Belgium would host the final Formula 1 race before the 2024 summer break at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, one of the most iconic tracks on the F1 calendar. After a contentious race in Budapest the weekend before, with McLaren team orders and Verstappen’s radio outbursts, the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix was hotting up to be another race F1 fans were eager to see unravel.
Race Guide
Race weekend: 26 July 2024 – 28 July 2024
Race date: Sunday, 28 July, 2024
Race start time: 3:00 pm local time
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Laps: 44
Circuit length: 7.004km
2023 winner: Max Verstappen
| Pole position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Charles Leclerc1 | Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:53.754 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | Sergio Pérez | Red Bull Racing | |
| Time | 1:44.701 on lap 44 (lap record) | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Lewis Hamilton2 | Mercedes | |
| Second | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | |
| Third | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | |
2George Russell finished the race first, but he was disqualified after his car was found to be underweight. As a result, Lewis Hamilton, who had finished second, inherited the win.
Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most awe-inspiring race tracks globally and is renowned for hosting some of the greatest moments in F1 history. Spanning seven spectacular kilometres, the track winds through the Ardennes forests, creating a magical yet challenging environment for drivers. Iconic corners like Eau Rouge, Raidillon, La Source, Kemmel, Stavelot, and Malmedy have cemented the Belgian Grand Prix’s reputation worldwide. This circuit’s unique blend of elevation changes and demanding turns makes it a true test of skill and a favourite among fans and drivers.
Weekend schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 26 July 2024 | Free Practice 1 (FP1) | 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm local time |
| 26 July 2024 | Free Practice 2 (FP2) | 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm local time |
| 27 July 2024 | Free Practice 3 (FP3) | 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm local time |
| 27 July 2024 | Qualifying | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm local time |
| 28 July 2024 | Race | 3:00 pm local time |
In Saturday afternoon qualifying, Max Verstappen set the fastest time, but he would start from P11 due to a 10-place grid penalty for a power unit change. This penalty meant Charles Leclerc would inherit pole position. Verstappen looked dominant as the session progressed, setting an unbeatable lap of 1m 53.159s in his Red Bull, half a second clear of Ferrari’s Leclerc. Sergio Perez also had a strong qualifying, putting his Red Bull in P3, ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in P4.
On Sunday, George Russell lost what had been a remarkable but ultimately fleeting win to teammate Lewis Hamilton after his Mercedes car failed a post-race weight check. Just over an hour after Russell took the chequered flag, finishing a mere half-second ahead of Hamilton on an unlikely one-stop strategy following a dramatic race between the Mercedes teammates, the FIA’s technical delegate reported that Russell’s car was found to be underweight during the routine post-race checks. The stewards later confirmed the infraction and issued a disqualification for Russell’s car due to a breach of F1’s technical regulations. As a result, Hamilton inherited the win—his second in the last three races and record-extending 105th overall in F1. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri moved up to second, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the revised top three in third.
Championship background
Oscar Piastri claimed his first Grand Prix victory in Hungary the weekend before, triumphing over teammate Lando Norris, who faced multiple team orders in a tense race finale.
McLaren demonstrated superior performance over the competition and aimed to maintain their form in Belgium, where Max Verstappen had dominated for the past three years.
Verstappen, currently leading Norris by 76 points in the drivers’ championship, was determined to rebound after a collision with Lewis Hamilton, which led to a fifth-place finish at the Hungaroring. The Red Bull driver faced criticism for his intense radio messages in Hungary, as McLaren’s strong performance increased pressure on his team.
With McLaren now trailing Red Bull by only 51 points in the constructors’ championship, a solid showing from Sergio Perez in Belgium would be crucial for the team and his seat with the Red Bull team, which was under threat from lacklustre performances so far in 2024.
Mercedes, close contenders to Red Bull and McLaren, were well-positioned to take advantage of the likely mixed conditions at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Meanwhile, Ferrari, with its improved pace in Hungary, would see Charles Leclerc return to the track, where he secured his maiden F1 victory in 2019.
Race entries
Unlike previous weekends, which featured reserve and test drivers, all the drivers from the start of the season took to the track during FP1, FP2, FP3, Qualifying and the Grand Prix.
Tyre choices
For the 14th round of the season, Pirelli, F1’s official tyre supplier, had selected the same trio of compounds used for the past two years: the C2 as hard (marked white), the C3 as medium (marked yellow), and the C4 as soft (marked red).
For 2024, the track had undergone a makeover with significant resurfacing, which would be a crucial factor for teams to consider when preparing for the event. Pirelli had already evaluated the new asphalt during the 24 Hours of Spa, a classic GTWC race where the Italian company was the sole tyre supplier, with cars lapping three seconds faster than the previous year with the same compounds. While the performance of GT cars cannot be directly compared to that of Formula 1 cars, even with advanced simulation tools, it was highly likely that the new surface would lead to significantly reduced lap times and considerably increased grip levels on the resurfaced sections.
