GPI ILLUSTRATED
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• win number three • ice, ice baby • how good is dan? • title contender
belgium
ricciardo defies the odds
CONTENTS the belgian grand prix edition 6
ricciardo defies the odds
22
Belgian grand prix lap chart
24
you dream of winning at spa
40
as good as they get
48
ice bucket challenge
52
i had a moment...
55
we knew it would be difficult
6o BIG PICTURES 100 THE FINAL FRAME
FIRST WORD
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Daniel Ricciardo once again defied the odds to take well calculated victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, delivering a masterclass in tyre conservation as he notched up his third win of the season at the sport’s most daunting venue, while pre-race favourites Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton collided on the second lap, with Briton coming off worse and the German surviving to finish second ahead of Williams driver Valtteri Bottas. The afternoon belonged deservedly to Daniel, as he tenaciously kept Rosberg at bay in the final laps despite well worn tyres on his Red Bull, turning fifth place on the grid into maximum points at a high speed circuit where the world champion team did not expect to defeat the Silver Arrows outfit. And tellingly, along the way dispatching world champion teammate Sebastian Vettel with a slick move on lap five after setting the fastest lap and by lap eight led for the first time at Spa-Francorchamps. Thereafter he managed his pace to collect his third winner’s trophy of the season and starting to look like a true title contender. We pay tribute to his fine weekend in the Ardennes forest.
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Formula 1 world championship Round 12, belgian GRAND PRIX spa-francorchamps 24 august 2014
ricciardo defies the odds again 1 Daniel Ricciardo
Red Bull
2 Nico Rosberg
Mercedes
3 Valtteri Bottas
Williams
4 Kimi RäikkÜnen
Ferrari
5 Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull
6 Jenson Button
McLaren
7 Fernando Alonso
Ferrari
8 Sergio Perez
Force India
9 Daniil Kvyat
Toro Rosso
Force India
10 Nico Hulkenberg
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race report
“It couldn’t have gone better considering everything that’s happened” D
aniel Ricciardo took his third win of the season as a second-lap collision involving Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton badly compromised Mercedes‘ race. Rosberg suffered front wing damage but eventually fought his way back to second place but Hamilton, who sustained a puncture in the incident, dropped to the back of the field and finally retired on lap 39. Valtteri Bottas claimed his fourth podium finish of the season with third place ahead of Ferrari‘s
Kimi Raikkonen, who too season so far. Ricciardo was all smile third career win at the sp venue, “There was a bit o looked a bit easier becau on and I just kept it. We c because I knew Nico Ros the end but we held on a champagne again. “It couldn’t have gone b
ok his best result of the
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everything that’s happened, especially during pre season. It’s been awesome and I have enjoyed es as he savoured his every moment of it. Monza will be challenging port’s most daunting but if Mercedes slip up then we will be there to of pressure, it probably capitalise,” he added with a grin. use I had the lead early Rosberg, who was booed on the podium by couldn’t really rest though fans, said, “Of course I am very unhappy for sberg would be quick at the team because we have the fastest car and and it was nice to taste the we should have had first and second. For sure I regret that we touched because it cost me the win better considering and it was unavoidable.”
race report
The podium is becoming a familiar place for Bottas as Williams once again gave him a handy car, and he seized the opportunity to claim his fourth top three finish in five race. He reflected afterwards, “The team has been doing a very good job, we are certainly going it the right way. We are still chasing for the higher step but for this
season we are going the “I think this season it’s g need to be lucky because quick and on a track like t There is still work to do b way,” added the Finn. Even before the start of
right way.” going to be tough, we e Mercedes are very this so were Red Bull. but we are going the right
f the race, Fernando
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Alonso’s afternoon was already going badly. The Ferrari driver’s car was still on jacks as the parade lap began and though he finally got going, members of his crew were still on the grid inside the 15-second cut-off point before the formation lap. It would later earn him a five-second stop-go penalty.
