Four-times Belgian Grand Prix winner Kimi Raikkonen kept Ferrari on top of the times in the second practice session at Spa-Francorchamps.
Raikkonen used a set of super-soft tyres to lap eight-tenths of a second off last year’s pole position time. Team mate Sebastian Vettel had to abandon his first run on the softest rubber available and couldn’t get the best from them again, ending up seven-tenths off the pace.
Lewis Hamilton came closest to Raikkonen in his Mercedes. He set the quickest time through the long middle sector but couldn’t live with the Ferrari’s speed on the straights. Team mate Valtteri Bottas was nearly three-tenths of a second behind him in third.Red Bull does not appear to have the pace to compete on terms with Ferrari and Mercedes this weekend. Max Verstappen whittled his time down but remained almost seven-tenths of a second slower than Raikkonen. As in the first session, he ran wide at the super-quick Pouhon corner during an early run.
A superb lap by Sergio Perez put the Force India driver 0.8 seconds clear of the midfield, and only four-tenths behind Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull. Team mate Esteban Ocon lost time with a technical problem earlier in the session and could only manage 13th.
The rest of the midfield was as closely-packed as ever. Carlos Sainz Jnr put his Renault eighth but the next two cars were within 0.15 seconds of him. Surprisingly, this was the Sauber pair, headed by Marcus Ericsson.
Romain Grosjean was the quickest of the Haas drivers in 12th position, Pierre Gasly was the quicker of the two Toro Rossos in 15th, and Fernando Alonso returned to the cockpit of the McLaren to set their fastest time. Stoffel Vandoorne was slowest following a floor change on his MCL33.
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| Pos. | No. | Driver | Car | Best lap | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 1’43.355 | 29 | |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’43.523 | 0.168 | 28 |
| 3 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 1’43.803 | 0.448 | 29 |
| 4 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-TAG Heuer | 1’44.046 | 0.691 | 25 |
| 5 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 1’44.129 | 0.774 | 31 |
| 6 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull-TAG Heuer | 1’44.250 | 0.895 | 31 |
| 7 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Force India-Mercedes | 1’44.662 | 1.307 | 27 |
| 8 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Renault | 1’45.481 | 2.126 | 29 |
| 9 | 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’45.537 | 2.182 | 24 |
| 10 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’45.622 | 2.267 | 25 |
| 11 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Renault | 1’45.753 | 2.398 | 28 |
| 12 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Haas-Ferrari | 1’45.817 | 2.462 | 29 |
| 13 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Force India-Mercedes | 1’45.935 | 2.580 | 24 |
| 14 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1’46.078 | 2.723 | 29 |
| 15 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Toro Rosso-Honda | 1’46.080 | 2.725 | 33 |
| 16 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren-Renault | 1’46.153 | 2.798 | 28 |
| 17 | 28 | Brendon Hartley | Toro Rosso-Honda | 1’46.337 | 2.982 | 35 |
| 18 | 35 | Sergey Sirotkin | Williams-Mercedes | 1’46.451 | 3.096 | 35 |
| 19 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Williams-Mercedes | 1’46.470 | 3.115 | 34 |
| 20 | 2 | Stoffel Vandoorne | McLaren-Renault | 1’46.496 | 3.141 | 25 |
Second practice visual gaps
Kimi Raikkonen – 1’43.355
+0.168 Lewis Hamilton – 1’43.523
+0.448 Valtteri Bottas – 1’43.803
+0.691 Max Verstappen – 1’44.046
+0.774 Sebastian Vettel – 1’44.129
+0.895 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’44.250
+1.307 Sergio Perez – 1’44.662
+2.126 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’45.481
+2.182 Marcus Ericsson – 1’45.537
+2.267 Charles Leclerc – 1’45.622
+2.398 Nico Hulkenberg – 1’45.753
+2.462 Romain Grosjean – 1’45.817
+2.580 Esteban Ocon – 1’45.935
+2.723 Kevin Magnussen – 1’46.078
+2.725 Pierre Gasly – 1’46.080
+2.798 Fernando Alonso – 1’46.153
+2.982 Brendon Hartley – 1’46.337
+3.096 Sergey Sirotkin – 1’46.451
+3.115 Lance Stroll – 1’46.470
+3.141 Stoffel Vandoorne – 1’46.496
Drivers more then ten seconds off the pace omitted.
