belgian grand prix belgian grand prix formally formula shell belgian grand prix formula motor race held august spa belgium eleventh round formula season belgian grand prix mercedes entered event overall drivers championship leader points ahead teammate points ahead ferrari mercedes led championship points ferrari williams entered event points having won edition defending race winner won race mercedes extending championship lead finished second points lotus secured podium finish time united states grand prix controversial tyre failure ferrari late race race marked ferrari entry handed record place grid penalty multitude changes power units report background formula sole tyre supplier supplied teams compounds tyres event dry selections white banded medium compound prime tyre yellow banded soft compound provided softer option choice green banded intermediate weather tyre blue banded wet compounds brought events consequence crash series race new asphalt laid inside final corner replacing patch grass addition new added exit famous corner apex turn removed saturday discussed matter drivers turn exit shortened easier rejoin track event driver running wide race marked entered driving successful active driver spa extended contract team additional year week prior race mercedes introduced new low rear wing spa featuring shaped design similar aim find balance low long spa circuit time retaining twisting second sector track hand tested different rear wings friday free practice sessions ran low wing tested spa specific set ultimately drivers qualifying race prevent tyre degradation came spa new specification power unit aiming reach level ferrari unit introduced changes team racing director warned singapore gains visible expected difficult belgian grand prix suit new power unit team introduced new engine cover updates included unprecedented design floor lower new position electronic recovery system going weekend led drivers championship points ahead second placed ferrari points having closed gap winning previous round hungary championship mercedes points leading ferrari points placed williams points regulation changes attempt limit influence pit walls drivers race starts new regulations introduced start procedure onwards drivers allowed adjust clutch level leaving pit garage starting grid response drivers mixed commenting new start procedures challenging opined changes significant hoped new procedure help team lotus legal troubles lotus team experienced legal difficulties spa weekend legal battle test driver concerning time team granted wheel car case arbitration court lotus faced threat cars unable following conclusion grand prix weekend returned cars lotus team eventually able travel italy chief executive stepped ensure staff paid financial problems continued question team future free practice regulations season practice sessions held minute sessions friday hour session qualifying saturday practice session friday morning fastest initial trouble power unit quarter second ahead mercedes teammate red bull second slower hamilton tenth fourth minutes session red flag came pastor lost traction rear end lotus hybrid exit corner crashed tyre barriers damaging right car session stopped minutes track repair barriers speaking accident said nearly saved car happened track difficult moment especially point second sector narrow happen change need look forward second lotus replaced finished practice 17th accident marred second practice session friday afternoon rear tyre mercedes blew causing spin run corner able avoid hitting tyre barriers session red order clear track car prior incident set fastest time session tenths second faster teammate hamilton second seconds ahead fellow driver second williams cars 14th 16th respectively ahead faster manor tyre failure later deemed result external cut excluding possibility structural integrity issues remained worried reliability tyres sunday race saying problem don understand theories real evidence bit worrying sure world champion bounced session saturday morning quickest half second faster uneventful session fourth leading force india drivers ended session fifth eighth respectively separated drivers practice occurred spun having turn complaining team dangerous manoeuvre qualifying qualifying consisted parts minutes length respectively drivers eliminated competing sessions track qualifying starting lap saved elimination moments session excluded participation succeeded progressing despite complaining loss power car second qualifying saw come halt track loss oil pressure session briefly red clear track resumed mercedes drivers decided head times sufficient advance compete problems car leaving provisional 14th bar penalty 15th grid drivers eliminated time tenths second slower tenth driver mercedes powered car compete pole position mercedes driver set timed lap half second faster succeeded times ended seconds teammate second grid handed tenth pole position races meaning secured early stage season fastest car williams seconds hamilton time fourth fastest delivered bbc called impressive lap surprising effort finishing fifth force india won previous race hungary managed ninth fastest mistake final qualifying hamilton stated performance mainly improvements middle sector lap saying sector probably past bit weak point knew lines corners definitely laps strong area gained time sector containing majority circuit corners driver achieved