Two seats in the first row of the grid to make Ferrari in Belgium, hopes for the first victory of the Season. In Qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps Youngster Charles Leclerc in front of Sebastian Vettel makes it to the top.
Sebastian Vettel made his Anger about the missed Pole Position in his Ferrari air. “What a mess!”, scolded the four-time formula 1 world champion after the end of the qualification for the Grand Prix of Belgium. In Spa-Francorchamps, the 32-Year-old had to give on Saturday with second place. Position battles before the last flying lap cost him a better starting position for the Star of the Scuderia. “But no excuses! It is good that we are together in the first row,” said Vettel later.
Scuderia team-mate Charles Leclerc won quite superior to the first start position for the race on Sunday (Start 15.10 hrs CEST, from 14.55 PM in the DW live Ticker for this) and was more than seven tenths of a second in front of Vettel. “We are looking forward to the race, we have a good Pace,” said Vettel, who finished ahead of world champion Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes. “Ferrari has done a great Job. I hope that tomorrow we can fight against them,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton in a spectacular accident unharmed
To do all hands full for the mechanic on the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton
The British experienced after a severe faux pas for a very difficult Saturday afternoon. The Mercedes mechanic had to do in the two hours before the hunt for the fastest round of hard work. After a small driving error, Hamilton was crashed into in the last Training session in the Tyre barrier and damaged his car badly. Among other things, the front axle broke, Hamilton got injured, and apologized on the radio for the damages. “I’m okay. Sorry, guys,” said the five-time world champion in a small voice.
The silver arrows a little more time for the repairs than I thought, because of a Defect on the Williams and Robert Kubica qualifying had to be interrupted for several minutes. Hamilton returned immediately afterwards to the track and was able to fight in addition to stable rival Valtteri Bottas in the second row. The Finn, Bottas managed to take Fourth, just ahead of the Dutchman Max Verstappen in Red Bull. Nico Hülkenberg repeated in the Renault, a good seventh-place finish.
Leclerc steals Vettel the Show
Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
At the top of the Monegasque Leclerc confirmed its strong performances from the Exercise sessions and won for the third Time this year, rank-one, the eleven years older than Vettel was only once – in June in Canada. “In the third part of qualifying it was quite a mess and in front of the last curve there was a traffic jam. That’s why the tires were not where they should be,” said Vettel, and congratulated his stable rival: “But no matter, Charles has done a better Job.”
Nevertheless, Vettel has been in the race a Chance to repeat his victory from the previous year. Since then, he was unable to score any success in motorsports Premier class more. Ferrari, which had also been waiting for a year on a Triumph, was at least proof that the car works on the undulating and challenging course close to the German border at the best. However, temperatures are expected to fall within 24 hours, by about ten degrees. “It is not easy for us. Even if the distance is great today, doesn’t have to be tomorrow,” said Leclerc.
In front of the 13. of the 21 races this season, Hamilton in the world Cup, leads the overall standings with 250 points ahead of Bottas (188) and Verstappen (181). Vettel is 156 meters, only the Fourth.
ck/sw (dpa)