Belgian Grand Prix :Everything you want to know about ADV News, Photos & Exclusive stories.

<p>A dramatic turn of events unfolded at the Belgian Grand Prix as George Russell was disqualified from his initial victory. The Mercedes driver's car was found to be 1.5 kilograms below the mandatory 798kg minimum weight limit, despite initially passing the FIA's weigh-in. This infraction resulted in the promotion of teammate Lewis Hamilton to the top step of the podium, marking his second win of the season. The revised podium saw Oscar Piastri claim second place, while Charles Leclerc held off fierce challenges from Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to secure the final spot.</p>

<p>The report said: 'The Stewards heard from the team representative of Car 63 (George Russell), the FIA Technical Delegate, the FIA Single Seater Director and the FIA Single Seater Technical Director.</p>

<p>'Car 63 was weighed on the FIA inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 796.5 kg. The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.</p>

<p>'During the hearing, the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.</p>

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<p>'The Stewards determine that Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement needs to be applied.</p>

<p>'Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.'</p>

<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Updated Result&nbsp;</h2>

<p>With Russell's disqualification, Lewis Hamilton claims his 105th Grand Prix victory, with Oscar Piastri taking second place and Charles Leclerc completing the podium. This marks the first time a Grand Prix winner has been disqualified since Michael Schumacher's infamous incident at the 1994 Belgian Grand Prix.</p>

<p><img alt="F1 Mercedes " src="/uploads/2024/07/F1-Mercedes-1-.jpg" style="width: 1280px; height: 720px;" /></p>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="437">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" width="64"><strong>Pos</strong></td>
			<td width="144"><strong>Driver</strong></td>
			<td width="143"><strong>Team</strong></td>
			<td width="86"><strong>Time</strong></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">1</td>
			<td>Lewis Hamilton</td>
			<td>Mercedes&nbsp;</td>
			<td>44 Laps</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">2</td>
			<td>Oscar Piastri</td>
			<td>McLaren&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 0.647s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">3</td>
			<td>Charles Leclerc</td>
			<td>Ferrari</td>
			<td>+ 8.023s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">4</td>
			<td>Max Verstappen</td>
			<td>Red Bull</td>
			<td>+ 8.700s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">5</td>
			<td>Lando Norris</td>
			<td>McLaren&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 9.324s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">6</td>
			<td>Carlos Sainz</td>
			<td>Ferrari</td>
			<td>+ 19.269s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">7</td>
			<td>Sergio Perez</td>
			<td>Red Bull&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 42.669s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">8</td>
			<td>Fernando Alonso</td>
			<td>Aston Martin&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 49.437s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">9</td>
			<td>Esteban Ocon</td>
			<td>Alpine&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 52.026s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">10</td>
			<td>Daniel Ricciardo</td>
			<td>VCARB&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 54.400s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">11</td>
			<td>Lance Stroll</td>
			<td>Aston Martin&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 62.485s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">12</td>
			<td>Alex Albon</td>
			<td>Williams</td>
			<td>+ 63.125s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">13</td>
			<td>Pierre Gasly</td>
			<td>Alpine&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 63.839s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">14</td>
			<td>Kevin Magnussen</td>
			<td>Haas&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 66.105s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">15</td>
			<td>Valtteri Bottas</td>
			<td>Sauber</td>
			<td>+ 70.112s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">16</td>
			<td>Yuki Tsunoda</td>
			<td>VCARB&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 76.211s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">17</td>
			<td>Logan Sargeant</td>
			<td>Williams</td>
			<td>+ 85.531s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">18</td>
			<td>Nico Hulkenberg</td>
			<td>Haas&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 88.307s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">19</td>
			<td>Zhou Guanyu</td>
			<td>Sauber</td>
			<td>DNF</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">20</td>
			<td>George Russell</td>
			<td>Mercedes</td>
			<td>DSQ</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

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<p>The dramatic penalty triggered a cascade of changes to the finishing order. Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, and Esteban Ocon all moved up one position, with Daniel Ricciardo earning a point for Red Bull by finishing tenth.</p>


F1 2024: Big Upset at Belgian GP, George Russell Disqualified as Lewis Hamilton Inherits Race Win

George Russell lost his 2024 Belgian Grand Prix victory due to a car weight rule violation, despite his one-stop strategy keeping him ahead of Lewis Hamilton late in the race.