Spa-Francorchamps is one of the tracks with the highest average stress levels on the tyres, though it doesn’t quite reach the peaks seen at Silverstone and Suzuka. The circuit features a variety of corner types connected by very fast sections, making it challenging for teams to find the ideal aerodynamic balance. It’s common to see cars excelling in the fast first and third sectors while struggling in the slower second sector, or vice versa. Some corner combinations, such as Eau Rouge-Raidillon, are particularly demanding, featuring strong compression that puts significant stress on both the driver and the car.
Typically, tyre degradation at this track is primarily thermal, but the new surface could be a game-changer, offering extra grip for the tyres.
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Free Practice
In FP1, with a fresh engine, Verstappen demonstrated he could still be a contender at the front by setting the fastest time in Practice One, with an impressive margin of 0.531 seconds. Verstappen’s fastest lap was 1:43.372, followed by Oscar Piastri, F1’s newest race winner after his victory in Hungary last Sunday, in second for McLaren, and Alex Albon in a surprising third for Williams.
During FP2, Lando Norris led the second practice session for the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri close behind. McLaren maintained their status as the benchmark team at Spa-Francorchamps, with Norris finishing 0.215 seconds ahead of Piastri and Max Verstappen just a few thousandths of a second further back in third.
On Saturday, during a wet FP3, Verstappen’s time of 2:01.565, nearly 20 seconds slower than Friday’s fastest lap in dry conditions, placed the Red Bull driver 1.4 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri in second. Piastri’s McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, finished fourth. The session saw just over 10 minutes of running before Stroll lost control of his Aston Martin in the worsening weather, crashing into the barrier at Eau Rouge.
Full Free Practice Reports
Free Practice 1 Classification
FP1 was held on 26 July 2024, at 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm local time.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:43.372 | 23 | |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 1:43.903 | +0.531s | 23 |
| 3 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 1:44.099 | +0.727s | 20 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:44.225 | +0.853s | 22 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:44.279 | +0.907s | 20 |
| 6 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:44.306 | +0.934s | 24 |
| 7 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 1:44.329 | +0.957s | 21 |
| 8 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 1:44.415 | +1.043s | 23 |
| 9 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:44.574 | +1.202s | 23 |
| 10 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:44.699 | +1.327s | 20 |
| 11 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 1:44.833 | +1.461s | 21 |
| 12 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 1:44.921 | +1.549s | 19 |
| 13 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB Honda RBPT | 1:44.950 | +1.578s | 22 |
| 14 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:45.155 | +1.783s | 20 |
| 15 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams Mercedes | 1:45.311 | +1.939s | 19 |
| 16 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT | 1:45.564 | +2.192s | 22 |
| 17 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 1:45.645 | +2.273s | 18 |
| 18 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 1:45.812 | +2.440s | 18 |
| 19 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 1:45.995 | +2.623s | 22 |
| 20 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | 1 |
Free Practice 2 Classification
FP2 was held on 26 July 2024, at 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm local time.
Free Practice 3 Classification
FP3 was held on 27 July 2024, at 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm local time.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 2:01.565 | 4 | |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 2:02.998 | +1.433s | 4 |
| 3 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 2:03.175 | +1.610s | 5 |
| 4 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 2:03.372 | +1.807s | 4 |
| 5 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | 2:05.250 | +3.685s | 7 |
| 6 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 2:06.033 | +4.468s | 4 |
| 7 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 2:06.037 | +4.472s | 4 |
| 8 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 2:06.492 | +4.927s | 7 |
| 9 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 2:06.751 | +5.186s | 3 |
| 10 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 2:07.103 | +5.538s | 3 |
| 11 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 2:07.443 | +5.878s | 3 |
| 12 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 2:08.040 | +6.475s | 5 |
| 13 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 2:08.071 | +6.506s | 4 |
| 14 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB Honda RBPT | 2:08.410 | +6.845s | 5 |
| 15 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT | 2:09.444 | +7.879s | 7 |
| 16 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 2:11.109 | +9.544s | 7 |
| 17 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams Mercedes | 2:11.220 | +9.655s | 3 |
| 18 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 2 | ||
| 19 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 2 | ||
| 20 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 2 |
Qualifying
Max Verstappen set the fastest time in a wet qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix, but Charles Leclerc would start on pole position due to Verstappen’s grid penalty. Verstappen faced a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding the season’s engine limit, placing him in 11th position. As a result, Leclerc and Sergio Perez occupied the front row.
