Belgian GP 2023 F1 Race Review

Spanners and Trumpets are joined by Chris ‘Comms’ Stevens and Danish TV journo Kristian ‘Chaos’ Pedersen as they forecast all the weather for the Belgian Grand Prix. From wild weather to suspicious squeezes from Red Bull’s romp to the midfield maelstrom, no wet weather spray pattern goes unanalyzed in this, the latest episode of Missed Apex Podcast. 

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**Transcript Summary**

* The Belgian Grand Prix weekend featured a sprint qualifying race, which was ultimately won by Max Verstappen.
* The weather conditions during the weekend were challenging, with rain affecting both the qualifying and race sessions.
* Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and McLaren's Oscar Piastri collided in the first corner of the race, resulting in a heated debate over who was at fault.
* The return of the Australian Grand Prix to the Formula One calendar was welcomed by fans and drivers alike.
* Ferrari appeared to have a strong package at Spa, with Charles Leclerc taking pole position and Sainz finishing second in the race.
* Mercedes showed signs of improvement with their car, with Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth and George Russell fifth.
* The legality of the Red Bull car's design continues to be a topic of discussion, with some teams questioning whether it adheres to the regulations.

**Key Insights and Perspectives**

* The sprint qualifying format provided an exciting addition to the weekend, offering a unique format for determining the grid for the main race.
* The wet weather conditions added an element of unpredictability to the race, leading to several incidents and retirements.
* The collision between Sainz and Piastri highlighted the difficulty in determining fault in racing incidents, with both drivers holding different perspectives on the matter.
* The return of the Australian Grand Prix was a positive development for Formula One, bringing the sport to a new audience and providing a thrilling race.
* Ferrari's strong performance at Spa suggests that they are genuine contenders for the championship, while Mercedes' improved pace indicates that they may be able to challenge for race wins in the second half of the season.
* The ongoing debate over the legality of the Red Bull car's design could have significant implications for the championship battle, as it could potentially lead to penalties or even disqualification for the team.

**Controversies and Particularly Insightful Moments**

* The collision between Sainz and Piastri sparked a heated debate among fans and pundits, with strong opinions on both sides regarding who was at fault.
* The legality of the Red Bull car's design has been a contentious issue throughout the season, with several teams expressing concerns about its compliance with the regulations.

**Overall Message and Takeaway**

The Belgian Grand Prix weekend provided plenty of drama and excitement, with the sprint qualifying format, challenging weather conditions, and several notable incidents keeping fans engaged throughout. The return of the Australian Grand Prix was a welcome addition to the calendar, and the strong performances from Ferrari and Mercedes suggest that the championship battle is far from over. However, the ongoing controversy surrounding the legality of the Red Bull car's design could potentially overshadow the remainder of the season and have a significant impact on the outcome of the championship. # Missed Apex Podcast Episode 81: Belgian Grand Prix Review

## Episode Summary

In this episode of the Missed Apex Podcast, hosts Spanners, Matt, Chris Stevens, and Kristian Pedersen provide an in-depth analysis of the Belgian Grand Prix. They discuss the unpredictable weather conditions, controversial penalties, and the overall performances of the drivers and teams.

## Key Points and Arguments

- **Wet Weather Strategies:** The podcasters highlight the strategic decisions made by teams and drivers in response to the changing weather conditions. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using wet tires versus intermediate tires, and how these choices impacted the race outcomes.

- **Controversial Penalties:** The panel examines the penalties imposed during the race, particularly the penalty given to Lewis Hamilton for a collision with Sergio Perez. They debate the fairness of the penalty and whether it was justified based on the circumstances of the incident.

- **Driver Performances:** The hosts analyze the performances of individual drivers, focusing on Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, and Lewis Hamilton. They discuss Verstappen's dominant victory, Perez's struggles, and Hamilton's recovery drive after receiving a grid penalty.

- **Team Strategies:** The podcasters evaluate the strategies employed by the different teams, including Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari. They discuss the effectiveness of these strategies and how they contributed to the final race results.