<p>Update:&nbsp;George Russell's impressive victory at the Belgian Grand Prix was short-lived. The Mercedes driver masterfully executed a one-stop strategy to overcome teammate Lewis Hamilton's early race dominance. However, a shock ruling from FIA technical delegate overturned the result. Russell's car was found to be underweight after mandatory fuel was drained, a strict regulation that cost him the win, just an hour after celebrating on the top step of the podium. Read the Updated 2024&nbsp;F1 Belgian Grand Prix race report below.</p>

<p><strong>Updated Race Report:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/motorsport-news/f1-2024-big-upset-at-belgian-gp-george-russell-disqualified-as-lewis-hamilton-inherits-race-win-117883/">F1 2024: Big Upset at Belgian GP, George Russell Disqualified as Lewis Hamilton Inherits Race Win</a></p>

<p>George Russell won unexpectedly at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, beating seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Russell's one-stop pit strategy helped him climb from sixth on the grid to win the race. Oscar Piastri of McLaren took third place, while pole-sitter Charles Leclerc finished fourth. Hamilton, who led early on, couldn't overtake Russell despite having fresher tyres, settling for second. Max Verstappen recovered from eleventh to fifth, extending his championship lead. Lando Norris finished sixth for McLaren, followed by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. Sergio Perez dropped from second to eighth, adding pressure on his future with Red Bull. Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon scored points for Aston Martin and Alpine. This win marks Mercedes' third victory in the last four races.</p>

<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Race Result</h2>

<p>Pit stop strategy was crucial at the Belgian Grand Prix, with close margins between the top six drivers. George Russell's one-stop strategy disrupted the expected two-stop plans of his rivals. Max Verstappen, starting from eleventh due to a grid penalty, showed impressive pace. He overtook Lando Norris and used the undercut during the first pit-stop sequence. Despite a competitive battle, both drivers fought for fifth place, followed by Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez, who fell down the order from his front-row start.</p>

<p><img alt="F1 Ferrari Sianz" height="720" src="/uploads/2024/07/F1-Ferrari-Sianz.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>Daniel Ricciardo narrowly missed out on points, finishing eleventh for VCARB. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Alex Albon (Williams) took twelfth and thirteenth, respectively. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) finished fourteenth on a weekend marked by Bruno Famin's departure as Team Principal. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) was fifteenth.</p>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="400">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" width="64"><strong>Pos</strong></td>
			<td width="149"><strong>Driver</strong></td>
			<td width="114"><strong>Team</strong></td>
			<td width="73"><strong>Time</strong></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">1</td>
			<td>George Russell</td>
			<td>Mercedes&nbsp;</td>
			<td>44 Laps</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">2</td>
			<td>Lewis Hamilton</td>
			<td>Mercedes&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 0.526s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">3</td>
			<td>Oscar Piastri</td>
			<td>McLaren&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 1.173s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">4</td>
			<td>Charles Leclerc</td>
			<td>Ferrari</td>
			<td>+ 8.549s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">5</td>
			<td>Max Verstappen</td>
			<td>Red Bull</td>
			<td>+ 9.226s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">6</td>
			<td>Lando Norris</td>
			<td>McLaren&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 9.850s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">7</td>
			<td>Carlos Sainz</td>
			<td>Ferrari</td>
			<td>+ 19.795s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">8</td>
			<td>Sergio Perez</td>
			<td>Red Bull</td>
			<td>+ 43.195s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">9</td>
			<td>Fernando Alonso</td>
			<td>Aston Martin&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 49.963s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">10</td>
			<td>Esteban Ocon</td>
			<td>Alpine&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 52.552s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">11</td>
			<td>Daniel Ricciardo</td>
			<td>VCARB</td>
			<td>+ 54.926s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">12</td>
			<td>Lance Stroll</td>
			<td>Aston Martin&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 63.011s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">13</td>
			<td>Alex Albon</td>
			<td>Williams</td>
			<td>+ 63.651s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">14</td>
			<td>Pierre Gasly</td>
			<td>Alpine&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 64.365s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">15</td>
			<td>Kevin Magnussen</td>
			<td>Haas&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 66.631s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">16</td>
			<td>Valtteri Bottas</td>
			<td>Sauber</td>
			<td>+ 70.638s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">17</td>
			<td>Yuki Tsunoda</td>
			<td>VCARB</td>
			<td>+ 76.737s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">18</td>
			<td>Logan Sargeant</td>
			<td>Williams</td>
			<td>+ 86.057s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">19</td>
			<td>Nico Hulkenberg</td>
			<td>Haas&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+ 88.833s</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">20</td>
			<td>Zhou Guanyu</td>
			<td>Sauber</td>
			<td>DNF</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

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<p>Alfa Romeo had another tough race, with Valtteri Bottas finishing sixteenth. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull), Logan Sargeant (Williams), and Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) followed. Zhou Guanyu retired early due to a hydraulic issue.</p>


F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton Wins At Spa Ahead of Piastri and Leclerc

Mercedes' George Russell won the 2024 F1 Belgian Grand Prix with a surprise one-stop strategy, while Max Verstappen recovered from a grid penalty to finish fifth.