Leclerc secured pole position for only the second time in 2024, edging out Perez by just 0.011 seconds. Lewis Hamilton narrowly missed pole by less than one-tenth of a second and would start third.
Full Qualifying Report
Qualifying Classification
Qualifying was held on 27 July 2024, at 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm local time.
What happened in the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix?
After Verstappen set an impressive benchmark to take P1 in Saturday’s qualifying, he was demoted to P11 on the grid due to an engine penalty, promoting Leclerc to pole position. Attention then shifted to Sunday’s 44-lap Belgian Grand Prix.
There were some changes to the grid ahead of the event. Along with Verstappen’s grid drop, Tsunoda was forced to start from the back for taking on multiple new power unit elements, while Zhou received a three-place penalty for impeding Verstappen during Q1.
As the tyre blankets came off and the cars assembled on the grid for the expected two-stop race, it was confirmed that everyone had opted for the mediums except for Sainz and Zhou, who started on hard tyres, and Ricciardo on the soft compound.
Leclerc made a good start, holding the lead off the line. Hamilton also had a strong launch, overtaking Perez. Meanwhile, Norris dipped a wheel into the gravel, dropping several places, while Verstappen began making gains.
By the end of Lap 2, Verstappen had climbed to P8, right behind Norris. On Lap 3, Hamilton used DRS to pass Leclerc on the Kemmel Straight and take the race lead.
At the back, Zhou experienced a loss of power and attempted to get his Kick Sauber back to the pit lane but managed to get the car going again. Meanwhile, Piastri pressured Perez for third, with close gaps throughout the field.
“Something is moving down by my legs,” Hamilton reported over the radio on Lap 6. Despite the issue, he maintained a lead of nearly 1.5 seconds over Leclerc.
Zhou’s problem proved unfixable, and he retired the car in the pits. Further ahead, Norris and Verstappen were held up by Sainz in sixth on hard tyres.
Hulkenberg was the first to pit on Lap 8, followed by Albon, Ricciardo, and Sargeant a lap later. On Lap 10, Russell and Verstappen were among the first front-runners to pit, rejoining in 12th and 14th with hard tyres.
Hamilton pitted from the lead, rejoining in sixth on hard tyres, while Perez and Piastri also pitted. Piastri quickly overtook Russell and then chased Perez.
Leclerc pitted on Lap 13, rejoining in fifth, while Piastri passed Perez for P5. This left Sainz and Norris in first and second, yet to make their pit stops. Norris was instructed to push and eventually pitted on Lap 16, undercutting Sainz.
Replays showed Sainz having a moment at Turn 14, where his Ferrari briefly went into the gravel but got back on track. Verstappen, meanwhile, was chasing down Russell in P7, with Russell benefiting from a tow from Verstappen’s teammate Perez.
Sainz seemed to be considering a one-stop strategy but was told “Plan B” by his engineer. He pitted on Lap 21 to switch to medium tyres, rejoining in P8.
Russell overtook Perez for fourth, and the Mexican made an early second pit stop to switch to hard tyres. At the front, Hamilton led by 1.8 seconds from Leclerc, with Piastri a few seconds back in third.
On Lap 23, Ricciardo passed Sargeant for P16, leaving the American under pressure from Tsunoda. It was also close between Verstappen and Norris, but a mistake from Norris at the bus stop chicane caused him to lose ground.
Leclerc made his second pit stop on Lap 26 in an attempt to undercut Hamilton, but a slightly slow 3.4-second stop hindered his progress. Hamilton pitted a lap later, bringing the Mercedes and Ferrari out in sixth and seventh, respectively.
This allowed Piastri to take the lead, and the Australian soon set the fastest lap of the race. “It goes without saying, but clean air is king,” he told his engineer. Meanwhile, a flurry of action in the pit lane saw Verstappen and Sainz pitting again on Lap 29 – Verstappen for mediums and Sainz for hards.
Norris pitted one lap later, switching to the hard compound, rejoining the race in a challenging position between Verstappen and Sainz. Piastri then pitted from the lead on Lap 31, but a slight overshoot of the pit box resulted in a slower 4.4-second stop, putting him back on track in fourth.
Russell took the lead amid this round of pit stops, having not yet made his second stop. The question arose: Could he make a one-stop strategy work? Hamilton was six seconds behind in P2, with Leclerc following in P3.
As Lap 33 approached, several potential battles were heating up. Norris continued to chase Verstappen for P5, while Hamilton closed the gap to Russell, who was nursing his aging tyres.
Piastri, eager to recover from his slower pit stop, hunted down Leclerc for third. He attempted an overtake at the chicane but couldn’t make it stick.
“Am I on target to beat him or not?” Hamilton asked his race engineer about Russell. The response was, “It’s close.” Meanwhile, Piastri successfully overtook Leclerc to secure a potential podium spot.