feat secure consecutive pole positions driver score consecutive poles season following poor qualifying performance grid penalties expected lonely race saying actually enjoyed driving car cross finishing line time think bad second guy massive margin hurts penalties expected benefit start changes set start race grid allowed use additional power unit season team sixth power unit equipped cars seventh heavily revised version power unit belgium friday power unit change saturday mid season change regulations meant penalties longer result race time penalties place grid penalty set new record formula received place grid penalty equipped sixth power unit friday lotus changed gearbox car saturday handed place grid penalty moving fourth ninth grid reason received place grid penalty set places penalties drivers race prior race start returned pit garage reporting loss power force india eventually grid problem returned formation lap car stalled starting grid starting procedure aborted formation lap commenced experienced similar problem second formation lap called pits eventually sent race started race distance shortened laps start away falling fifth overtook fourth end lap start moving twelfth retained lead pulling clear early lap pastor second retirement race stopped car power failure lap took eighth place quick laps overtaking second williams sixth lap early pit stop lap forced hand force india brought lap later came drivers came couple laps including williams taking position stops overtaken lap set penalty team simultaneously equipped different types tyre compounds later serve drive penalty lap saw risky overtaking manoeuvre went outside eleventh place following stops order hamilton stop lap coming slightly ahead overtaken lap earlier carried momentum turn seven ultimately failed better mercedes hamilton pitted new tyres laps respectively laps steadily closed hamilton able catch teammate lap saw gain position expense moving fourth laps later aided handed place lap came sudden stop exit bus stop leading virtual safety car period drivers pitted new tyres lap pitted new soft tyres able fast end race decided try finish race pitting new tyres second time newer tyres allowed overtake eventually finish fourth eventually retired race lap strategy work lap laps finish right rear tyre exploded straight handing final podium position ended race pits classified twelfth place teammate second finished race 39th grand prix victory post race podium interviews conducted formula driver said felt fairly relaxed naming looking tyre wear concern race conceded completely start added hamilton great job deserved win delighted tenth career podium speaking incredible weekend claimed podium feel race win asked title aspirations hamilton insisted definitely way early speak winning world title post race press conference described moment tyre failure bit scary moment saying unfortunate following race voiced harsh criticism tyre supplier concerning tyre failure friday quoted saying think sort thing keeps going mentions unacceptable tells track didn track lie didn track blue tyre exploded saw safety drivers risks asserting happens metres earlier standing director reacted accusations saying going hot moment don want enter war words pointless everybody concerned saw number laps going suggested going stop race bit surprise people talking stops backed telling press exploding tyres poor shouldn happen keeps happening categories friday lucky happened couple metres later earlier biggest need figure safer called immediate action considering italian grand prix race following nature fastest race year reacted demanding maximum stint length tyres suggestion company end day race announced found cuts tyres teams mainly rear tyres searching cause damages company stance failure caused external damage pure wear received additional support wrote right tackle issue tyres teammate defended team decision try stop race tuesday race saying strategy risky point team blame tyre supplier released findings investigation matter company needed claim failure caused wear report proved damage tyre caused debris received particular praise overtake driver wrote time life seen outside big prize giving ceremony december received award action year acknowledging manoeuvre hand called race embarrassment suffered lack battery power race finishing ahead drivers lotus disclosed retirement caused heavy contact intensity impact high technical director felt big shame running ahead eventual placed retired unable contribute strong result team lotus later revealed retirement caused damage clutch control system sustained went track time team applauded drive additional praise came journalist felt seriously rated formula williams launched internal investigation tyre mix pit stop feeling cost podium position result race extended championship lead points biggest margin season point tyre failure cost points points lead standings championship mercedes extended lead ferrari points lotus moved fifth place expense force india classification qualifying notes received place grid penalty gearbox change received place grid penalty gearbox change received place grid penalty sixth power unit season received place grid penalty variety changes power unit received place grid penalty variety changes power unit race notes classified completed race distance championship standings race note positions included sets standings
2015 Belgian Grand Prix