<p>Yuki Tsunoda will start the Belgian Grand Prix from the back of the grid. The VCARB driver has exhausted his allocation of power unit components for the season. According to F1 regulations, if a driver uses more power unit elements than permitted, a grid penalty will be imposed at the first event where each additional element is used. These penalties are cumulative, and if they exceed 15 grid places, the driver must start the race from the back of the grid. Consequently, Yuki Tsunoda will begin Sunday's race from the rear of the grid.</p>

<p>Adding to Red Bull's woes, Max Verstappen will also be hit with a grid penalty. The reigning world champion has been forced to install a new internal combustion engine after damage incurred during the Canadian Grand Prix. The power unit issue is a significant setback for Verstappen as he looks to extend his championship lead. With free practice underway at the challenging Spa-Francorchamps circuit, all eyes will be on the team's performance and strategies to mitigate the impact of the grid penalties. Qualifying takes place on Saturday, with the race scheduled for Sunday.</p>

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<h2>F1: Challenge for Verstappen</h2>

<p>Max Verstappen faces a significant challenge at the Belgian Grand Prix, having received a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his allocated engine components after a power unit failure in Canada. Despite this setback, Red Bull is expected to rebound, leveraging Spa-Francorchamps' reputation for facilitating overtaking. With McLaren and Mercedes closing the gap, maximizing points is crucial for Red Bull's Constructor championship hopes.</p>

<p><img alt="F1 Red Bull RB20" height="720" src="/uploads/2024/02/F1-Red-Bull-RB20.png" width="1280" /></p>

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<p>The Dutchman boasts an impressive record at Spa, winning the last three editions. However, his recent form, without a victory in the last three races, suggests a more challenging weekend ahead. Remarkably, Verstappen has triumphed in Belgium from as low as 14th on the grid in 2022, highlighting his ability to overcome adversity.</p>


F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Yuki Tsunoda of VCARB Hit with Grid Penalty for Exceeding Engine Allowance

VCARB's Yuki Tsunoda will start the 2024 F1 Belgian Grand Prix from the back of the grid due to grid penalties for taking on a new Honda power unit ahead of the weekend.

<p>Spa-Francorchamps, one of Formula 1's most cherished circuits, will host the Belgian Grand Prix, renowned for its challenging Eau Rouge/Raidillon section. Both drivers and fans eagerly anticipate this event. Max Verstappen will aim to bounce back from recent challenges, while Lando Norris looks to rectify previous strategic missteps. The championship battle between Ferrari and Mercedes remains intense, and there’s always the potential for a surprise winner. As the final race before the summer break, this event holds significant importance, especially with driver contract uncertainties looming.</p>

<p>Verstappen’s recent run of finishes ahead of Norris was halted at the Hungarian Grand Prix due to a clash with Lewis Hamilton. McLaren's last victory at Spa dates back to 2010, whereas Verstappen has claimed the top spot in the last three races there. A win this weekend would further extend his championship lead and bolster his position as the title favourite for the remainder of the season.</p>

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<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Official Schedule&nbsp;</h2>

<p><img alt="F1 Mercedes W14 " src="/uploads/2023/08/F1-Mercedes-W14-2-.jpg" style="width: 1280px; height: 720px;" /></p>

<h3>Friday, July 26</h3>

<p>Belgian GP FP1 - 05:00 - 06:00 pm</p>

<p>Belgian GP FP2 - 08:30 - 09:30 pm</p>

<h3>Saturday, July 27</h3>

<p>Belgian GP FP3 - 04:00 - 05:00 pm</p>

<p>Belgian Qualifying - 07:30 - 08:30 pm</p>

<h3>Sunday, July 28</h3>

<p>Belgian GP Race - 06:30 pm</p>

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<h2>F1 Belgian Prix 2024: Where to Watch in India</h2>

<p>Formula 1 fans in India can easily watch all the races through services like F1TV Pro and FanCode. FanCode offers flexible plans, starting at Rs 49 for a single race weekend and going up to Rs 599 for the entire season. You can enjoy their live race coverage on both their website and app, available for Android and iOS devices.</p>

<p>For a more immersive experience, F1TV provides a premium subscription in India for around Rs 2,500 per month. This plan includes access to a wealth of historical F1 data, live race timing updates, expert pre- and post-race analysis, in-car camera feeds from every driver, and much more.</p>


F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Here’s When, Where and How to Watch 2024 Spa-Francorchamps Race in India

Here's all you need to know about the upcoming 2024 F1 Belgian Grand Prix, set to unfold over 44 laps of the iconic 7.004-kilometre Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, July 28th.

<p>At the Belgian Grand Prix, Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton once again missed the podium. at Hungary, they lost because of a poor start from the pole position, while at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton's progress was slowed by the car's limits. Mercedes is still behind Red Bull despite making improvements and tweaks to their vehicle. Mercedes has struggled greatly with the porpoising issue, which results in the vehicles bouncing uncontrollably. While other teams have solved this issue, Mercedes has been slow to do so. When they reduced the vehicles' suspensions for the Spa race, the problem reemerged. George Russell, who finished sixth in the Belgian Grand Prix, rehashed a famous quote from the 2022 Formula 1 season when he said that the bouncing he experienced during qualifying had made the rest of his Spa weekend difficult. Russell said the bouncing was a factor in his finishing the weekend in sixth position, despite the fact that he had a much better showing in both the sprint race and the grand prix after struggling to find his rhythm in qualifying.</p>

