Formula 1 News

Hamilton wins the 2010 Belgian Grand Prix 

Mark Webber second, Robert Kubica third.

2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton has won his third Grand Prix in the season – the Belgian Grand Prix at the SPA Francorchamps circuit – ahead of Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Renault’s Robert Kubica.

Fourth place for Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, ahead of Force India’s Adrian Sutil, Mercedes GP’s Nico Rosberg, Mercedes GP’s Michael Schumacher and Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi.

Ninth place for Renault’s Vitaly Petrov and tenth for Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari.

2010 Belgian Grand Prix, lap by lap highlights:

Formation lap: Mark Webber starts the 2010 Belgian Grand Prix from pole position for Red Bull Racing ahead of 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren. Third place on the Spa Francorchamps grid for Robert Kubica in the revised Renault featuring the F-duct system, fourth for Sebastian Vettel, fifth for McLaren’s Jenson Button and sixth for Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. Position seven for Williams’ Rubens Barrichello, eight for Force India’s Adrian Sutil, nine for Nico Hulkenberg and ten for Fernando Alonso.

Several drivers have been given grid penalties: Schumacher qualified 11th but dropped 10 places for the incident with Barrichello in Hungary, team-mate Nico Rosberg dropped 5 places after a gearbox change, Glock and Buemi 5 and 3 places respectively for blocking in qualifying while Pedro de la Rosa 10 places after an engine change ahead of the race.

Onto the weather front, always unpredictable in Belgium, no rain predicted for the first 30 minutes.

Drivers report light rain spots at the Stavelot seconds before the start of the race.

Race start: Lights go off at Spa Francorchamps…bad start for Webber, Hamilton P1. Kubica P2, Button P3. Vettel P4 and Massa P5. Heavy rain now at the Stavelot turn.

Lap 2/44: Several drivers have spun before the chicane. Barrichello has run into Alonso’s back. Barrichello out, Alonso makes it to the pits and rejoins the race after suffering only a puncture. Safety car deployed.

Lap 3/44: Safety car in this lap.

Lap 4/44: Hamilton P1, Button P2 and Kubica P3. Vettel passes Kubica at La Source for P3. Sutil P7, Liuzzi P9. Alonso P16.

Lap 5/44: Alonso pits and switches back to slicks as rain has stopped now.

Lap 6/44: Hamilton P1, Button P2, Vettel P3, Kubica P4, Webber P5, Massa P6, Sutil P7, Hulkenberg P8, Liuzzi P9, Rosberg P10. Senna pits and retires. Alonso P19.

Lap 8/44: Alonso now in P17.

Lap 9/44: Alonso makes it past De la Rosa for P15. Alonso passes Trulli for P14.

Lap 11/44: Hamilton P1, Button P2, Vettel P3. Liuzzi pits from P9.

Lap 12/44: Race control: incident between Barrichello and Alonso to be investigated. Retired drivers so far: Senna and Barrichello.

Lap 13/44: Vettel pressuring Button for P2. Alonso pressuring Liuzzi for P13.

Lap 16/44: Hamilton still in the lead, Button P2, Vettel P3. Team radio for Vettel: rain shower predicted in 10 minutes. Alonso overtakes Liuzzi for P13. Vettel attempts to pass Button but looses the car and runs into the McLaren right before the chicane. Button retires, Vettel makes it to the pits and rejoins the track.

Lap 18/44: Hamilton P1, Kubica P2, Webber P3, Massa P4, Sutil P5, Schumacher P6. Alonso P9.

Lap 19/44: Race Control: incident between Vettel and Button, under investigation by the race stewards.

Lap 20/44: Drive through penalty for causing a collision for Sebastian Vettel. Vettel pressuring Liuzzi for P11.

Lap 21/44: Vettel makes his drive through.

Lap 22/44: Sutil pits from P5 and rejoins in P8. Hamilton P1, Kubica P2, Webber P3, Massa P4. Vettel P14.

Lap 23/44: Webber pits from P3 and rejoins in P4. Fastest lap for Vettel.

Lap 24/44: Kubica pits from P2 and Massa from P3. Kubica rejoins in P2 ahead of Webber. Massa in P4.

Lap 25/44: Hamilton pits from P1 and keeps the lead. Fastest lap for Sutil (P6). Sutil overtakes Schumacher for P5.

Lap 26/44: Fastest lap for Kubica in the Renault. Vettel suffers a puncture.

Lap 27/44: Fastest lap for Massa.

Lap 28/44: Vettel makes it to the pits for new tyres. The German rejoins in P20.

Lap 30/44: Fastest lap for Hamilton. Rain expected in 10 minutes.

Lap 31/44: Alonso pressuring Kobayashi for P8. Dark clouds are now approaching a section of the Spa Francorchamps circuit.

Lap 34/44: ten laps to go, light rain falling at the Stavelot. Glock pits for full wets.

Lap 35/44: Hamilton, Kubica, Webber still on slicks. Rain getting heavier, several drivers pit. Near miss between Alonso and Vettel in the pits.

Lap 36/44: Hamilton, Kubica, Webber pit for intermediates. Massa also pits. Kubica has lost P2 after a bad pit stop.

Lap 37/44: Hulkenberg still on slicks, struggling to find grip on the wet track. Race Control: incident between Alonso and Vettel under investigation.

Lap 38/44: Vettel pits for full wets. Alonso out: the Spaniard touched the slippery kerb, spun and lost control of the Ferrari after the Le Combe turn. Safety car deployed.

Lap 39/44: Hamilton P1, Webber P2, Kubica P3, Massa P4, Sutil P5, Schumacher P6.

Lap 40/44: Safety car in this lap.

Lap 41/44: The Safety car has left the track. Trulli spins but recovers.

Last lap: McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton win the 2010 edition of the Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Renault’s Robert Kubica. Fourth place for Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, fifth for Force India’s Adrian Sutil, sixth for Mercedes GP’s Nico Rosberg, seventh for Michael Schumacher, eighth for Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi, ninth for Renault’s Vitaly Petrov and tenth for Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari.

2010 Belgian Grand Prix, Race Results:

Images © Bridgestone