Pick-the-Podium - F-1 - Johnnie Walker Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, August, 2018

[Retroram52]

After the summer break and with just 9 races left to determine the 2018 F-1 Champion, the F-1 teams ride into Belgium for the Johnnie Walker Grand Prix. Historically this is where Hamilton has sealed the deal but now he has 5 legitimate contenders among the Ferraris and Red Bull. We shall se how things unfold this week-end.

 

[Retroram52]

Wow, Kimi looks stout. Results from FP2 has Raikkonen turning the fast laps followed by the Silver arrows, then a Red Bull, then Vettel.

1.RÄIKKÖNEN 1:43.355 29
2 Lewis HAMILTON 1:43.523 +0.168s 28
3 Valtteri BOTTAS 1:43.803 +0.448s 29
4 Max VERSTAPPEN 1:44.046 +0.691s 25
5 Sebastian VETTEL

 

[Retroram52]

Wow, rain arrived and Hamilton takes the pole over Vettel. The other usual top five are way down the order including Raikkonen, Bottas, and the Red Bull mates. With the Silver arrows packin' their new power plants, Hamilton remains on top but Force India takes over third and fourth.

 

[forty_three]

Ferrari isn't even trying to hide the way they are sabotaging Kimi. He was as fast or faster than the Golden boy and they just park him in the garage with 4 minutes to go. Pathetic. Kimi looked pissed too.

Mixed up Grid should make for an interesting race.

HAM
VET
PER
RAI

Ocon and Grosjean won't make to the top of Radillon.

A podium would be a great story for Force India.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Vettel
Hamilton
Raikkonen
Verstappen

 

[Retroram52]

I'll go with:

Hamilton
Vettel
Raikkonen
Perez

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Vettel
Hamilton
Raikkonen
Ricciardo

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Vettel takes the victory, a big one for our competition

@Retroram52 I don't know the exact points but I know I'm getting closer

If you want to keep your run of titles going I'm going to make you work for it this year sir

 

[Retroram52]

Vettel takes the win over Hamilton followed by Verstappen and Bottas who came all the way back from the back of the field.

 

[Retroram52]

Here is how we did:

BoiseStateFan27: 10 points- Correctly selected Vettel for the win; Hamilton for second
forty_three: 0 points- skunked
Hank Kingsley: 10 points- Correctly selected Vettel for the win; Hamilton for second
Retroram52: 0 points- skunked

Season totals:

BoiseStateFan27: 64 points
forty_three: 51 points
Hank Kingsley: 48 points
Retroram52: 60 points


Next up: Italian Grand Prix, August 31 to September 2, 2018

 

[Retroram52]

Congrats to BSF and Hank for taking the top points. BSF takes over the lead as well. Big mo continues for BSF. Pretty cool.

And BSF, your assumption that I will have to work to get the fifth championship with you is erroneous in that you assume I didn't have to work for others! lol.

We shall see, as every year there is always a new challenger.

 

[BoiseStateFan27]

Congrats to BSF and Hank for taking the top points. BSF takes over the lead as well. Big mo continues for BSF. Pretty cool.

And BSF, your assumption that I will have to work to get the fifth championship with you is erroneous in that you assume I didn't have to work for others! lol.

We shall see, as every year there is always a new challenger.

This is true, this whole challenging for the championship thing is new for me so I'm still adjusting lol

I'm used to scraping around toward the bottom

These European races have been very good to me, when they began I certainly didn't think I could rise from last to first.... Typically we can't afford to fall too far behind you RetroRam as you always tend to pick well not giving us many opportunities to catch up

 

[Retroram52]

Yep and sometimes the events take an unforeseen twist. Perhaps Vettel and the Ferraris have caught and surpassed the Silver Arrows with their new power plants and maybe Mercedes will get on with it and improve the new engines and sech to recalim their dominance. Should be a fun competition here and the race is on obviously. Keep up the good work everyone and we shall see who wins this thing for 2018!!

 

[Hank Kingsley]

If Kimi hadn't been hornswoggled I had a great shot at a sweep.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Reports seem to indicate AMG is not convinced Scuderia power increase is legit.

Admittedly an AMG fan, but it does seem big for mid season.

And I never noticed the wing Ferrari has atop the apparently useful Halo before.

Leclerc can sleep tonight because of the halo on his car.