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<h2>F1: Why was Mercedes-AMG W14 Pourposing During the Belgian Grand Prix?</h2>

<p>But the issue of W14 bouncing was brought up by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, the latter of whom said it was a "huge amount" of trouble. Due to the sprint event restrictions, Mercedes and its F1 opponents only had the wet FP1 session to refine their vehicles, and no adjustments were available after that. Elliott adds the team will have to assess whether it was circuit-specific or connected to set-up.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KTDv0-fD6_U?controls=0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott said, "We definitely had an amount of bouncing this weekend, both drivers were telling us that and we could see it in the data."</p>

<p>The Mercedes team is still trying to fix the bouncing problem that plagued their vehicles during the Belgian Grand Prix, according to the team's chief technical officer Mike Elliott. Elliott said the team will have to figure out whether the issue was particular to the track or related to the car's set-up, given that the German team only had the wet FP1 session to dial in their vehicles.</p>

<p>"In terms of the performance, it definitely affects the performance of the cars because it affects the drivers’ ability to extract the maximum grip from the car, it affects their balance and it affects their ability to get their braking points right.", Eliot added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Elliott said that the drivers' choice of downforce options for their run accounted for the variation in aero improvements they brought to Spa. He assured them that they were looking into the issue and were working to find a solution as quickly as feasible.</p>

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<h2>F1: Mercedes-AMG Belgian Grand Prix Performance</h2>

<p><img alt="F1 Mercedes W14 2 " height="720" src="/uploads/2023/08/F1-Mercedes-W14-2-.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>Despite Lewis Hamilton's (a seven-time world champion) positive assessment of his and Mercedes' performance in Belgium (they finished fourth), George Russell who finished sixth, was relieved when the weekend was over. At the start of the race, Max Verstappen lost five positions on the starting grid, which moved Hamilton up to fourth. After that, he was content to maintain his position in third. After Verstappen passed, the battle for the third position became between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The Mercedes driver gave it his all, but his team chose to pit him for the quickest lap at the end of the race, dropping him to fourth place.</p>

<p>Russell, who had a terrible weekend, stated in an interview that the start of summer break couldn't have come at a better time. But he knew without a doubt that if the accident on the first lap hadn't happened, he would have finished higher than sixth.</p>


F1: Mercedes W14 Suffers Porpoising Issues at 2023 Belgian Grand Prix

Mercedes' chief technical officer Mike Elliott says the team is still attempting to fix the bouncing problem that plagued its vehicle W14 during the Belgian Grand Prix. Although Mercedes has made some improvements and modifications to their car, they are still behind Red Bull.

<p>The Italian luxury car manufacturer Alfa Romeo took to social media to tease its upcoming internal combustion engine-powered supercar. The yet-to-be-named model will be the company's final ICE car and is&nbsp;slated to make its debut on August 30. This development comes ahead of the carmaker's plans to go all-electric in the coming years. Although this unnamed&nbsp;model seems to be Alfa Romeo's last ICE release, a sub-Tonale crossover might come along with the electric version of the Jeep Avenger in 2024. The sub-Tonale might offer&nbsp;both powertrains – a pure electric option and a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid tech. In that case, the&nbsp;crossover will be the company's final model to sport a gasoline engine.</p>

<p>Alfa Romeo's new but unnamed vehicle is referred to as the '6C' or '33', probably due to its rumoured 6-cylinder engine and the alleged design cues taken from the 33 Stradale. Only 33 samples of the upcoming supercar are said to be produced, and each&nbsp;has already been sold for an estimated price of more than €1 million, about 5 times more expensive than the standard Maserati MC20 sold in the home country.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autox.com/news/car-news/porsche-911-to-be-carmakers-sole-combustion-model-by-2030-114074/">Porsche 911 to be Carmaker’s Sole Combustion Model by 2030</a></p>

<h2>Alfa Romeo Final ICE Supercar: What A Teaser Image&nbsp;Tells Us?</h2>

<p>According to a teaser image, the unnamed supercar from the house of Alfa Romeo appears to feature a steering wheel with a brown centre cap and a silver badge. The&nbsp;Maserati MC20 is expected to serve as the foundation for this vehicle, although its steering wheel&nbsp;has a distinctive look and a minimalist layout with few controls.&nbsp;</p>

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<h2>Alfa Romeo Final ICE Supercar: Mechanical Specifications</h2>

<p>In terms of powertrain, the ICE-powered vehicle might come with a Trident's twin-turbo 3.0-litre Nettuno V6 engine or a Ferrari-sourced 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 that powers the Giulia and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. It is further&nbsp;speculated that&nbsp;the car may get hybrid technology,&nbsp;combining Nettuno V6 with an electric motor for a maximum power output of 789bhp.&nbsp;The upcoming 6C, as has been referred to, is expected to top out at 333km/h, outperforming the MC20 with a claimed top speed of 325km/h.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Alfa Romeo Showed Off&nbsp;2023 C43 F1 Car with Kick-Themed Livery</h2>

