2024 Belgian Grand Prix - Race

**jgonzalesm6** · 28th July 2024, 16:18

Originally Posted by elnano14

Russell car is underweight and now at risk of being DSQ

Originally Posted by Tifoso Svedese

Surely both Mercedes cars would be underweight then? Why would they not bring identical cars? Would Hamilton save that much more fuel and was Russell not told to save fuel in sector 2 which is not that hard to do with several lift and coast opportunities?

One of the biggest anticlimaxes you can imagine. Homeboy is straight getting himself DSQ after delivering a classic drive.

Originally Posted by elnano14

I assume both car were already being checked

They are checking Russell's tires....new vs. used...to see if that's the difference.

**elnano14** · 28th July 2024, 16:25

I think it's either tyres difference (new vs old, especially Russell tyres are extremely old) or there is something missing on his car (maybe the engineers forgot to put some ballast on it)

Toto didn't look happy after the chequered flag

**elnano14** · 28th July 2024, 16:32

1.5 KG ~ advantage 0.15s/lap, could explain how quick Russell was in the final stint despite running 20+ laps old Hards

**jgonzalesm6** · 28th July 2024, 16:36

Originally Posted by elnano14

1.5 KG ~ advantage 0.15s/lap, could explain how quick Russell was in the final stint despite running 20+ laps old Hards

Russell was pulling 1:47's lap times from lap 25 thru lap44(last lap)....he was consistent.

**elnano14** · 28th July 2024, 16:39

Originally Posted by jgonzalesm6

Russell was pulling 1:47's lap times from lap 25 thru lap44(last lap)....he was consistent.

Yes that's why I think the 1.5 kg underweight came to play

Leclerc and Sainz were barely faster than him despite much younger tyres

Even Hamilton and Piastri could only reduce 5-7 tenths per lap

**jgonzalesm6** · 28th July 2024, 17:00

It's official, Russell has been DQ'd from the race.

Everyone else moves up 1 spot. Leclerc gets a podium finish.

**Greig** · 28th July 2024, 17:10

Merc tried to leave fuel in the car to keep it legal. They need to be punished more.

**samboozik** · 28th July 2024, 17:13

Originally Posted by Greig

Merc tried to leave fuel in the car to keep it legal. They need to be punished more.

Disqualify the whole team from the event, that will set them straight.

**racingbradley** · 28th July 2024, 17:16

Originally Posted by samboozik

Disqualify the whole team from the event, that will set them straight.

I bet Hamilton's car was under weight as well but he got away with it as usual.

**elnano14** · 28th July 2024, 17:33

Originally Posted by racingbradley

I bet Hamilton's car was under weight as well but he got away with it as usual.

All the cars were checked, if there was another car underweight they would be DSQed too regardless it's Hamilton or not

**Tifoso Svedese** · 28th July 2024, 17:35

Race ban for Toto please

Fuel gague man, that's so not right!

**evo_spook** · 28th July 2024, 17:44

Originally Posted by nani_s23

I wonder what made Ham to move to Ferrari considering turn around from Mercs & they are fighting for wins at every track almost. On the other side Ferrari is struggling.

The simple fact is he left cause they wouldn’t give him a contract for 2026/27 and also wouldn’t make him a brand ambassador.

**racingbradley** · 28th July 2024, 18:26

We have come away with 27points today which considering our rivals results we didn't do too badly. What a pity McLaren has made such a step forward. RB are not having the best of seasons.
Mclaren 28
Merc 25
RB 19

**Alonsomaniac** · 28th July 2024, 18:28

Mercedes already admitted it was entirely their mistake that Russell's car was underweight. Hamilton's car was okay.

**ntukza** · 28th July 2024, 18:39

I suppose the tyres also degrade less if the car is lighter.

**Cavallino** · 28th July 2024, 18:49

Originally Posted by racingbradley

We have come away with 27points today which considering our rivals results we didn't do too badly. What a pity McLaren has made such a step forward. RB are not having the best of seasons.
Mclaren 28
Merc 25
RB 19

it's really good damage limitation today.

Leclerc drove like a lion.

We need to make a step. A step that corrects the bouncing and also brings some pace ontop of that to combat the coming updates from the other teams.

**Tifoso Svedese** · 28th July 2024, 19:26

This really should've been the year to win the WCC and it looked so good for it early on in the season. Considering that McLaren and Mercedes are constantly tripwiring themselves it makes the feeling even worse.

**Schaun** · 28th July 2024, 19:46

Originally Posted by jgonzalesm6

It's official, Russell has been DQ'd from the race.

