weekend highlighted by a spin and struggles in qualifying and race. Verdict: Failed to meet expectations. |
| Pierre Gasly | Start: 12th, Finish: 13th. Showed sparks of potential but ultimately fell short of a points finish. Verdict: A subdued performance. |
| Yuki Tsunoda | Start: 20th, Finish: 16th. Penalized heavily on the grid, struggled throughout the race to make an impact. Verdict: A difficult weekend. |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Start: 16th, Finish: 18th. Faced a dissonant weekend with the car never feeling quite right. Verdict: A weekend to forget. |
| Zhou Guanyu | Start: 19th, Finish: DNF. A series of mishaps and mechanical failures curtailed any chance of a competitive showing. Verdict: Luckless and unrewarded. |
| Logan Sargeant | Start: 18th, Finish: 17th. Continual struggles in both qualifying and race conditions. Verdict: No progression evident this weekend. |
2024 Belgian GP Performance Scores 2024 Belgian GP Performance Scores
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