Modern Vespa

Whenever a team loses significant members of staff there's nearly always a drop off in performance and even before Red Bull fired Horner you could see the effect that the resignations were having.

When you consider that they have lost their figurehead, their power units and possibly their star driver I think that it will be a miracle if they stay where they are in the standings in 2026.

I'm wondering if we'll get an announcement about Verstappen's future at Spa this weekend ?

Seems unlikely.

Spa should be exciting with the first post-Horner era race.
I desperately need my Ferrari boys to grab a podium. Not holding my breathe but will remain hopeful.

I believe that Mercedes Benz and McLaren will dominate with Williams close by as they have a very slippery car.

I'm wondering if Christian will be watching the race or negotiating his new book deal ?

Rain forecast for Spa for all three days.

The good money now seems to be Verstappen staying at Red Bull for the time being.

Interesting times.

Extra chaos.

Weeeeeee!

I used to dread rain on race weekends.

But I am learning to embrace the chaos.

Been twice to Spa this year and it rained both times and it will probably rain again in October.

Before any of you die I'd suggest a visit because it really is the best racing circuit in the World.

Better than Le Mans and better than Daytona.

Thats a bold statement.

So you have been to alot of tracks around the WORLD then.

Brands Hatch, Donnington, Thruxton, Goodwood, Rockingham, Lydden Hill, Silverstone.

Sebring, Homestead x 2, St Petersburg, Daytona x 4 Indianapolis, Monaco, Spa Francorchamp x 15, Le Mans x 25

I guess so.

I don't think it's really that bold of a statement. Spa-Francorchamps is very well regarded.

No doubts from me about your great wisdom of racing circuits. I'll be directing all my future track questions to you, Sir! Well done.

no doubt been there myself, nice track but the best in the world?

Perhaps not - but what would you say supplants it?

while I have never been there Suzuka is high on all the marks in F1, motogp and viewing for fans.

the big negative for me at Spa is limited viewing unless watching on TV.

Assen is awesome for fan experience and viewing. You not limited to 1-2 corners like alot of tracks.

Road America in Wisconsin is one of the best fan experiences out of the many tracks I have been, but its not an F1 track.

Laguna by my sisters view is great experience as well.

When I was in GB brands was so fun to be in that crowd and the experience there, but that was back when the match races were. Also enjoyed donington park for the match races.

granted my experiences are motorcycle centered and not F1, don't know if I would EVER attend a F1 event.

Okay, well how about this for bold claims: Raidillon (often mistakenly called Eau Rouge) is the single best corner in all of F1.

The statement about the view being limited at Spa just isn't true.

The pathway that runs around the circuit is so elevated for most of the time you are looking down on the track and the grandstands are absolutely huge.

From Les Combes you can see all the way down to Raidillon and from Bruxelles not only can you follow the track into Campus but you can see the Pits Complex which is about a mile away.

From La Source you can see both sets of Pits and the end of Blanchimont as it tails off into the Chicane, so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

And yes Raidillon is the best corner in Motorsport.

I was lucky enough to see the Porsche 919 Tribute break the lap record at Spa a few years back when it was running around 1200 HP and I've never seen a racing car defy gravity quite like that one did while climbing out of Raidillon.

Brands Hatch is 25 minutes from me but I'd much rather drive the 4 hours to Spa. It's that good.

Limited viewing at Spa.

Wholly agree with Bill Dog.

It is absolutely spectacular.

I also like Jerez a lot. Not because it is anywhere near as spectacular but because you can easily walkabout the short track and you can see half of it from many points. F1 rather restricts that but otherwise applies.

Ok, going off now. FP will be done for the day when back.

We had a huge trip planned around our first Tomorrowland experience.

We were going to start in London (our Global Journey tickets included the Eurostar to Brussels), rent a car after the festival and go to Spa for a track day they were doing (GT driver takes you on a few laps in a civic type r, then you drive a parade lap in your car), hop a flight to Bucharest, and rent something--preferably a Sandero--to drive the Transfăgărășan (top gear style) with a stop at the ruins of Vlad's original castle where his wife tragically jumped to her death.

Naturally of course this was all being planned in 2019, to take place summer of 2020.

Really not a big fan of the Chinese after that.

In fairness the consolation prize wasn't awful...

Found it. Neel Jani in the Porsche 919 Tribute breaking the lap record at Spa with just a 2 Litre engine and a tweeked Hybrid.

Sorry about the limited viewing.

Check out the "short" up changes.

I think Oscar Piastri holds the record now after Hamilton broke it.

only breaking the car sofar....

Quite surprising sprint quali. Not at the front but the second half of the grid.

So business as usual then.

Nice to see Ocon and Bearman so high up.

A disaster for Hamilton and Antonelli.

Nicely fought win for Max but I do not quite get the focus on low down force with rian forecast for Sunday. Same as Silverstone and see how that panned out.
Don't know what the rules are about rear wing swaps but starting in the rain with a small one on this track is

Surprising at both ends.
Hamilton out in Q1 and Tsunoda on row 4
Leclerc 3rd , both AMs out in Q1

Fingers crossed for rain during at least half the race or so.

Apparently Tsunoda has a new floor which Max has had for a while.

The forecast is for light rain until 14.00 hours when it will get heavier, then go back light followed by Thunder Storms at 16.00.

I have a feeling that McLaren will win but which one I don't know.

That's what McLaren told their drivers. That they have the car to win regardless of first laps. Basically telling them to stay out of trouble; just let Max go, they have the legs to catch him further on.

It's 2021 all over again.

What an anticlimax or should I write anticli-Max with him driving an invisible race.

Spectacular by Hamilton and that is about it.

Nice to see Leclerc hold off Verstappen for the entire race in changing conditions.

Impressive.

well deserved podium

Hat tip to Hamilton. Impressive.

Worth noting was Nico Rosberg winding up Jos Verstappen over the Horner sacking.

Comedy Gold.

the Spanish commentary btw, observed quite firmlythat it was overly careful to red flag and postpone that long.
The accidents on this track and Silverstone farce make it understandable but not any bétter.
Both Hamilton and Verstappen in agreement of same.

The result of all the sanitising of on track action is inverse attention to off track nonsense.

LeTour was súch a contrast
Unfortunately LaVuelta is not coming south of Madrid this year so no cycling ourselves to this ever so accessible top sport

I missed that. Where was it?

I believe it was on SKY but I saw it clipped on Instagram.

Found it.

Now I'm not a big fan of Rosberg but that was just Golden.

If you have 40 minutes.