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2018 Belgian Grand Prix
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- Vettel passes Prost with 52nd F1 victory
- 2018 Belgian Grand Prix Star Performers
- Vettel’s irresistible charge puts Hamilton on alert in title fight
- Paddock Diary: Belgian Grand Prix day four
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
24th August 2018, 15:38
Jeez that radio call to Stoff telling him that he needs to find a second would have been crushing!
MacLeod (@macleod)
24th August 2018, 16:09
I think he heared he is losing his spot because this was really bad. It seems he doesn’t belief in the car anymore.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
24th August 2018, 16:38
Or he’s already dreaming about his new pink car bought for him by papa, and no longer cares about his old white one.
TFLB (@tflb)
24th August 2018, 16:49
@phylyp Stoffel. Not Stroll.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
24th August 2018, 17:20
@tflb – well, d’oh, that’s a reading comprehension fail from me.
Dismo
24th August 2018, 22:05
Well, Phylyp, although you mix up Stroll and Stoff, you could be right: instead of a payed driver, Zak may be on the lookout for a pay-driver, so his list of newly arrived sponsors ads up.
Ocon is Mercedes-money, Norris is, well, Norris-money. Stoff is McL-money. Fortunately I’m not a Mac-shareholder.
Todfod (@todfod)
24th August 2018, 18:37
He’s just 0.4s off Fernando though. Can’t be that bad.. although I have no idea what compounds were used.
What’s crushing though.. is how McLaren has gone from the 6th fastest team at the start of the season the slowest team on the grid post summer break.
toiago (@toiago)
24th August 2018, 19:00
True. It is clear that they are still far from an upward trend, unfortunately. Restructuring on the fly while maintaining competitiveness is almost – if not – impossible. Zak just needs the time and support to get through is plan, and the team as a whole have to keep their head downs and trust the process (not easy, understandably). Hopefully they will come good sooner rather than later.
John H (@john-h)
24th August 2018, 21:25
It is bad. We can’t keep making excuses for Vandoorne, every race he is off Fernando’s pace, every race. Makes you realise how quick Hamilton was in 2007.
George
25th August 2018, 10:20
@John-h: If team Alo-McL would provide the same car on all events I wouldn’t object.
When Lewis came to McLaren, he had the full support (at least as much as Alo).
Stoffel gets the parts that Alo doesn’t want, on a car that even Alo can’t drive.
The kid is one of those that went racing without a budget (like Bruno Carneiro), so crashing and being opportunistic isn’t in his Modus Operandi. Being carefull and finish races without damaged parts is.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
25th August 2018, 3:18
@todfod: didn’t alonso say australia would’ve been the worst race for mclaren?
Seems like opposite to me, we’re gonna catch red bull soon, didn’t he say that too?
q85
24th August 2018, 15:39
Perez lap aside this is such a 2 tier championship. Which isn’t a complaint as historically it has been many times.
But still a shame.
Betwell
24th August 2018, 16:08
Pole lap will be 1.40 / 1.39 and will break 919 lap record easily.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
24th August 2018, 22:13
Looks like rain might have other ideas…
Adam (@rocketpanda)
24th August 2018, 16:08
I feel rather bad for Stoffel Vandoorne. I mean he’s a pretty decent driver? But he looks amazingly bad lately and I can’t imagine the guy’s just forgotten how to drive.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
24th August 2018, 22:15
I think it’s his car that has forgotten how to drive. Brakes and floor. What else will go wrong.
Jorge Lardone (@jorge-lardone)
24th August 2018, 22:54
+1
Jere (@jerejj)
24th August 2018, 16:10
Still eight tenths off last season’s pole time.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
24th August 2018, 16:25
Will forever despise McLaren for crushing the soul of one of the most promising drivers that entered the sport in recent years.
Jeanrien (@jeanrien)
24th August 2018, 16:50
Get him alongside Magnussen at Haas and he could learn a thing or two on how to bounce back. Could provide Haas a very nice line up.
Pat Ruadh (@fullcoursecaution)
24th August 2018, 18:02
Agreed. He needs a new environment because he’s not short on talent. Would like to see him beside K Mag or back with Vasseur at Sauber
Neil (@neilosjames)
24th August 2018, 17:05
Same… not sure I’ve ever seen such a talented driver enter F1 and appear to struggle so badly. And that was after he was held back years before even getting to F1 in the first place.
Just hope he gets a shot elsewhere, as an equal in a team that isn’t a toxic mess.