<p>Alfa Romeo's Formula One car sported a whole new look at the&nbsp;Belgian Grand Prix. The Alfa Romeo C43 F1 2023 had&nbsp;a Kick-inspired paint job, along with the names of some of the industry's most renowned artists carved onto the halo. Felix "xQc," Hikaru "GMHikaru," WestCOL, and Deepak were among them. Kick is a platform for live video streaming and&nbsp;has amassed over 10 million users in only 7 months.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autox.com/news/car-news/lamborghini-revuelto-plug-in-hybrid-with-1000bhp-sold-out-globally-until-2026-114107/" rel="bookmark" title="Lamborghini Revuelto Plug-in Hybrid with 1000bhp Sold Out Globally Until 2026">Lamborghini Revuelto Plug-in Hybrid with 1000bhp Sold Out Globally Until 2026</a></p>

<p>With new neon green highlights and extra branding, the team's Alfa Romeo C43s driven by Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu stood&nbsp;out at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps last&nbsp;weekend. The C43, which is an evolution of the C42, was designed by&nbsp;Jan Monchaux,&nbsp;Technical Director, Alfa Romeo.</p>


Alfa Romeo Teases Final ICE Supercar Ahead of Global Debut on August 30

Alfa Romeo's new but unnamed vehicle is referred to as the '6C' or '33', probably due to its rumoured 6-cylinder engine and the alleged design inspiration taken from the 33 Stradale.

<p>McLaren MCL60 has been receiving incremental upgrades, although the team's drivers and management have tried to downplay the significance of the change in preparation for recent races. Despite this, McLaren finished in the top three in last weekend's sprint races at the Red Bull Ring, Silverstone, and Spa. After a "painful" day driving the MCL60, which lacked straight-line speed, Lando Norris said it was a "good surprise" to finish seventh at the Belgian Grand Prix this past weekend. Norris had a promising starting position of seventh, but early difficulties caused him to fall out of the top ten. After failing to progress on the hard tyres, he switched to the soft and immediately fell to last place. But he fought off a late push from Esteban Ocon and moved up the standings to finish seventh. After the race, Norris shed light on McLaren's poor performance in comparison to the competition.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autox.com/motorsport-news/f1-belgian-grand-prix-max-verstappen-beats-perez-in-spa-francorchamps-red-bull-clinches-1-2-finish-114095/" rel="bookmark" title="F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen Beats Perez in Spa-Francorchamps, Red Bull Clinches 1-2 Finish">F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen Beats Perez in Spa-Francorchamps, Red Bull Clinches 1-2 Finish</a></p>

<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: What Caused McLaren to Struggle During the Race?</h2>

<p><img alt="F1 McLaren MCL60 4 " height="720" src="/uploads/2023/08/F1-McLaren-MCL60-4-.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>McLaren's massive wing made it far slower than the other cars on the straights but almost as quick as Red Bull in the second sector of Spa-Francorchamps, which accounts for about half of the overall lap. When the track was wet, this benefit was amplified. However, McLaren's large wing wasn't a strategic move. It originated from having no choice. There had been little time to dedicate to developing a dedicated low-downforce Spa wing due to the high manufacturing needs of the recent bodywork changes (first revealed in Austria and Silverstone). It was possible to employ a smaller wing, but doing so would have resulted in more time lost in the middle sector and less gain on the straights.</p>

<p>In a post-race interview, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella said, “We have done quite a lot of work redesigning the car from the start of the season. One thing that we haven’t attacked yet is actually the car at a low drag level. So, there wasn’t much efficiency to gain by going on a small rear wing and we decided to stay at the point in which the car is most efficient. There’s not only a tactical choice based on you want to be quick in the corners and you are set to be slow in the straights; it’s more what the car has to offer as a function of the rear wing level.”</p>

<p>Stella realised after Sunday's race that maximising the car's performance in low-drag configuration would be crucial in getting ready for Monza in September. Norris's race on Sunday was challenging due to the wing's offset from the others, but it also produced some shining moments for the team.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autox.com/motorsport-news/f1-alain-prost-blasts-alpine-on-sacking-of-otmar-szafnauer-and-others-slams-former-ceo-as-incompetent-114097/" rel="bookmark" title="F1: Alain Prost Blasts Alpine on Sacking of Otmar Szafnauer and Others, Slams Former CEO as ‘Incompetent’">F1: Alain Prost Blasts Alpine on Sacking of Otmar Szafnauer and Others, Slams Former CEO as ‘Incompetent’</a></p>

<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: McLaren’s Race Performance at Spa-Francorchamps</h2>

<p><img alt="Formula1 McLaren F1 jpg" height="720" src="/uploads/2023/07/Formula1-McLaren-F1.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>Sprint race runner-up Piastri was the first driver to drop out of the main race, citing suspension problems as the cause of his retirement. The SF-23 of Sainz, which was damaged when he and Piastri collided at turn 1, was easily overtaken by Alonso and other drivers. In order to get into the scoring position, Stroll and Russell overtook Norris. Norris dropped to sixteenth after a slow pit stop.</p>