- **Midfield Battle:** The panel also delves into the intense midfield battle, highlighting the performances of drivers such as Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, and George Russell. They discuss the impact of the midfield battle on the overall excitement and competitiveness of the race.

## Notable Quotes

- "It was a bit long, but I enjoyed it." - Spanners, on the lengthy debate about the Hamilton-Perez penalty.

- "I think it's ruining Formula One, basically." - Christian Pedersen, on the increasing use of VAR and the penalization of consequences over actual incidents.

- "It's the same as saying, okay, you overtake a car, here's a black and white flag." - Christian Pedersen, comparing the penalty system to a simplistic black-and-white approach.

- "I think there's 10 drivers on the grid have that moment and end up in the wall." - Matt, emphasizing the difficulty of Verstappen's save at Eau Rouge.

- "This weekend there was a marked change and I have to say, like Chris, you know I'm not a Verstappen fan. But everything about his social media, his bounce, his spring in his step, every interview, there was a wink and a smile. He was charming." - Matt, on Verstappen's positive attitude and demeanor during the race weekend.

## Overall Message

The overall message of the podcast is that the Belgian Grand Prix was a thrilling and unpredictable race, characterized by strategic decisions, controversial penalties, and impressive driver performances. The podcasters provide a comprehensive analysis of the race, offering insights into the challenges faced by the drivers and teams, and the factors that contributed to the final results. **Summary of the Missed Apex Podcast Episode on the Belgian Grand Prix**

**Key Insights, Perspectives, and Controversies:**

* **Controversy surrounding Sergio Perez's aggressive driving:**
* Perez's maneuvers were widely criticized as being overly aggressive and potentially dangerous.
* Some commentators felt that Perez's actions were justified given his position in the race and the need to make up ground.
* Others argued that Perez's driving was reckless and put other drivers at unnecessary risk.

* **Ferrari's resurgence:**
* Ferrari showed strong pace and competitiveness at Spa, with Charles Leclerc taking pole position and finishing second in the race.
* This performance marked a significant improvement for Ferrari, which had struggled for much of the season.
* Some experts believe that Ferrari's resurgence may be a sign of things to come and that the team could challenge for the championship in the remaining races.

* **Mercedes' struggles:**
* Mercedes continued to struggle for pace and competitiveness at Spa, with Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth and George Russell finishing sixth.
* This result was particularly disappointing for Mercedes, given that the team had brought a significant number of upgrades to its car for the race.
* Some analysts believe that Mercedes may need to make more fundamental changes to its car in order to be competitive with Red Bull and Ferrari.

* **McLaren's mixed weekend:**
* McLaren had a strong start to the weekend, with Lando Norris qualifying in the top three and showing good pace in the sprint race.
* However, the team's performance dropped off in the main race, with Norris finishing seventh and Daniel Ricciardo finishing 15th.
* Some experts believe that McLaren's struggles in the race were due to the team's decision to run a high-downforce setup, which was not ideal for the dry conditions.

* **Aston Martin's inconsistent performance:**
* Aston Martin had a mixed weekend at Spa, with Sebastian Vettel finishing eighth and Lance Stroll finishing 10th.
* Vettel's performance was particularly impressive, given that he had started the race from the back of the grid due to a penalty.
* However, Stroll's result was disappointing, as he had been running in the top five for much of the race before making a mistake and dropping down the order.

* **Daniel Ricciardo's struggles:**
* Ricciardo had a difficult weekend at Spa, finishing 15th in the race.
* This result continued a disappointing season for Ricciardo, who has struggled to adapt to the McLaren car.
* Some experts believe that Ricciardo may need to consider a move to another team in order to revive his career.