Everyone else moves up 1 spot. Leclerc gets a podium finish.

I am glad Charles got a podium, great effort by him to stay ahead of Max and Lando in a slower car.

**FerrariF60** · 29th July 2024, 00:37

Originally Posted by stefa

Boy this car is slow

What did you expect? A MIRACLE in one weeks time?
It was miserably slow last week as well…I truly lost hope for this year altogether

**FerrariF60** · 29th July 2024, 01:17

Originally Posted by tifosi1993

I don't know what Mercedes did with the front end of their car, but those upgrades have transformed them.
Who would've thought that a new front wing and front suspension can make the car from barely touching the top 3 positions to a multiple race winning machine.
Ferrari on the other hand keeps bringing different iteration of the floor.
Tells you which team is doing it right and which one is lost.

I know they brought a new front wing, but what suspension upgrade has Merc brought to Spa?

**nani_s23** · 29th July 2024, 03:02

Originally Posted by Tifoso Svedese

This really should've been the year to win the WCC and it looked so good for it early on in the season. Considering that McLaren and Mercedes are constantly tripwiring themselves it makes the feeling even worse.

Yup. But the actual point is Ferrari started on a good note this season from where they left off with 2023 strong 2nd half.

It was Barcelona package that made the car bounce on 1Lap & this disturbed the balance.
Hence drivers were facing problem around the corners when they try to push to the limit.

Then they continued investing on the same package by trying different set ups (with leclerc). Ferrari feel potential is there with Barcelona package. When they limit this bouncing issue, I would see Ferrari to unlock atleast 0.2-0.3 tenth’s of performance.

Eagerly waiting to see upgrades after summer break, how will they resolve this issue.

**tifosi1993** · 29th July 2024, 06:41

Originally Posted by FerrariF60

I know they brought a new front wing, but what suspension upgrade has Merc brought to Spa?

I was talking about their Canada upgrades.
Mercedes did bring some upgrades to SPA including a new floor, but they ditched them.

**tifosi1993** · 29th July 2024, 06:46

Originally Posted by nani_s23

It’s about thought process, that’s how Ferrari is thinking currently. Look at Russell he did dictate the pit wall.

By the way Does leclerc had new set of mediums available?

Yes, he had 2 new mediums and 2 new hards.

And as for though process, each time I read Fred's post race comments, I get the impression that he's leaving in a different universe. According to him, the gap is "one or two tenths".

Yet the drivers and engineers saying we are losing 3 tenths. I don't know what's going on inside this team.

**Brembo** · 29th July 2024, 09:11

All the posts just talking about Sainz finishing 6th! No mention not even once the name Leclerc !!

**racingbradley** · 29th July 2024, 10:16

Well I will break the mould. Charles expected more at Spa and was very disappointed. He clearly saw more in the car after his Friday experiments.

**PURE PASSION** · 29th July 2024, 11:54

Originally Posted by racingbradley

Well I will break the mould. Charles expected more at Spa and was very disappointed. He clearly saw more in the car after his Friday experiments.

Well the 2/3 of the race where very good. He was among the fastest. That's why right then we all start dreaming about a possible win.
It's that last stint on hards that ruined everything .
So personally I will focus in the positive first 2 stints and hope that the team has found some cure for our problems and till Singapore we will once again fight for pole/ wins.

**racingbradley** · 29th July 2024, 12:15

Why the team brought Charles in so early for his final pitstop beggars belief. His tyres were fine according to the driver and he should know.
But the race is over now so it's onwards and upwards to the 2nd part of the season.

**Cavallino** · 29th July 2024, 14:03

Originally Posted by tifosi1993

Yes, he had 2 new mediums and 2 new hards.

And as for though process, each time I read Fred's post race comments, I get the impression that he's leaving in a different universe. According to him, the gap is "one or two tenths".

Yet the drivers and engineers saying we are losing 3 tenths. I don't know what's going on inside this team.

the gap in qualifying and in the race are definitely different

how much of the gap in race pace is "pure performance" and how much is just not being able to turn on the tyres?

or do the other teams have that advantage in the race as well, they're just not able to exploit it because they have to conserve the tyres, so in effect the tyres level the playing field because the teams reach the maximum pace they allow. As long as you have the pace to drive to the pace of the tyres, you're competitive in the race.

i don't know what the answer is, i think there is 1-2 tenths of pure performance needed either way, and obviously a better qualifying package. With 1-2 tenths, starting from where Leclerc started, does he win that race yesterday? I think so.