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race report At the start Hamilton passed the slow-starting Rosberg and stole into the lead on the run up to La Source. Vettel too made a good start and passed his fellow German around the outside. Vettel then attempted to overtake Hamilton into Les Combes but out-braked himself, ran wide and rejoined behind Rosberg. The drama wasn’t over, however. On the following lap Rosberg attempted a pass on his team-mate at Les Combes, but as Hamilton shut the door the pair collided, the right side of Rosberg’s front wing clipping the rear left-tyre of Hamilton’s car. The Briton immediately swerved off track with a puncture while Rosberg shipped heavy front-end damage. Hamilton limped back to the pits for a new wheel, but while Rosberg reported much damage he was told to stay out and see how matters developed. Behind the front two, Ricciardo was on the move, passing Alonso at Les Combes. He was soon on Vettel’s tail and overtook his team-mate when the champion ran wide at Pouhon. The Australian then set off after Rosberg who appeared to be suffering badly due to the front wing damage. Ricciardo closed to within a second and Mercedes took the decision to pit the leader for a new wing and medium tyres. The
Red Bull driver assumed the lead of the r Valtteri Bottas too was making a move. passed Alonso for third on lap eight, over Ferrari under DRS on the Kemmel Straigh Rosberg was soon in trouble again. On picked up some debris on the track while the Kemmel Straight. The debris became in the aerial on the nose cone of his car a dangerously around his steering wheel.
race. The Finn rtaking the ht. n lap 10 he racing down e entangled and fluttered
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Alonso, meanwhile, was handed a five-second stop-go penalty by the stewards, which he elected to serve during the first round of stops. That round of stops was completed by the end of lap 15. Ricciardo, on softs, still led, with Kimi Raikkonen now second ahead of Vettel. Rosberg, who took on medium tyres during his stop, was now fourth ahead of Bottas, Magnussen and Alonso. Hamilton was now 16th and some 16 seconds adrift of Sauber’s Adrian Sutil.
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race report
On lap 16 Rosberg attempted to pass Vettel for third place but ran wide under braking and the error allowed Bottas to close and eventually pass the Mercedes driver under DRS on the following lap as the pair raced down the long Kemmel Straight. Rosberg then reported that he was getting significant vibration from the tyre he had lit up attempting the pass on Vettel and he was forced
to pit again on lap 19, tak rubber. He rejoined in 11t to ninth behind Sergio Pe Raikkonen made his se place on lap 21, taking on took his set of mediums o in P8. Ricciardo pitted fro medium tyres, which he w Bottas now assumed the
king on more medium th place but was soon up erez. econd stop from second n medium tyres. Vettel on lap 22 and rejoined om the lead on lap 27 for would race to the flag. lead, having stopped
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just once, ahead of Rosberg who had made two stops and carved his way through the pack. Bottas pitted on the very next lap, which promoted Rosberg back to the lead he had lost on lap eight. The German, on 10-lap-old medium tyres, would need to stop again, though with Bottas rejoining in fifth and new third-place man Raikkonen also possibly requiring another stop, Rosberg was told he was a “safe second�.
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race report
On lap 31, Bottas passed Vettel for fourth place and seemed set to secure his podium place as both Vettel and third-placed Raikkonen looked set to take on fresh tyres, whereas Bottas was on a two-stop plan. With 10 laps to go Rosberg and Vettel made their stops, with both taking on soft tyres, aimed
at utilising the tyre’s bette stoppers on ageing prime Rosberg rejoined in fou dismissed Bottas and Rai German was 22 seconds That was simply too big a Australian and the Merce
er pace against the twoe tyres. urth and quickly ikkonen, but now the down on Ricciardo. a gap to make up to the edes driver settled in the
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end for his safe second place. Behind him Raikkonen defied expectation, the Finn attempting to cling on to third on the set on prime tyres he had taken on at the end of lap 21. It was a brave choice but ultimately one that failed as Bottas, breezed past the Ferrari on the Kemmel Straight four laps from home.
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race report
Nevertheless Raikkonen would be satisfied in at last beating his teammate this year, and said, “It would have been nicer to finish higher up but it’s disappointing. They wanted me at the front to push for a win but I finished fourth. We have a pretty good speed in the race but when we are starting at the back after qualifying it’s going to be tough.”