<p>Norris was having a bad day as well. Despite switching to hard tyres, he was overtaken on the right and left by Albon and Ocon. After falling behind Daniel Ricciardo, his ex-teammate in Les Combes, Norris raged at his team.</p>

<p>While Norris finished seventh, Esteban Ocon made a series of bold passes in the closing laps to climb up to eighth, including a stunning past of Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri, who finished the race tenth, just behind Lance Stroll.</p>


F1: McLaren's Dreadful Belgian GP Performance Serves as a Warning for Monza

McLaren's weakness in Spa was due to the fact that the team had prioritised bringing the radical upgrade, even though doing so meant not having the optimal low-drag rear wing specification that would have been advantageous at the high-speed track.

<p>Max Verstappen started sixth on the grid but passed Sergio Perez on the track to win the Belgian Grand Prix. This is his eighth consecutive victory. Despite starting from sixth on the grid due to a penalty, Verstappen quickly moved to second behind teammate Sergio Perez. However, any hope that the Dutchman may provide his teammate with a much-needed win was dashed when, on lap 17, he easily passed Perez on the Kemmel Straight and took the lead. It wasn't a nail-biter up front, but there was plenty of action and passing as he raced to his tenth win of the season and eighth in a row, with Perez P2 ahead of Charles Leclerc. While Carlos Sainz, who had started fourth, locked up and collided with Oscar Piastri, who had started fifth, at La Source, polesitter Leclerc swooped across Perez's bows to keep the lead. Piastri slowed on the descent to Eau Rouge and eventually stopped on the first lap of lap 44 when his McLaren was jammed into the inside wall, causing damage to its suspension and shredding the side of the Ferrari's right-side side pod.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.autox.com/motorsport-news/f1-stoffel-vandoorne-to-drive-2023-aston-martin-amr23-in-pirelli-tyre-test-post-belgium-gp-114049/" rel="bookmark" title="F1: Stoffel Vandoorne to Drive 2023 Aston Martin AMR23 in Pirelli Tyre Test Post Belgian GP">F1: Stoffel Vandoorne to Drive 2023 Aston Martin AMR23 in Pirelli Tyre Test Post Belgian GP</a></p>

<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Race Result</h2>

<p><img alt="2022 F1 Jeddah GP Red Bull jpg" height="720" src="/uploads/2022/04/2022-F1-Jeddah-GP-Red-Bull.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>After falling behind in the ranks early on due to steering issues, Norris only managed to claw his way back into the points hunt by switching to soft tyres and driving very fast in the wet circuits. Esteban Ocon passed Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda, and Stroll late in the race to finish ninth for Alpine. Albon had a terrific first stint for Williams and moved up to eighth, but since they were the only team to need three pit stops, he ultimately finished in 14th place.</p>

<p>Before losing momentum, AlphaTauri's first showing was highly promising, with Tsunoda spending some time in sixth place. Similarly, Daniel Ricciardo, Tsunoda's teammate, made significant progress after his 19th-place start, jumping into the midfield with an undercut from a very early first pitstop, but ultimately faded to 16th, 23 seconds behind the Japanese driver.</p>

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="478">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" width="64">POS</td>
			<td width="135">DRIVER</td>
			<td width="134">CAR</td>
			<td width="116">TIME</td>
			<td width="29">PTS</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">1</td>
			<td>Max&nbsp;Verstappen</td>
			<td>RED BULL&nbsp;</td>
			<td>22:30.4</td>
			<td>25</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">2</td>
			<td>Sergio&nbsp;Perez</td>
			<td>RED BULL&nbsp;</td>
			<td>+22.305s</td>
			<td>18</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">3</td>
			<td>Charles&nbsp;Leclerc</td>
			<td>FERRARI</td>
			<td>+32.259s</td>
			<td>15</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">4</td>
			<td>Lewis&nbsp;Hamilton</td>
			<td>MERCEDES</td>
			<td>+49.671s</td>
			<td>13</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">5</td>
			<td>Fernando&nbsp;Alonso</td>
			<td>ASTON MARTIN</td>
			<td>+56.184s</td>
			<td>10</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">6</td>
			<td>George&nbsp;Russell</td>
			<td>MERCEDES</td>
			<td>+63.101s</td>
			<td>8</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">7</td>
			<td>Lando&nbsp;Norris</td>
			<td>MCLAREN</td>
			<td>+73.719s</td>
			<td>6</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">8</td>
			<td>Esteban&nbsp;Ocon</td>
			<td>ALPINE</td>
			<td>+74.719s</td>
			<td>4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">9</td>
			<td>Lance&nbsp;Stroll</td>
			<td>ASTON MARTIN</td>
			<td>+79.340s</td>
			<td>2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">10</td>
			<td>Yuki&nbsp;Tsunoda</td>
			<td>ALPHATAURI</td>
			<td>+80.221s</td>
			<td>1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">11</td>
			<td>Pierre&nbsp;Gasly</td>
			<td>ALPINE</td>
			<td>+83.084s</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">12</td>
			<td>Valtteri&nbsp;Bottas</td>
			<td>ALFA ROMEO</td>
			<td>+85.191s</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">13</td>
			<td>Zhou&nbsp;Guanyu</td>
			<td>ALFA ROMEO</td>
			<td>+95.441s</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">14</td>
			<td>Alexander&nbsp;Albon</td>
			<td>WILLIAMS</td>
			<td>+96.184s</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">15</td>
			<td>Kevin&nbsp;Magnussen</td>
			<td>HAAS</td>
			<td>+101.754s</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">16</td>
			<td>Daniel&nbsp;Ricciardo</td>
			<td>ALPHATAURI</td>
			<td>+103.071s</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">17</td>
			<td>Logan&nbsp;Sargeant</td>
			<td>WILLIAMS</td>
			<td>+104.476s</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">18</td>
			<td>Nico&nbsp;Hulkenberg</td>
			<td>HAAS</td>
			<td>+110.450s</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">19</td>
			<td>Carlos&nbsp;Sainz</td>
			<td>FERRARI</td>
			<td>DNF</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20">20</td>
			<td>Oscar&nbsp;Piastri</td>
			<td>MCLAREN</td>
			<td>DNF</td>
			<td>0</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