With seven laps remaining, Russell, despite running on old hard tyres, led his teammate by just under three seconds. Leclerc was under pressure from Verstappen in the fight for fourth, with Norris close behind the Dutchman.
Sainz made a straightforward move on Perez to take P7. With just a few laps left, Hamilton had closed in on Russell. “Give each other plenty of space,” warned the Mercedes pit wall.
As Hamilton looked for an opportunity to overtake two laps from the end, Russell managed to hold onto the lead while Piastri closed in from behind. Could Russell hold on until the end?
Despite getting incredibly close, Hamilton was unable to find a way past his teammate, crossing the line just 0.526 seconds behind.
However, post-race drama ensued as Russell’s car was found to be underweight, leading to his disqualification from the race results and handing the victory to Hamilton.
Following his debut victory in Hungary, Piastri delivered another strong performance to take second, while Leclerc claimed third despite pressure from Verstappen and Norris, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Sainz ended the day in P6 ahead of Perez, a disappointing result for the Mexican given his front-row start. Alonso, Ocon, and Ricciardo completed the top ten. Stroll, Albon, Gasly, and Magnussen followed in P11 to P14.
It was another pointless day for Kick Sauber, with Bottas finishing P15, ahead of Tsunoda in P16, Sargeant in P17, and Hulkenberg in a tough day for Haas, finishing P18. Zhou was the only retiree, suffering a hydraulic issue with his Kick Sauber.
2024 Belgian Grand Prix race results
The 2024 Belgian Grand Prix Race was held on 28 July 2024, at 3:00 pm local time.
| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DQ | 63 | George Russell1 | Mercedes | 44 | 1:19:57.040 | 0 |
| 1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 44 | +0.526s | 25 |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes | 44 | +1.173s | 18 |
| 3 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 44 | +8.549s | 15 |
| 4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 44 | +9.226s | 12 |
| 5 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes | 44 | +9.850s | 10 |
| 6 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 44 | +19.795s | 8 |
| 7 | 11 | Sergio Perez2 | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 44 | +43.195s | 7 |
| 8 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 44 | +49.963s | 4 |
| 9 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine Renault | 44 | +52.552s | 2 |
| 10 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB Honda RBPT | 44 | +54.926s | 1 |
| 11 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | 44 | +63.011s | 0 |
| 12 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams Mercedes | 44 | +63.651s | 0 |
| 13 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault | 44 | +64.365s | 0 |
| 14 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 44 | +66.631s | 0 |
| 15 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 44 | +70.638s | 0 |
| 16 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB Honda RBPT | 44 | +76.737s | 0 |
| 17 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams Mercedes | 44 | +86.057s | 0 |
| 18 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas Ferrari | 44 | +88.833s | 0 |
| NC | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber Ferrari | 5 | DNF | 0 |
2Fastest lap: Sergio Perez (Red Bull Racing) – 1:44.701 (lap 44)
2024 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings for Drivers’ and Teams after the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix.
2024 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | NED | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 277 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren Mercedes | 199 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Ferrari | 177 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | AUS | McLaren Mercedes | 167 |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Ferrari | 162 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Mercedes | 150 |
| 7 | Sergio Pérez | MEX | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 131 |
| 8 | George Russell | GBR | Mercedes | 116 |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Aston Martin Mercedes | 49 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin Mercedes | 24 |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | GER | Haas Ferrari | 22 |
| 12 | Yuki Tsunoda | JPN | RB-Honda RBPT | 22 |
| 13 | Daniel Ricciardo | AUS | RB-Honda RBPT | 12 |
| 14 | Oliver Bearman | GBR | Ferrari | 6 |
| 15 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Alpine Renault | 6 |
| 16 | Kevin Magnussen | DEN | Haas Ferrari | 5 |
| 17 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Alpine Renault | 5 |
| 18 | Alexander Albon | THA | Williams Mercedes | 4 |
| 19 | Zhou Guanyu | CHN | Stake F1 Team | 0 |
| 20 | Logan Sargeant | USA | Williams Mercedes | 0 |
| 21 | Valtteri Bottas | FIN | Stake F1 Team | 0 |
2024 Post-Race F1 Constructors’ Championship Standings
| Pos | Team | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 408 |
| 2 | McLaren Mercedes | 366 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 345 |
| 4 | Mercedes | 266 |
| 5 | Aston Martin Mercedes | 73 |
| 6 | RB-Honda RBPT | 34 |
| 7 | Haas Ferrari | 27 |
| 8 | Alpine Renault | 11 |
| 9 | Williams Mercedes | 4 |
| 10 | Stake F1 Team | 0 |
Sources:
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