With Raikkonen secure battle developed for fifth. M but a train was building u Alonso, Button and the ha A titanic battle ensued, drivers racing four abreas Combes. It was Vetttel wh thanks to fresher tyres. M
e in fourth, a furious Magnussen held fifth up behind him, featuring ard-charging Vettel. with at times, the st on the run to Les ho came out on top, Magnussen was sixth
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ahead of Button and Alonso. It wasn’t without a price though and Magnussen given a 20 second time penalty as well as two penalty points after stewards investigated the incident with Alonso. Fifth was little consolation for quadruple world champion Vettel who saw his teammate notch up a third win while he has yet to celebrate on the top step of a podium this year.
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race report He summed up his afternoon, “Disappointed because we didn’t have the speed. I was trying to put Lewis under pressure from the off, we were set up for straight lines but the tyres were colder than expected. Lap two was good to see the two Mercedes hit each other and give us a chance but I just didn’t have the pace.” Ahead, though, Ricciardo took a calm and controlled third career win, to leave him on 156 points, just 35 behind championship contender Hamilton, who stays on 191 points. Rosberg, meanwhile, moves to 220 points and a healthy title lead as the championship heads towards Monza. Final word to winning Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, “This was supposed to be a damage limitation race. We have managed to find a balance and Daniel has managed to find a confidence in the car that has managed to produce a good lap time.” “Ultimately we benefited from the Mercedes’ little get together but in like-for-like pace we were not far off them. The incident between the two Mercedes was was two guys going for a world championship and going for the same piece of tarmac,” he added with a twinkle in his eye.
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belgian GRAND PRIX post race interview sunday, 24 august 2014
ricciardo you dream of winning at spa D
aniel Ricciardo goes from strength to strength as a Red Bull driver, winning over fans every time he races and at Spa-Francorchamps again he defied the odds to notch up a famous victory at the Formula 1’s most daunting venue to score his third win of the season (and of his career for that matter) and kept his ahead while those around him lost theirs. He spoke afterwards.
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I think obviously back home there is a huge following, but this is nearly as many Australian flag as there were in Melbourne. It’s impressive, a lot of Aussies or at least Aussie fans out this weekend, so thank you very much.
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When you lead the race, I guess, for that long it’s more about composure, just looking at your lap times, just trying to be as consistent as possible and once I heard Rosberg came in for a third stop we knew he was going to be quick at the end, I just had to try to keep the lap times up and keep it clean. The first thing obviously that you hope everything holds together. You hope mechanically everything gets you to the finish line. Then it’s just trying to hit your marks and keep consistent but always the last few laps the chequered flag can’t come quick enough.
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You dream of [a Spa win] there’s definitely a few on the calendar that stand out more than others and Spa is one of them, but to be honest any win is special in Formula One. Yeah, the first part of the race: we had pretty good pace. On lap one I actually had the inside of Alonso at five but then I locked up and went off so he got me back and then we were able to get in front a few laps later. And then Seb, looked like he just dropped a wheel on the astroturf exit of Turn 10 and obviously with the rain overnight and this morning it was still a bit slippery, so I was able to get him and then I think Nico came in for a front wing change and we were able to get into the lead and then the pace was pretty good. We were happy with what we were doing and the consistency was there and we were making the tyres last. Yeah, it was just really up to me at the end to stay consistent and stay focused. Yeah, it was good fun.
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I see good things, obviously good things ahead. If we can collect maximum points around here, you know it gives us a bit more hope for the circuits that are going to come later in the season: Singapore, Suzuka, just a couple to mention. Obviously it’s great. We’re really motivated right now. It’s been a really good day for us on a track we didn’t expect to get maximum points from, so yeah, it’ll keep us smiling for a while. At the same time we’ll stay grounded. Monza we know will be tricky again but obviously the package we brought here was pretty racy, so, try and take something from here to Monza and then I think, as I said, Singapore and Suzuka will be pretty good for us.
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We pretty much came here with a low downforce setting. We knew it would m we believe the car has a good base of downforce to sort of get through the se lose naturally on the straights, running this type of wing, was something that p one and two. Yeah, I guess on TV you could see by the images that the rear w but obviously it was a good package here and we’ll see if the Monza wing can just run with DRS open all the time!