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<p>The win was Verstappen's tenth of the season and eighth in a row for Red Bull, while Perez recorded the team's first 1-2 finish since the Miami Grand Prix and Leclerc earned just Ferrari's second podium finish of the year. Hamilton finished fourth, ahead of Alonso and Russell, thanks to his late pit stop earning him the fastest lap point. Despite a poor start, Norris finished sixth, earning points with Ocon, Stroll, and Tsunoda.</p>

<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: McLaren Worries Come True</h2>

<p><img alt="Formula1 McLaren F1" height="720" src="/uploads/2023/07/Formula1-McLaren-F1.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>Piastri, the runner-up in the Sprint race, was the first driver to pull out from the race due to suspension issues. Alonso easily passed Sainz, who was driving an SF-23 with a hole in the right sidepod, and the AlphaTauri eventually caught up to the Ferrari, driven by Alex Albon. Stroll and Russell passed Norris to move into the scoring positions behind them. After a sluggish pit stop, Norris fell to seventeenth place.</p>

<p>Norris, another McLaren driver having a rough day, switched to hard tyres but still couldn't keep up with Albon and Ocon, who passed him on the right and left, respectively. Norris vented his fury to his crew after losing ground to Daniel Ricciardo through Les Combes.</p>

<p>While Norris crossed the finish line in seventh, Esteban Ocon made several daring late moves to get to eighth, including an impressive pass on AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda, who ended the race in tenth, directly behind Lance Stroll.</p>


F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen Beats Perez in Spa-Francorchamps, Red Bull Clinches 1-2 Finish

From his sixth-place grid penalty start position, Max Verstappen quickly sliced through the field to win the 2023 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix. He finished in front of Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc.

<p>Max Verstappen will start the Belgian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after Red Bull elected to install a new gearbox in his vehicle. As of now, Verstappen is the only F1 driver to have used more than four gearbox components in a single season. Instead of affecting Saturday's sprint, the penalty will affect Sunday's race. This comes after an unusually high number of gearbox problems for Verstappen, who has been vocal about his complaints over gear sync difficulties earlier in the season. Since teams are more at ease with facing grid penalties at Spa due to the track's advantageous overtaking chances, Red Bull's choice to switch gearbox there makes sense. Given that Red Bull is in a league of its own this year, Verstappen's five-place dip is not expected to prevent him from going for another victory.</p>

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<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Verstappen's 2023 Season so Far&nbsp;</h2>

<p><img alt="F1 Formula 1 Max Verstappen" height="720" src="/uploads/2023/07/F1-Formula-1-Max-Verstappen.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>The overtaking possibilities at Spa should give Verstappen a chance to continue his win streak despite the grid penalty, as he has won seven races in a row, giving him a 110-point lead in the world championship. After starting down in 14th place owing to engine penalties in Belgium last year, the Dutchman worked his way up to a dominant victory. The 33-second margin of victory in Hungary was the largest of the 2023 season for Verstappen, who was racing against McLaren driver Lando Norris.</p>

<p>The Formula One season is just halfway through, but already numerous drivers are on the cusp of receiving gearbox penalties. Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate, is one of four drivers (with Alpine's Pierre Gasly and both Haas drivers) to have utilised all four gearboxes. Gasly and Hulkenberg are both down to their last remaining power unit component, and if they had to acquire new engines, they would like to have an additional gearbox.&nbsp;</p>

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<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: McLaren Brings More Upgrades in Spa</h2>

