Belgian Grand Prix: Sprint Recap

Following a 35-minute weather delay, the action started with the Sprint Shootout determining the grid for the F1 Sprint. Both drivers left the garage on used Pirelli Cinturato Green intermediates to trial track conditions, and swiftly returned to the pitlane to bolt on a new set of inters. With conditions constantly improving, the VF-23s came in for another set of the green rubber, but Hulkenberg was unable to make it around the track in time to set a competitive lap, resulting in P20. Magnussen’s only lap of the session, a time of 2:01.079, was enough for P18.

Not for the first time today, rain descended down on the Ardennes forest as cars went to the grid, delaying proceedings by 30-minutes. The entire grid was equipped with the Cinturato Blue extreme wet tire, and the decision was made to have the formation lap and another five laps behind the Safety Car. 

A rolling start was declared, and lap 1 of a reduced 11-lap race began. Strategy was split as Hulkenberg came into the pits at the start of the opening lap for a new set of intermediates, with Magnussen pitting one lap later for a set of used inters. Once all cars had pitted, Hulkenberg had climbed to P15, Magnussen positioned P19. 

On Lap 3, a Safety Car was brought out for the stricken Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso after he spun into the wall at Turn 11. Racing resumed two laps later, and cars settled into a rhythm trying to keep life in their tires as the track began to dry. Lap 9 saw Magnussen overtake Hulkenberg for P14, seeing the Dane to the checkered flag. Hulkenberg went wide into the gravel towards the end of the race, losing performance as a result, and finished the Sprint P17. 

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team maintains eighth position in the Constructors’ Championship with 11 points. 

Up front, Max Verstappen won his second Sprint of the season, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri second, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly taking third. 

Kevin Magnussen:

“It’s pretty gnarly when you can’t see anything. When they called the rolling start at the beginning I was pretty surprised because we still couldn’t see a thing. Coming down to Turn 5 of course when you get into the corners you can see again because the speed is that much slower but going down the straight you literally can see nothing. Towards the end, the track was ready for slick tires, I think it was past the crossover but there just wasn’t enough laps to make up that pit stop loss in a sprint race, so we didn’t go for it in the end. P14 for us, we will see what we can do tomorrow.”

Nico Hulkenberg:

“It was difficult. We were in the group of cars that pitted at the start of the first lap when the Safety Car came in. We picked up a bunch of places, but we didn’t really have the pace to cut through, and the car was difficult to drive. I had one off at Turn 15 where I went into the gravel and damaged the floor as well, which lost more performance, so this difficult weekend continues.”

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal:

“In this morning’s Sprint Shootout, we got caught out with tire temperature – we went too high, too quickly, and tried a different strategy at the end of qualifying, and it didn’t work out. That was the only possibility where we could get anywhere so we took the risk, but obviously it didn’t work out and we started from a bad position. In the race, I think we got the best out of it that we could from the position we started in and the circumstances. Not a fantastic day but then we just saved whatever was left to be saved.”

Today's Data

Event: Sprint Race at the Belgian Grand Prix – Saturday July 29
Location: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
Layout: 7.004-kilometer (4.352-mile), 19-turn circuit 
Weather: Cloudy with showers
Air Temps: 18.4 degrees Celsius (65.12 degrees Fahrenheit)
Track Temps: 26 degrees Celsius (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit)
Team Result: Kevin Magnussen – Started Sprint 18th / Finished 14th (Running – completed 11/11 laps)
Nico Hulkenberg – Started Sprint 20th / Finished 17th (Running – completed 11/11 laps)

SQ1 Shootout: 12-mins with all 20 Drivers – Top 15 Advance to SQ2

Magnussen: 18th overall (2:01.079)
Hulkenberg: 20th overall (No Time) 
Fastest: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:58.135)

SQ2 Shootout: 10-mins – Top 10 Advance to SQ3

Fastest: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:55.200) 

SQ3 Shootout: 8-mins – Top 10 Drivers

Sprint Pole: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:49.056)

Sprint Race Rundown: 

Magnussen: 14th overall 
Hulkenberg: 17th overall
Sprint Winner: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing