Driver comments 2018 Belgian F1 GP

Ferrari had a great comeback in Belgium after the summer break and Sebastian Vettel had his revenge for his Germany shunt in turn 13.

Vettel scored his 52nd race win on the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit, just as his hero Michael Schumacher did in his F1 career back in the 2001 F1 season.

The start of the race was dramatic for Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Charles Leclerc, Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Raikkonen. Hulkenberg out braked himself and caused a chain reaction when he hit Alonso, who hit Leclerc and Ricciardo when he flew over the Sauber. Ricciardo had to correct his slide and hit Kimi Raikkonen by doing that. All cars retired after that collision.

Vettel and Hamilton got head to head in lap one and Vettel overtook Hamilton at Kemmel straight on pure speed. A fight we have long been waiting for.

Hamilton was upset and surprised by the speed of Ferrari after the race. He gave it all he said. Mercedes and Hamilton will be doing a lot of analysing this week to unravel the secret of Ferrari's speed advantage.

We summed up all the comments for you again of all the 20 Formula One drivers that participated in the 2018 Belgian F1 GP

Ferrari Belgium 2018 comments

Sebastian Vettel (started 2nd - finished 1st)

Sebastian Vettel on the podium in Spa

”I’m very happy because we had a great race, the car now has proved to be robust on all tracks and this weekend we got a little more power from the new engine, which I think also helped us down the straights.

At the start I tried to stay close to Lewis, getting a good exit out of Turn 1 and then taking advantage of the slipstream to get past.

After the Safety car pulled out, it was just the other way round, so I looked after the exit of Turn 1 to stay ahead. The first stint was very close, only a couple of seconds between us; but then the guys did a fantastic pit-stop, I could not believe the light had turned green so fast, and that gave our rivals no chance.

The second stint was ore about managing the car and the tires for both of us. This is a great win for the whole team and hope in Monza it will be the same, but we need to keep fighting to be always up there.”

Kimi Raikkonen (started 6th - DNF collision damage)

Kimi Raikkonen

“I don’t know what happened at the start: the only thing I know is that somebody hit me from behind and straight after that I got a puncture.

I had a lot of damage to the rear wing endplate and the floor; at that point I could not go fast and the DRS stayed open all the times, it was hard to remain on track.

It was pointless to continue, the damage was too big, so we decided to go back to the garage.”

Mercedes Belgium 2018 comments

Lewis Hamilton (started 1st - finished 2nd)

Lewis Hamilton

“We gave it everything today but Ferrari just outperformed us and it was hard to match their times.

I think we lost the race in the first lap and at the Safety Car restart. After that, it was done. They were just faster on the straights and there was nothing we could do.

We came here with an upgrade, but unfortunately Ferrari were able to match us and even go faster.

We've got to find more performance and improve on the areas where they're currently stronger than us. But the battle continues and for the sport this is really exciting. We will keep pushing."

Valtteri Bottas (started 17th - finished 4th)

Valtteri Bottas

“Our goal for today was damage limitation and we've had a good recovery drive. I was hoping to maybe get the chance to be on podium, but I had a collision going into Turn 1 which damaged my front wing.

After that P4 was the maximum we could get and it's not a bad result given the fact that we started from P17.

I actually quite enjoyed the drive today, as I got to overtake a lot of cars. My favourite moment was probably the pass in Eau Rouge - that was a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, we couldn't win the race today, but we scored more points than Ferrari, so that's one positive.

They looked really strong this weekend, both in qualifying and in the race. We made a step forward with our engine for this weekend, but the Ferrari's are still quicker so we need to keep pushing.”

Red Bull Racing Belgium 2018 comments

Max Verstappen (started 7th - finished 3rd)

Max Verstappen

“After a bit of bad luck here in Spa in the past I’m very pleased to finally be coming away with a podium.

There was a bit of first lap chaos to contend with but we made it through cleanly and managed to settle into a good pace right away. From there on I managed to pass Grosjean up the hill and concentrate on chasing the Force India's. I knew I would have to be patient and in the end I got close enough.

I was surprised by their pace, I thought with DRS I would be able to get by easily but they were very strong. This made it a bit more enjoyable to try and pass.

After this little battle it was quite a lonely race, it was good to push the car and learn from it but there wasn’t a lot more action for me. Seb and Lewis were once again too quick for us but in terms of balance the car felt really good.

It is always good to be on the podium but being on it here in Spa with so many Dutch fans is really special. On the last lap I was able to take in the orange crowd and enjoy it.

Monza shouldn’t be strong in theory but as you can see from today a lot of things can happen. We will do our best and try to be there so if something happens our car can be in the running."