<p><img alt="F1 McLaren MCL60 1 " height="720" src="/uploads/2023/07/F1-McLaren-MCL60-1-.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>McLaren's updated MCL60 for Spa suggests the Woking-based&nbsp;team is trying to achieve a similar result. While it will still use a double-element beam wing, it will swap load with the rear wing main plane in an offloaded shape to decrease aerodynamic load and drag. The team has also implemented two distinct cuts to the leading edge of the rear wing flap element and a redesigned rear wing endplate in order to lessen the pressure on the main plane.</p>

<p>McLaren's sluggish start to the season looks to have been reversed after the team implemented the first two stages of a three-stage upgrade to improve "pretty much every single aerodynamic part on the car." Since the initial updates came in Austria, Lando Norris has qualified in the top four for all three GPs, and he has finished second to Max Verstappen in both Silverstone and the Hungaroring, which took place just this past weekend. But McLaren team manager Andrea Stella has cautioned that the team may not maintain its run of success at the Belgian venue for the sprint race weekend because of the circuit's mischaracterization as a high-speed track.</p>


F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Red Bull's Max Verstappen Hit with Grid Penalty for Exceeding Gearbox Allowance

Since this would be Max Verstappen's fifth new gearbox of the season, his Red Bull team has opted to start him farther back than usual for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Verstappen is the first driver to reach the campaign's maximum of four gears this year.

<p>Mercedes stunned everyone by unveiling a new Formula 1 improvement package on Thursday, with an emphasis on the W14's sidepods, just in time for the Belgian Grand Prix. The new sidepod inlet design was captured and uploaded to social media as the vehicle was being constructed in the paddock garage at Spa-Francorchamps. Earlier this year, Mercedes presented a significant upgrade package at the Monaco Grand Prix, and one of the main components of that update was a change in their sidepod philosophy. The redesigned sidepod has a rounder air entrance and a more intense downwash than the previous version. The pod's base now has a concave surface as well. It is predicted that this modification may increase the amount of outwash that occurs close to the border of the rear floor. Mercedes has also included a new, low-downforce rear wing onto the car, developed in tandem with the track's unique characteristics.</p>

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<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Mercedes New Design Philosophy and 2023 Season Struggle&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Mercedes' sidepod concept was updated significantly as part of a larger overhaul package unveiled earlier this year at the Monaco Grand Prix. After deciding earlier in the season to abandon the zeropods in favour of a more substantial design, this season's new sidepod version has a prominent bulge below the 'T' and 'R' of the Petronas logo. This produces a more forceful downwash by boosting outwash towards the floor's rear border, thanks to the concavity of the bottom surface.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="es">Más de los nuevos pontones de Mercedes<br />
<br />
More from new Mercedes sidepods. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/f1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#f1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BelgianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BelgianGP</a> <a href="https://t.co/NboZuJ9ITO">pic.twitter.com/NboZuJ9ITO</a></p>
— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertFabrega/status/1684582004128632832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>It goes unmentioned that McLaren, one of Mercedes's clients, has a superior package at the moment. A vehicle capable of beating the PU suppliers at high-speed tracks like Silverstone and the Monaco-like Hungaroring, where Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri drove it. An on-point Aston Martin squad earlier this year, with Fernando Alonso at the wheel, was at one point ahead of the Mercedes in the Constructor championship.</p>

<p>In Hungary, Hamilton's pole performance outshone that of the vehicle. At Hingaroring, though, Hamilton was to blame for the car's poor start and opening lap.</p>

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<h2>F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Weather</h2>

<p><img alt="Formula 1 Belgian GP F1" height="720" src="/uploads/2023/07/Formula-1-Belgian-GP-F1.jpg" width="1280" /></p>

<p>On Friday, July 28, there is a forecast for a little wind and light rain during the Belgian Grand Prix. According to the assessment, there is a significant possibility that rain will interfere with both FP1 and qualifying. On Saturday, July 29, forecasters predict a return of drizzle and a gentle wind. According to the forecast, there will be a 35% probability of rainfall during the sprint. The likelihood of precipitation is lowest during the featured race. It will be fascinating to watch what type of strategy the teams use given the forecast for the remainder of the weekend, which calls for a variety of weather conditions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several drivers in Formula 1 have asked the FIA to give special attention to safety concerns at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix because of the high-speed turns on the SPA circuit and the number of accidents that have occurred there recently. Due to the harsh weather conditions at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the Formula 1 drivers believed their lives were in hazard during the Belgian Grand Prix. In an accident at the same track where this year's Belgian Grand Prix will take place, young Dutch racer Dilano van't Hoff tragically lost his life.</p>

<p>With continuous precipitation predicted for all three days of the Belgian Grand Prix, visibility is sure to be a major issue for the drivers. Director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association and Mercedes driver George Russell has asked the FIA to take strong action in the interest of driver safety at this year's Belgian Grand Prix.</p>


F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Mercedes' Significant Sidepod Upgrade for W14 Revealed Ahead of Spa-Francorchamps Race

Mercedes is emulating a number of competing vehicle designs, the Red Bull RB19 being the primary contributor but others being included as well. The wishbones of the front suspension were upgraded for the Monaco standard race.

Belgian Grand Prix