2017 Belgian Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Belgium
Grand Prix:Belgian
Details Ref:[1]
Image-Size:250px
Date:27 August
Year:2017
Official Name:2017 Formula 1 Pirelli Belgian Grand Prix[2] [3]
Race No:12
Season No:20
Location:Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Stavelot, Belgium
Course:Permanent racing facility
Course Mi:4.352
Course Km:7.004
Distance Laps:44
Distance Mi:191.415
Distance Km:308.052
Weather:Partially cloudy and dry
Attendance:265,000[4]
Pole Driver:Lewis Hamilton
Pole Team:Mercedes
Pole Time:1:42.553
Pole Country:GBR
Fast Team:Ferrari
Fast Time:1:46.577
Fast Lap:41
First Driver:Lewis Hamilton
First Team:Mercedes
First Country:GBR
Second Driver:Sebastian Vettel
Second Team:Ferrari
Second Country:GER
Previous Round:2017 Hungarian Grand Prix
Next Round:2017 Italian Grand Prix

The 2017 Belgian Grand Prix (formally known as the 2017 Formula 1 Pirelli Belgian Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race that was held on 27 August 2017 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium. The race, contested over forty-four laps, was the twelfth round of the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship, and marked the seventy-third running of the Belgian Grand Prix and the sixtieth time the race was held at Spa-Francorchamps.

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel entered the round with a fourteen-point lead over Lewis Hamilton in the World Drivers' Championship with Valtteri Bottas a further nineteen points behind in third. In the World Constructors' Championship, Mercedes led Ferrari by thirty-nine points before the race.

In his 200th Grand Prix, Hamilton started the race from pole position for the 68th time in his career, equaling the record of Michael Schumacher for most poles, and went on to win the race. In doing so, he closed to within seven points of Vettel's championship lead.

Television and motorsport personality Guy Martin was present as part of the Williams pit team as part of filming for an episode of his 'Speed' series.[5]

Qualifying

DriverConstructor
Q1Q2Q3
144 Lewis HamiltonMercedes1:44.1841:42.9271:42.5531
25 Sebastian VettelFerrari1:44.2751:43.9871:42.7952
377 Valtteri BottasMercedes1:44.7731:43.2491:43.0943
47 Kimi RäikkönenFerrari1:44.7291:43.7001:43.2704
533 Max Verstappen1:44.5351:43.9401:43.3805
63 Daniel Ricciardo1:45.1141:44.2241:43.8636
727 Nico HülkenbergRenault1:45.2801:44.9881:44.9827
811 Sergio PérezForce India-Mercedes1:45.5911:44.8941:45.2448
931 Esteban OconForce India-Mercedes1:45.2771:45.0061:45.3699
1030 Jolyon PalmerRenault1:45.4471:44.685No time14
1114 Fernando AlonsoMcLaren-Honda1:45.6681:45.09010
128 Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari1:45.7281:45.13311
1320 Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari1:45.5351:45.40012
1455 Carlos Sainz Jr.Toro Rosso1:45.3741:45.43913
152McLaren-Honda1:45.441No time20
1619 Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes1:45.82316
1726 Daniil KvyatToro Rosso1:46.02819
1818 Lance Stroll1:46.91515
199 Marcus EricssonSauber-Ferrari1:47.21417
2094 Pascal WehrleinSauber-Ferrari1:47.67918
107% time

1:51.476

Source:[6]
Notes

Race

At the start Lewis Hamilton held off Sebastian Vettel to lead although Vettel would continue to pressure him for most of the race. In the second half of the race, the safety car came out after the two Force India cars of Esteban Ocon and Sergio Pérez collided leaving debris on the track, earlier in the race both Pérez and Ocon had also touched wheels. Hamilton was not happy with the deployment of the safety car labelling it "BS", on the restart he came under attack again from Vettel but was able to fend him off up until the finish. Daniel Ricciardo came home in 3rd place, Valtteri Bottas' chances of the title were fading after only managing 5th.[7]

Race classification

DriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
144 Lewis HamiltonMercedes441:24:42.820125
25 Sebastian VettelFerrari44+2.358218
33 Daniel Ricciardo44+10.791615
47 Kimi RäikkönenFerrari44+14.471412
577 Valtteri BottasMercedes44+16.456310
627 Nico HülkenbergRenault44+28.08778
78 Romain GrosjeanHaas-Ferrari44+31.553116
819 Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes44+36.649164
931 Esteban Ocon44+38.15492
1055 Carlos Sainz Jr.Toro Rosso44+39.447131
1118 Lance Stroll44+48.99915
1226 Daniil KvyatToro Rosso44+49.94019
1330 Jolyon PalmerRenault44+53.23914
142McLaren-Honda44+57.07820
1520 Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari44+1:07.26212
169 Marcus EricssonSauber-Ferrari44+1:09.71117
1711 Sergio PérezForce India-Mercedes42Collision damage8
Ret14 Fernando AlonsoMcLaren-Honda25Power unit10
Ret33 Max Verstappen7Power unit5
Ret94 Pascal WehrleinSauber-Ferrari2Suspension18
Source:[8]
Notes

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
DriverPoints
1 Sebastian Vettel220
2 Lewis Hamilton213
3 Valtteri Bottas179
4 Daniel Ricciardo132
5 Kimi Räikkönen128
Source:[9]
Constructors' Championship standings
ConstructorPoints
1 Mercedes392
2 Ferrari348
3199
4 Force India-Mercedes103
5 Williams-Mercedes45
Source:

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Spa-Francorchamps. Formula One World Championship Limited. 2017. Formula1.com. 16 July 2017.
  2. Web site: 2017 Formula 1 World Championship Programmes - The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. Malcolm. Mitchell. www.progcovers.com.
  3. Web site: Spa-Francorchamps - The Motor Racing Programme Covers Project. Malcolm. Mitchell. www.progcovers.com.
  4. News: F1 reveals overall rise in 2017 attendance. GPupdate.net. JHED Media BV. 8 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171209011037/https://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/361717/f1-reveals-eight-per-cent-rise-in-2017-attendance/. 9 December 2017.
  5. Web site: Guy's Race Pit Stop During The Belgian GP | Guy Martin Proper. 15 July 2019. YouTube.
  6. Web site: 2017 Formula 1 Pirelli Belgian Grand Prix – Qualifying . Formula1.com . Formula One World Championship Ltd . 26 August 2017 . 26 August 2017.
  7. News: Benson. Andrew. 27 August 2017. Hamilton holds off Vettel to win at Spa. BBC Sport. 18 February 2021.
  8. Web site: 2017 Formula 1 Pirelli Belgian Grand Prix – Race Result. Formula1.com . Formula One World Championship Ltd . 27 August 2017 . 27 August 2017.
  9. Web site: Belgium 2017 - Championship • STATS F1. www.statsf1.com. 13 March 2019.