Spa

[Scott]

That seemed to be the preferred line. Lots of people with 4 tires off and not a single penalty from Charlie. Hobbs thought the combination of 27 laps of wear and striking the curb was just too much for the tire. This is one of F1's most exciting and challenging corners, and to allow sooo many of them to just straight line it was sad. I'd put armco at the edge of the track like Watkins Glen if they're going to do that.

Totally agree.  What's so hard about it when you can straightline the top of the hill?  They should have left the kerbs they had earlier in the week...that would have kept the drivers honest.  I just got so p*ssed at Vettel for throwing all the blame on Pirelli.  His tire failure was nothing like Nico's.  The two have nothing to do with one another.  Vettel's delaminated, just like we've seen happen countless times on overused tires even long before Pirelli came to the sport.

As for Williams, the problem was that they had 5 wheels, not 4.  The guy with the extra one even had a quick peek under the tire blanket, but just shrugged and turned around.  It really was an embarrassing error.  At least the FIA could have just given them a stop 'n go instead of a drive-thru and let them change the tires.  Phil's comment was the best in chat when he said the FIA wants them to use both compounds, so... 

Grossjean was a breath of fresh air on the podium.  Haven't seen a smile like that since Ricciardo was up there.  Good for him and Lotus.  It will mean a ton to both their reputations, especially because he earned his way there, and I think he would have been able to pass Vettel in a fair fight as well (except Vettel doesn't always fight fair). 

Kvyat was fun to watch on new tires, he had some good passing.

I figured Maldo or Perez wouldn't make it past the first corner, but it was clean and even though Maldo DNF'd, his car didn't have a scratch (except maybe the car floor after he mashed a kerb).

Lewis was untouchable, but when he's winning the race and in full control, it's a bit hard to listen to him whine about his teammate gaining .3 during a VSC.  His podium show made me gag too.  I think he should save the Rock Star persona until he retires from racing and embarks on his Rock Star career. 

It wasn't a crisis today, but I'm still completely against the VSC.  I like it when the cars are bunched up, and I still don't trust the FIA to make the right call for when a real SC should be used.

[J.Clark]

I agree completely about the straight-lining turn 4.  They could have stopped easily with a threat of a drive-thru during the drivers' meeting, or imposing one on the first one to do it.  They would all have avoided doing from then on.

[Alianora La Canta]

I think the stewards were so tired out after giving McLaren their 105-place grid penalty that they had to have a lie down. There were at least 3 incidents not involving track limits that should have received a penalty and didn't. Only the gales of laughter following Williams getting bored with all their tyres being the same colour briefly woke up the judiciary panel.

[Steve A.]

I think the stewards were so tired out after giving McLaren their 105-place grid penalty that they had to have a lie down. There were at least 3 incidents not involving track limits that should have received a penalty and didn't. Only the gales of laughter following Williams getting bored with all their tyres being the same colour briefly woke up the judiciary panel.

 

[J.Clark]

I haven't been paying too close attention to the activation of DRS this season, but something about this race caused my ears to perk up. 

It was pointed out that DRS wasn't activated until after lap 5.  Did it not originally get turned on after the first, or perhaps second lap?

On a track like Spa, after 5 laps, the field is pretty well strung out and any hope of using DRS to keep up or catch the leading cars is totally out of the equation.

[Steve A.]

 It's normally activated after 2 laps, there was an extra parade lap and I believe ( wasn't really concentrating)  there was an car stopping pushed it back further

[cosworth151]

Maldonado was also limping a very sick car around the track on Lap 2 from Eau Rouge all the way back to the pits. That might have had an effect on the timing, too.

[Monty]

I still love Spa. Cars jumping on the kerbs, full scream on the straights (and a couple of corners), elevation, camber...... wonderful.
If only the car performances could be just a little bit closer. We now watch four races in one - the Mercedes pair, the McLaren pair, the Manor pair and the others!

[Steve A.]

The Mclaren pair isn't really a race, more a case of which survives bettet

[Alianora La Canta]

It was pointed out that DRS wasn't activated until after lap 5.  Did it not originally get turned on after the first, or perhaps second lap?

On a track like Spa, after 5 laps, the field is pretty well strung out and any hope of using DRS to keep up or catch the leading cars is totally out of the equation.

Maldonado's car stopped in the DRS zone, causing yellow flags. DRS cannot be deployed in a yellow-flag zone for reasons that should be obvious, so the FIA doesn't allow anyone to even try.

Thank you, Pastor, for saving the race.