Race Notes - Rosberg cruises to Belgian GP win

By Mark Karp

Nico Rosberg in his Mercedes GP cruised to a easy win in the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps today. Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull finished second, 14.1 seconds behind, and Lewis Hamilton, after starting 21st, came back to finish in third place, 27.6 seconds behind the winner.

After a 20 minute delay for a red flag at lap 9, after Kevin Magnussen crashed spinning out of the Eau Rouge corner and repairs to the barriers were required.

The win is Rosbergs sixth of the season, and 20th of his career. Mercedes GPs 12th victory of the year so far. Rosberg has closed Hamiltons lead in the world championship to nine points.

Nico Hulkenberg (35.9s) in the Force India-Mercedes finished in fourth, followed by his team mate Sergio Perez (40.6s) in fifth, Sebastian Vettel (45.3s) in the Ferrari was sixth, Fernando Alonso (59.4s) in the McLaren-Honda was seventh, Valtteri Bottas (60.1s) in the Williams-Mercedes was eighth, Kimi Raikkonen (61.1s) in the second Ferrari was ninth and Felipe Massa (65.8s) in the second Williams finished in the final points position in tenth place.

Before the start Championship leader Hamilton starts from the back row of the grid after taking multiple engine penalities alongside Fernando Alonso.

The warm weather, unusual for Spa, making tyre strategy difficult for the race. The top five starting on soft tyres, except for Verstappen on the outside of row 1, starting on super soft compound tyres. Pirelli projecting the quickest strategy is to run a two-stopper, running two stints on soft tyres and the last on mediums compound tyres. Hamilton starts from the back on medium tyres.

Marcus Ericsson lines up to start from the pit lane.

Rosberg starts from pole, with Verstappen starting from the outside of the front row (the youngest driver to do so). Ferraris of Raikkonen and Vettel start on row two, Ricciardo and Perez in row three, Hulkenberg and Bottas in row four, and Button and Massa rounding out the top ten.

At the appointed time the grid cleared and the field set off. At the start the lights went off and the race began with Rosberg taking the lead from pole, the two Ferraris and Verstappens Red Bull come together into the hairpin and touch, Vettel spinning - Verstappen and Raikkonen fighting for second. Up the hill Raikkonen slows with damage. Hulkenberg passes Verstappen, who goes wide. Ricciardo slipping past into third.

At the end of lap one Verstappen pits and changes his front wing and switches to medium tyres.

Sainz suffers a punctured tyre and limps around. Raikkonen pits for a new front wing, while fire coming from the front of the undertray.

Verstappen reports ºthey just turning into me¹

On lap 4 Rosberg leads Hulkenberg by 4.3 seconds, followed by Ricciardo, Bottas, Perez, Grosjean, Palmer, Magnussen, Gutierrez, Hamilton, Alonso and Ocon in tenth.

Button and Wehrlein are out with damage after the two made contact.

On lap 6 Magussen spins coming out of Eau Rouge crashes into the barriers and the safety car is deployed. Magnussen gets out of the car and is okay.

Hulkenberg, Perez, Grosjean, Palmer andd Ocon all pit.

On lap 8 under the safety car Rosberg leads Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Perez, Kvyat, Palmer, and Grosjean in tenth place - followed by Vettel, Bottas, Gutierrez, Verstappen, Ocon, Nast and Raikkonen in 17th.

On lap 9 the race is red flagged, as the damaged barrier needs repair. The drivers all pull into the pits to go under red flag.

Drivers are discussing with their teams the outcomes of the first part of the race.

Drivers can now change tyres under the red flag, and the cars can be worked on.

For the remainder of the race Rosberg only has one set of new soft tyres and two sets of medium - Hamilton has three new sets of soft tyres - has the turn of events given Hamilton an advantage for the second half of the race?

Mechanics continue to work on the cars, as the drivers get ready to start again. Hulkenberg asks if the team can remove some fuel from the car to lighten it up, but the team says it is not allowed.

After 20 minutes the barrier is repaired and the cars are started and get back underway behind the safety car.

Rosberg runs on medium tyres, while the majority of the front runners are on new soft tyres.

The safety car comes in at the end of lap 10, and the race resumes with Rosberg leading Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Kvyat, Perez, Palmer and Grosjean in 10th.

On lap 12 Hamilton passes Alonso for fourth.

Raikkonen passes Verstappen for 14th, but has to give back the position for cutting the corner. The two continue to battle, Raikkonen complaining that Verstappen is blocking him.

On lap 14 Hamilton is closing on Hulkenberg in third place. Ricciardo follows Rosberg in the lead by 1.4 seconds.

Palmer is told that his brakes are getting too hot.

On lap 15 Vettel passes Grosjean for ninth place.

Verstappen reports that he is losing grip in the slow corners.

On lap 17 Verstappen pits for soft tyres. Bottas passes Grosjean for tenth while Vettel passes Kvyat for eighth.

On lap 18 Hamilton passes Hulkenberg, and now runs in third place.

At lap 19 Rosberg leads Ricciardo by 4.0 seconds, followed by Hamilton (10.9s), Hulkenberg (13.8s), Alonso (16.9s), Massa (18.4s), Perez (19.2s), Vettel (22.7s), Bottas (26.7s), Kvyat (29.7s) in tenth place.

On lap 20 Raikkonen passes Grosjean for 12th - the two making minor contact.

Perez closes on Massa in sixth place.

On lap 22 Hamilton pits for another set of soft tyres, and rejoins in ninth.

Gutierrez is given a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage off-track.

Massa and Verstappen on new tyres get past Grosjean.

On lap 24 Hulkenberg and Alonso both pit switching to medium tyres and the two touch coming out of the pits, but continue. Vettel also pits.

Kvyat and Gutierrez battle. Verstappen and Perez battle, Perez taking seventh. Vettel gets past Verstappen - Verstappen comes back and takes eighth place back.

On lap 26 Ricciardo pits for medium tyres and comes out still in second place - Rosberg pits for medium tyres the next lap and stays in the lead.

On lap 27 Vettel continues to battle Verstappen and passes him at Les Combes. Verstappen then pits for new soft tyres.

Hamilton closes to within a second behind Ricciardo in second place - but it looks like Hamilton will need to stop one more time.

Perez passes Massa for sixth.

At lap 30 Rosberg leads Ricciardo by 10.5 seconds, followed by Hamilton (11.9s), Hulkenberg (29.3s), Perez (33.5s), Alonso (35.8s), Massa (37.4s), Vettel (38.3s), Bottas (41.2s) and Raikkonen (42.0s) in tenth place.

On lap 32 Hamilton pits switches to used medium tyres - coming out behind Hulkenberg in fourth place.

Vettel passes Massa for seventh, but Massa takes the position back.

On lap 34 Vettel tries again and passes Massa for seventh.

Hamilton passes Hulkenberg for third up the hill before Les Combes.

The next lap Vettel passes Alonso for sixth.

On lap 36 Verstappen passes Gutierrez for 11th.

Alonso is chases by a line of cars with Massa, Bottas and Raikkonen following.

On lap 39 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m51.692s, and again the next lap at 1m51.583s.

Bottas gets the position on Massa and takes eighth place.

At lap 40 Rosberg leads Riccarido by 13.2 seconds, followed by Hamilton (24.6s), Hulkenberg (36.7s), Perez (40.2s), Vettel (46.3s), Alonso (56.9s), Bottas (57.8s), Massa (58.9s), and Raikkonen (60.0s) in tenth place.

On lap 42 Raikkonen passes Massa for ninth up into Les Combes.

Rosberg takes the win followed by Ricciardo and Hamilton.