Well that was a bit of a damp squib then wasn’t. Not squid, to be clear, although the cephalopod possibly would have had enough water to survive the latest F1 episode of an engrossing 2021 season. At least our 2021 Belgian Grand Prix Result Review doesn’t have to do much work.
The rain came, and came, and came, and eventually sometime after we crashed in exhaustion a few hours into Monday, a few laps were run behind the Safety Car, enough to award half points and tick a box.
Our review usually covers what happened in the race so you don’t have to in the laps that matter. Plus we throw in our Race Ratings, the Best (Great) and Worst (Grape) drivers of the race weekend. This time there’s not much to do.
The perfect bite sized review for those who couldn’t be bothered. And we don’t blame you.
The 2021 Belgian Grand Prix Result Review + Great and Grape gives you just enough to catch up, and stand by for our Power Rankings which highlight our driver of the season so far.
2021 Belgian Grand Prix Result Race – THE LAPS THAT MATTERED
Didn’t see the race live? Don’t have time to watch the whole race? Well here are the laps that mattered.
We write these live as we go, sort of like a minute by minute for the football, but marginally more interesting.
Lap 0 – The rain theme for the Belgian Grand Prix continues for raceday, and it is plenty wet. Wet enough for Red Bull’s Sergio Perez to spin off at low speed at Les Combes. It was more of an over-correction than a spin, but regardless he ended in the barrier and out of the race. Lucky he signed his new Red Bull deal before the race.
Lap 0.1 – The 2021 Belgian Grand Prix “starts” under the Safety Car. Which is a good idea given just how wet it is and after seeing the carnage in Hungary on a drier track who knows what damage could be done at a wetter track with a sharp first corner.
Max Verstappen looks quite impatient, with calls on the radio that the conditions are fine for racing. Having the advantage of just the Safety Car in front.
Behind the pole sitter there was next to zero visibility for everyone else.
But then as we wait for delay information, we find out that the first start wasn’t actually a start, and so the two laps required to get any result still need to be run.
Lap 1 – The “race” eventually starts under the Safety Car.
Lap 2 – The “race” ends under the Safety Car.
FINAL ORDER – VER RUS HAM RIC VET GAS OCO LEC LAT SAI
2021 Belgian Grand Prix Result – RACE RATING
We rate the big race itself so we know which races to go back and watch in the off season or one to simply remember the winner for the post season quiz nights.
SEASON IMPORTANCE – 2/10
Who knows how the half points will work out in the end. Like in 1984 when the title was decided by the decimal.
ON TRACK ACTION – 0 /10
The only on track action was the radio conversations taped under the Safety Car for the first time.
ENDING -2 / 10
Tooling around behind the Safety Car is not even worth a zero.
OVERALL RATING 0 / 30
Well it wasn’t really a race so it shouldn’t really get a rating.
2021 SEASON RACE RANKINGS
Bahrain GP – 25/30
Emilia-Romagna GP – 17/30
Portuguese GP – 11/30
Spanish GP – 18/30
Monaco GP – 12/30
Azerbaijan GP – 23/30
French GP – 22/30
Styrian GP – 12/30
Austrian GP – 20/30
British GP – 22/30
Hungarian GP – 26/30
2021 Belgian Grand Prix Result – Great & Grape
Here we go through the field and highlight the three drivers we think deserve a little extra love, and one driver whose had the grapest weekend of all.
These points get added to our Driver of the Season scores. Five points for a great nomination, and -5 for the worst or grapest driver in the pack. Then it is +2 / -2 for honourable or dishonourable mentions.
It used to be called the good, bad and ugly, but everyone is using that now. And who doesn’t like grapes.
THE GREAT-EST – GEORGE RUSSELL
What a stunning qualifying performance, and was rewarded with a first podium. Just a shame he couldn’t hang on for pole position in what would have been a popular win for Williams.
Surely the second Mercedes driver has been decided in Russell’s favour now.
THE GREAT – LANDO NORRIS
Was on track to blow everyone away for pole position until a big crash at Eau Rouge. Was still impressive enough for us to include him in the greats for the weekend.
THE GREAT – MAX VERSTAPPEN
A pole position and a win. Might only be half points, but it is still more points than Lewis Hamilton.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
DANIEL RICCIARDO – Daniel Ricciardo needed a break and got one at Spa. It looked like another qualifying trouncing for Ricciardo in the wet until his team mate Lando Norris crashed in Q3. But to give credit and an honourable mention, his effort to grab P4 was excellent and was rewarded when the half arsed race took place.
SEBASTIAN VETTEL – A really good P5 in qualifying showing his skills in the wet as ever. What looked a dud move to Aston Martin is looking like glorious twilight for the four time Champion.
PIERRE GASLY – Just another solid weekend, which are becoming so frequent they are almost going under the radar for the Alpha Tauri.
NICHOLAS LATIFI – It may have been assisted by a two lap race and grid penalties, but it is points two races in a row for the Canadian.
THE GRAPE-EST – VALTTERI BOTTAS SPA WEATHER
Punished from his indiscretion in Budapest, his eighth grid position then turn into 13th, which left him pointless after the “race”. Then if that wasn’t bad enough, his main rival for the Mercedes seat for 2022 took second place, in a result that should seal Bottas’ fate.
DIS-HONOURABLE MENTIONS
SPA WEATHER – the most disappointing thing about the weather is that we never got a chance to enjoy it. Wet races don’t come along vert often, byt the Spa weather wore out its welcome this time.
LANCE STROLL – Qualified 15th and then helped himself to a penalty after the Hungarian Grand Prix pinball work. Meanwhile his team mate seals fifth place.
2021 Belgian Grand Prix Result – Power Rankings
Stay tuned for our Power Rankings from the 2021 British Grand Prix and the overall 2021 F1 Season Power Rankings leader/s.
Read our last edition from after the British Grand Prix here.