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maybe affect us a bit in the second sector but econd sector good enough and then what we put us back in with a fighting chance for sector wing was pretty simple, there wasn’t much to it n get any smaller - I don’t know, otherwise we’ll
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If I’m within fifty coming into Abu Dhabi then yeah, but there’s still a few races we’ll keep fighting. It was a big day for that. To come and steal some points o but I think what’s important, looking ahead, is to capitalise on the circuits that points, let’s say, at a couple of those then it’s never over.
s to go. While it’s still mathematically possible, yeah, on a circuit where let’s say we weren’t supposed to is nice t we should be strong on and if we can take maximum
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2014 FORMULA 1 World CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Driver Nico Rosberg Lewis Hamilton Daniel Ricciardo Fernando Alonso Valtteri Bottas Sebastian Vettel Nico Hulkenberg Jenson Button Felipe Massa Kimi RäikkÜnen Kevin Magnussen Sergio Perez Jean-Eric Vergne Romain Grosjean Daniil Kvyat Jules Bianchi Adrian Sutil Marcus Ericsson Pastor Maldonado Esteban Gutierrez Max Chilton Kamui Kobayashi Andre Lotterer
Team Mercedes Mercedes Red Bull Ferrari Williams Red Bull Force India McLaren Williams Ferrari McLaren Force India Toro Rosso Lotus Toro Rosso Marussia Sauber Caterham Lotus Sauber Marussia Caterham Caterham
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Constructor Mercedes Red Bull Racing-Renault Ferrari Williams-Mercedes McLaren-Mercedes Force India-Mercedes STR-Renault Lotus-Renault Marussia-Ferrari Sauber-Ferrari Caterham-Renault
Points 220 191 156 121 110 98 70 68 40 39 37 33 11 8 8 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Points 411 254 160 150 105 103 19 8 2 0 0
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as good as they get
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d GPi
feature
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or the benefit of those who might need reminding after reading sports pages, Daniel Ricciardo won the Belgian Grand Prix, a fact that was easy to overlook amid the headlines dominated by the turmoil at Mercedes after Lewis Hamilton accused championship-leading teammate Nico Rosberg of deliberately colliding with him. But if the young Australian felt in any way aggrieved that his second win in a row, and third in the last six races for champions Red Bull, got less recognition than it deserved then he was not showing it at all. His beaming grin was as broad as ever as he stood on the podium and it did not fade even when second-placed finisher Rosberg faced twice as many questions in the ensuing news conference, “To have three in 12 races I think has exceeded a few expectations. Let’s say the in-team battle has gone really well.” “Obviously, I’ve showed speed throughout qualifying and also races now. I’ve demonstrated good racecraft and good consistency so I think let’s say the team has been really pleased and I’ve been pleased, so we’re in a good place. “I’m enjoying it more than ever. Each race that goes on I’m having more and more fun so yeah, just having a good time,” smiled the Australian.
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feature Ricciardo has crept up on Mercedes by stealth after champions Red Bull started the season written off as no-hopers slowed by a long list of problems with the Renault power unit in testing. Seen by some as little more than four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel’s No 2 after replacing compatriot Mark Webber, the Perthborn driver has clinically reversed the roles like a smiling assassin. He is smooth, economical with the car and very quick. The win in Belgium was Red Bull’s 50th in Formula One and Ricciardo added another mark on the milestone as the first Australian to win at Spa since the late Jack Brabham in 1960. Before Sunday, despite his success in the previous race in Hungary, the odds on Ricciardo winning were still only 30-1 and even that was not particularly tempting. “I wouldn’t have been brave enough to put a bet on us even with those odds,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. “So quite an incredible performance by Daniel. “It’s remarkable that Daniel’s won only one less race than Nico so far this season. In all honesty, we never thought he was going to be as strong as he has been. We knew he was fast, we knew he was a very good racing driver. But I don’t think any of us, probably not even Daniel, realised just how good,” added Horner. Ricciardo is the only driver really taking the fight to Mercedes, the only one other than Rosberg and Hamilton to have won races this year and the only one resembling anything like a championship threat to them. While still a definite long-shot, the Red Bull driver is now only 35 points behind Hamilton but 64 adrift of Rosberg with seven races remaining. With double points for the finale, that makes 200 still to be won.