Daniel Ricciardo (started 8th - DNF collision damage)

Daniel Ricciardo

“I don’t know exactly what happened at the start, but I felt a tap and to be honest I just remember sliding and the next minute I hit the back of Kimi. It was just a turn 1 incident and apologies to Kimi if his retirement was down to me, but I’m pretty sure it all started behind me and was a chain reaction. It was a big crash for quite a low speed corner and I think Hulkenberg hit Alonso pretty hard from what I heard.

My rear wing was pretty much ripped off and the mechanics tried to get me back out with a new wing before we went a lap down; we just missed that but they did all they could. We tried to stay out and hope for a Safety Car so we could get back on the lead lap, but we couldn’t just keep racing and hoping until the end, so we chose to retire with 14 laps remaining to save mileage on the engine and gearbox.

After the rear wing change there was still some damage on my car as they had to fix it so quickly, we overtook quite a few cars but we weren’t really that fast and we were just circulating. Just one of those Sundays I guess. A lot of people would love my bad days, there you go, perspective. We will try again in Italy.”

Racing Point Force India Belgium 2018 comments

Sergio Pérez (started 4th - finished 5th)

Sergio Pérez

“It’s a great performance by the team today and I think we executed an almost perfect weekend.

My only disappointment is from yesterday because I think pole position was within reach, but we can definitely be happy about the points we have scored. We just couldn’t have kept the top teams behind us in the dry so to be ‘best of the rest’, with Esteban right behind me, is the most we could have done.

My start was really good and I was able to place myself in the right positions during the first few corners. After that, my pace was strong and consistent. I opened a gap and after that I was able to control my race.

There was nothing I could do to keep Valtteri [Bottas] behind me - sometimes you just need to pick your fights and think of the bigger picture. I am happy with what we have achieved; we have scored some important points for the team and sent a strong message for the next few races. It’s a nice start of a new era for the team.”

Esteban Ocon (started 3rd - finished 6th)

Esteban Ocon

“I am satisfied with today’s race and I think we finished where we deserved to with the pace we had.

I made a good start and I was on the inside of Sebastian [Vettel] at turn one. He had better traction, but I was very quick on the straight and tried to get the lead on the Kemmel straight. I had a good run down, slipstreaming both Vettel and Lewis [Hamilton] and I tried to find a way on the inside, but in the end I lost a place to Sergio.

It was good, fair racing all around. It’s a good start to the “new” life of the team; we scored a lot of points which is important for our championship comeback. We showed good pace all weekend and hopefully this is going to continue in the final part of the season.”

Haas Belgium 2018 comments

Romain Grosjean (started 5th - finished 7th)

Romain Grosjean

“That was about what we expected today. We knew the Force Indias had the same pace, if not a bit quicker, so it was difficult to stay with them.

They were quick on a straight line. I’m pretty happy with how the race went, and I’m happy Kevin was there as well.

We did the best we could. Two cars in the points – in seventh and eighth – that’s really good for the constructors’ championship. It was a lot of points for us and zero for some others, so that’s a positive from this race.”

Kevin Magnussen (started 9th - finished 8th)

Kevin Magnussen

“We scored points with both cars, which was the goal for today.

We did everything we could. In the race, I lost a lot of time around the pit stops, which was unfortunate but, even so, I don’t think I could have fought the Force India's. It would probably have just been a swap between me and Romain.

We’re catching up on Renault, and that’s the target. I’m really just happy for the team. We can be pleased with the result today. Scoring 10 points on a day when Renault didn’t score any points – that’s important.”

Toro Rosso Belgium 2018 comments

Pierre Gasly (started 10th & finished 9th)

Pierre Gasly

“I'm really happy to score points today! It was supposed to be a difficult weekend for us on a track like this, and to end up with two points is really positive.

The race itself was actually quite calm for me, I started in 10th position and overtook Daniel and Kimi on the inside of Turn 1 which put me in eighth. A few laps later Valtteri passed me but we knew there wasn't much we could do about that, so I just pushed as much as I could. In the end we finished in P9, so it's really satisfying.

The car felt great all weekend and Honda did a really good job, we definitely made the most out of our package this weekend. We will try and do the same in Monza in a few days, another track that on paper does not suit our car, but It's our home race and I will give it all to get the best possible result.”

Brandon Hartley (started 11th - finished 14th)

Brendon Hartley

“I'm not happy with how today's race went. I had a couple of good battles on track, but it wasn't easy out there.

I was right behind Daniel on the exit of Turn 1 which would have shaped up to be OK, but then he had contact with Kimi and he lost his wing. I got stuck behind and then both the Williams and a Sauber ended up passing me before Eau Rouge, so I lost out in the mix of the first corner scrap and my race wasn't looking too good at that point.

We went really long on our first stint to help the other car to consolidate a points finish, as we knew points were out of reach for me. We ran a different strategy to Pierre's car and started on the harder compound which we knew would be tricky for Turn 1, but it made sense to split strategies. I'm happy as it's a quick turnaround before Monza.”