Todfod (@todfod)
24th August 2018, 18:40
Yeah.. sure.. blame it on Fernando and the ‘toxic’ environment. I’m pretty sure you think Grosjean is struggling this season because he was partnered up with Alonso for a few races in 2009…Pfft
Genius
Neil (@neilosjames)
24th August 2018, 18:48
[quote]Yeah.. sure.. blame it on Fernando and the ‘toxic’ environment. I’m pretty sure you think Grosjean is struggling this season because he was partnered up with Alonso for a few races in 2009…Pfft[/quote]
Bit of a crazy leap there, not sure what to say to the Grosjean comment.
I didn’t even mention Alonso, but now you bring him up… yes, I believe being a clear No.2, in every way, to the best/equal best driver around – who is known for dominating the team and pulling everything in his own direction – would have a very high chance of stalling the development of a young driver. That seems obvious.
[quote]Genius[/quote]
Thank you :)
Neil (@neilosjames)
24th August 2018, 18:50
Bit of a crazy leap there, not sure what to say to the Grosjean comment.
I didn’t even mention Alonso, but now you bring him up… yes, I believe being a clear No.2, in every way, to the best/equal best driver around – who is known for dominating the team and pulling everything in his own direction – would have a very high chance of stalling the development of a young driver. That seems obvious.
Thank you :)
(repost due to my inability to quote on here)
Todfod (@todfod)
25th August 2018, 12:25
@neilosjames
You mentioned that his dismal performances are because of his number 2 status. Ridiculous comment. He had #2 status last year itself… and he was a heck of a lot closer to Alonso and was performing relatively well. Yet, the same #2 status this year has absolutely destroyed his career and created a “toxic” environment within the team?!? Where’s the logic in that?
What seems more believable is that he’s off-form… but to blame his status within the team and the “toxic” environment is silly. It’s the same team.. same status for Vandoorne as last year.
Kimi has the same #2 status at Ferrari.. yet I don’t see people blaming his poor qualifying performances and lacklustre races on his status within the team.
Maybe stop throwing the blame elsewhere or jumping on the Alonso’s #2 bandwagon and his “toxic” rumour mill, and adopt a rational thought process.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
24th August 2018, 17:34
Whatt a nightmare. I still can’t believe it.
Moi
24th August 2018, 19:02
How so? His performance has simply been underwhelming as far as I’ve seen. Of course he doesnt have the car to compete for wins, but he is so consistently beaten by Alonso that I can’t help but think he simply isnt as good as was believed. Or am I missing something?
Dismo
24th August 2018, 21:27
I’m afraid you’re missing a lot.
First: Stoff gets updates on the car much later than Fernando. They rarely have driven the same version.
Secondly: socalled tactical decisions are never taken in his favour.
Third: reliabilty issues remind me of old British Leyland: you needed 2 cars because 1 was broken all the time.
Four: that comparison-nonsense works only if you put the 2 drivers in the same car.
Five: floor change, ERS-trouble, and God knows what else on 1 day! Just shocking.
Six: as I’m working for a (very) large and hugely succesful company, just these remarks: never would we consider spending money on a team without clear, honest leadership which respects dignity of people. And if top-management in our company would send “wisdom” in Zak-style into the universe, they would be firef the very same day.
I sincerely hope Stoff will land in a real with the decency he and his talent deserve. Ask Fred Vasseur, Gwen Agrue and Cyril Abiteboul their opinion, not to forget the Honda-gentlemen who worked with him. And ask Fernando as well: he vented already his vision on Stoff.
Patrick (@paeschli)
24th August 2018, 21:28
Well he is worse than last year, that just doesn’t make any sense
Esploratore (@esploratore)
25th August 2018, 3:23
Indeed, please explain why vandoorne would be worse on his 2nd than his first year, I remember some races, like malaysia, where he simply outperformed alonso in qualifying and also kept the advantage during the race.
Ed Marques (@edmarques)
24th August 2018, 16:27
It will be close
Peppermint-Lemon (@)
24th August 2018, 17:28
Come on…Kubica & Vandoorne at Williams for next year.
robbieJ
24th August 2018, 17:59
I know it’s free practice, but Williams and Mclaren 4 of the bottom 5…. just so sad.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
25th August 2018, 3:24
Yes, when you think this is a season with 3 competitive teams, just like 2003, and who were the competitive teams then? Ferrari, williams and mclaren, apart from ferrari who remained roughly as competitive, it’s a huge fall for williams and still a big one for mclaren (they aren’t really at the bottom performance wise this year, at least with alonso).