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feature “If I’m within 50 coming into Abu Dhabi then yeah, but there’s still a few races to go,” Ricciardo said when asked whether he considered himself in the title hunt. “While it’s still mathematically possible, yeah, we’ll keep fighting. “To come and steal some points on a circuit where, let’s say, we weren’t supposed to is nice but I think what’s important, looking ahead, is to capitalise on the circuits that we should be strong on,” he added. “If we can take maximum points, let’s say, at a couple of those then it’s never over.” Mercedes, who are still expected to wrap up both titles, have begun looking nervously in his direction after Sunday’s implosion. Motorsports head Toto Wolff made that clear after the grand prix when, discussing the Mercedes policy of allowing the drivers to race each other, he told reporters: “We don’t want to end up in Abu Dhabi, with a season where we lost the championship, be it constructors’ or drivers’, because we’re too much race fans.” Rosberg also acknowledged after qualifying, with Vettel third on the grid and Ricciardo fifth, that Red Bull were closing the gap. “We’ve seen that Red Bull are a lot quicker here on the straights than they have been. So they have definitely made a step forward and we need to keep an eye on that,” he told reporters. “It’s going to be a challenge against them. I still think we have the best car but something is a bit different, a bit new.” A bit different, a bit new. That sounds very much like Daniel Ricciardo.
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ice bucket
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t challenge GPi
feature
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n the Tue Belgian Gra Daniel Ri stepped up to the pla that he had accep two, but three ice and that he’d take at this weekend’s B And, true to his w outside the Ene this afternoon wh members, only to dumped three bin Spa water over him The ice bucke launched in orde awareness and ra fight against Motor Amyotrophic Later a progressive n disease that affect brain. The challenge h by sportsmen an the world and thi nominated by Willia IndyCar racer Jam Australian AFL si Football Club. Once the water with Dan got to people to take the c Aussie choosing o Christian Horner, M Hamilton and U Championship mi Conor McGregor. Nice one Dan, bu that when people r the waters at Spa, have in mind.
esday before the and Prix weekend icciardo manfully ate and announced pted not one, not bucket challenges e the chilly soaking Belgian Grand Prix. word, Dan appeared ergy Station late here obliging crew oo happy to help, ns of freezing cold m. et challenge was er to help spread aise funds in the r Neuron Disease/ al Sclerosis (ALS), neurodegenerative s nerve cells in the
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has been taken up nd celebs around is week Dan was ams‘ Felipe Massa, mes Hinchcliffe and ide Port Adelaide
torture was done o nominate three challenge, with the our Team Principal Mercedes‘ Lewis Ultimate Fighting xed martial artist
ut we’re pretty sure recommend taking this isn’t what they
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belgian GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING SATURDAY, 23 august 2014
ricciardo: i had a moment... 1 Nico Rosberg 2 Lewis Hamilton 3 Sebastian Vettel 4 Fernando Alonso 5 Daniel Ricciardo 6 Valtteri Bottas 7 Kevin Magnussen 8 Kimi RäikkÜnen 9 Felipe Massa 10 Jenson Button
Mercedes Mercedes Red Bull Ferrari Red Bull Williams McLaren Ferrari Williams McLaren
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qualifying
I had a moment on Blanchimont; that corner is tricky in the wet. It’s never full, that the chequered flag was just there at the end of the session, then I just pu of time, but you never get the perfect lap in these conditions. Spa is unique, a are drier than others, so nearly every lap you’re driving blind. It’s great to driv
, it’s always a lift or a dab of the brakes and knowing ushed it a bit too much. I guess in hindsight it cost a bit as the track is so long and some parts of the circuits ve here though.
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belgian GRAND PRIX Free practice 1 & 2 friday, 22 august 2014
ricciardo: we knew it would be difficult First Practice Session: Position: 9, Best Time: 1:52.972, Laps: 19 Second Practice Session: Position: 8, Best Time: 1:50.977, Laps: 16
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free practice
I think we knew it would be difficult to break away from the mid field here – we the others are strong. Hopefully we can find a bit more speed and get ahead so that’s not bad, if we have a good race car then Sundays are always more f weather does for the race, then it should come a bit more into our hands. Eau more, it’s not a Sunday drive through there anymore!
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e see Force India, McLaren and Toro Rosso and a few of of them. Our long run is better than our short run pace, fun. If the track keeps rubbering in, and we’ll see what the u Rouge is still flat out, but you have to concentrate a bit
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