Sauber Belgium 2018 comments

Marcus Ericsson (started 13th - finished 10th)

Marcus Ericsson

“It was quite a positive race. I had a solid start, stayed out of trouble, and made some good decisions.

Throughout the race, I had some interesting fights. The car felt good, and it is nice to finish the weekend with a point.

The team did a great job, and we are encouraged as we go into the next race. We are heading to Monza now, which is Alfa Romeo’s home race. It will be exciting to see all of the passionate fans there, and I look forward to racing again.”

Charles Leclerc (started 12th - DNF collision damage)

Charles Leclerc

“It was disappointing to end the race in such a way. Just after the start, I was caught up in an incident between two other drivers and had to retire from the race.

I am now looking forward to the next race weekend at Monza. It will be an important one for us, especially with our Title Sponsor, Alfa Romeo, being such an iconic Italian brand.

We will do our best to have a positive weekend there.”

Renault Belgium 2018 comments

Nico Hulkenberg (started 18th - DNF collision)

Nico Hulkenberg

“When I hit the brakes, it locked up the front wheels and I slid. These cars are aerodynamically sensitive, especially with cars bunching up ahead as you lose a lot of grip and load.

I have to admit it caught me by surprise today. It was probably a misjudgement from my side as I was a bit late on the brakes, so it’s frustrating for me, the team, and the other drivers caught up in the incident.

That’s racing and unfortunately these things happen. We have Monza next weekend, so I want to get this out of the system as soon as possible and focus on that.”

Carlos Sainz (started 19th - finished 11th)

Carlos Sainz Jr

“Overall, it’s been a difficult weekend. We struggled in sector two today and overtaking was difficult as we couldn’t get into DRS range of the drivers ahead.

When you lack confidence and balance in the car, it makes things tough at this track. We have things to analyse and look into.

On Friday I was more comfortable with the car, so we have to check what’s happened over the course of the weekend.

We know what we need to improve. We have a couple of days to work hard and get set for Monza.”

Williams Belgium 2018 comments

Sergey Sirotkin (started 15th - finished 12th)

Sergey Sirotkin

“It was a reasonable race to be honest. Our race pace was closer to our competitors and I was fighting a Sauber for points at the beginning of my stint which showed we were having a proper fight, which wasn’t down to just luck.

The prospect of getting points was a nice feeling but we just missed it. I enjoyed the couple of laps at the start, I was managing the pace and my stint. I think we had good pace compared to where we are usually.

After the pitstop, everything looked even better. I wasn’t lucky catching the Toro Rosso at that part of the track, I struggled for a lap and a half with the tyres and that’s how Carlos (Sainz) got through, otherwise I think had enough pace to keep him behind. That would have made for a very special race for where we are and what we have but I think we can take a lot of positives from today.”

Lance Stroll (started 16th - finished 13th)

Lance Stroll

“I felt we were better compared to the rest of the field today than we have been recently, and that is a positive sign.

Renault was a bit quicker than us, but not too much quicker. I think they had that bit better extra pace and undercut us.

Carlos was on the mediums at the beginning and we were on the softs, and he was kind of maintaining the pace, but on the supersoft he undercut us quite easily.”

McLaren Belgium 2018 comments

Fernando Alonso (started 14th - DNF collision damage)

Fernando Alonso

“I’m disappointed. We made a good start. There were a couple of possibilities of overtaking in Turn One – you play it cautious, you brake at the same point, then you look in the mirrors and see the guys behind you behaving as if this was the last corner of the championship.

“I saw Nico in the mirrors coming with all four wheels locked, at a very high speed. He completely missed the braking point by a long way, not just a couple of metres. There was no way I could avoid that, then I felt the impact and flew over Charles’ car. Nico played bowling a little bit with us today.

“It’s sad to see this happening, because usually these kinds of accidents have major consequences, but on the positive side, everyone involved is fine, especially Charles, as I flew over his car. Not that we needed any proof, but the halo showed again today it is a very good thing to have on the car.

“Now I feel okay, but we need to wait a couple of hours to see how things develop when it cools down.”

Stoffel Vandoorne (started 20th - finished 15th)

Stoffel Vandoorne

“It was a pretty boring race to be honest! I was on my own all the way. It was a very unfortunate crash on lap one, luckily everyone was unhurt so that’s the most important thing.

“We tried to do something different with the tyre strategy and pit behind the Safety Car, and unfortunately that didn’t really pay off. I think the race in general was quite boring for everyone, there wasn’t much overtaking and for us there were no miracles today.

“Whatever we did there was nothing much we could get out of it. Whether pitting the second time was the right thing to do is hard to tell, but it didn’t make much difference. We more or less confirmed our pace anyway and we aren’t very quick at all. The only chance we had for a good result was to try something completely different and it didn’t work, but I don’t think we lost anything by doing it.”

See complete 2018 Belgian F1 GP Results
See current 2018 F1 Championship Standings

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