**Important Quotes and Statements:**

* "Sergio is having to think his way around making these tires work, making this car work, and Max does not. It's that simple." - Matt

* "It was really surprising to me was the fact that the Mercedes still couldn't seem to match the race pace. Like even their tire deg was worse than what the Ferrari is, which is supposedly, you know, terrible." - Christian

* "I think for me as well, putting it on the front row and ending up on pole for sure helped. But what was really surprising to me was the fact that the Mercedes still couldn't seem to match the race pace." - Kristian

* "I have nothing to add to that, Matt. I agree. You have left Christian speechless." - Chris

* "It was good to see Ferrari, as you say, back up at the front." - Christian

* "I think Alonso absolutely lucked into his result because everybody who he passed was absolutely scuppered by Piastri coming out of turn one." - Matt

* "Norris, for instance, he was just nowhere. Then, at one point, Alonso pitted and came out of the same spot. I mean, sometimes I just couldn't follow with all the times and all, but eventually I think it was a really, really grown-up drive from Lando Norris, this one." - Matt

* "This is the thing, he was so fast. He made up all that time he lost because he put him on the right tire at the right time." - Matt

* "Aston Martin made the kind of opposite choice and were a little bit flattered today when you look at the scheme of the overall pace." - Matt

* "But for Mercedes, I'm impressed. They were nowhere. They brought a beast back to a car that can't take it, can't fully go where they want it to go to work, and they continue to bring things that make the car faster." - Matt

* "I think they still struggle in the high speed on the straights, but I have every certainty that they will continue to whittle that down and be even more competitive as the season carries on." - Matt

* "Mercedes, I think they had a rough weekend in Hungary and I was quite critical in the Hungarian Grand Prix race review. There's still some things like throughout the course of the weekend here where the communication to the drivers didn't seem good." - Chris

* "I think when they get it together, they could easily come back and dominate that second best car spot." - Chris

* "I completely agree. I think there have been too many operational errors from Mercedes so far this season and that's what has been hurting them more I think because the car is the car at this point." - Chris

* "They really just have to make the best out of what they've got and we're seeing all these errors that are creeping in that you didn't see when they were dominating." - Chris

* "But I like how you don't see any bad publicity, any bad PR when you have a thing like Hamilton and Russell doing a thing in SQ3." - Matt

* "It's so far off that they finished third on Saturday and Alcon came from 14th and finished 8th. Organizationally, not like, okay, so look, if you want to point to results, you're good at this, but if you want to point to like, yes, a weekend where there was, there was lots of teams with different approaches to the weekend, which mixed things up a bit, fine. It wasn't a disaster. And again, Matt, I feel like this has always been our argument when it comes to Renault slash Alpine, which is that your bar for success for them is a lot lower than mine." - Chris

* "This is a works team with one of the biggest car manufacturers in the universe. They should be way, way higher, but for their lack of commitment organizationally, this has now been exposed as a disaster." - Matt

* "But the reality is, the problem here, I don't think, is the Formula One team. I think the problem here is Viri. I think it's their power unit, and I think it's the people running it, and I think it's the inability of the people running it to actually get their act together and properly work with the Formula One team to make a car that would really be competitive." - Matt

* "So Renault as an engine manufacturer, power unit supplier, whatever, has produced an underpowered engine slash power unit since the dawn of time." - Matt

* "I don't know if anyone heard the interview with the new, what's his role? I think he's Fabian's interim team principal." - Matt

* "Bruno Famin. He's the new team principal. He's the new Otmar, right? That was, I don't think I've in the last 10 years heard anyone say anything that sounded the alarms more than what he said." - Chris

* "You can't remove Alan Perlman and Ottmar and Pat Fry from the same team. I mean, their five-year plan can start in a couple of years when the team has gotten its form again. And that's seven years from now." - Chris

* "I just find it so amateurish that not from the Formula One team side, but from the CEO boardroom kind of side." - Matt

* "The engine problems are coming from inside the factory." - Matt

* "Russell really has had a nightmare this weekend. Well done for rallying back and getting it together. But the gap in pace, the gap in ability is starting to stretch out to the point where I'm starting to suspect that they've developed towards Lewis Hamilton's demands." - Matt

* "So in slight defence of Russell, he was on the higher downforce set up which I think we can all agree was the wrong way to go." - Chris

**Awards:**

* **Driver of the Day:** Charles Leclerc
* **Overtake of the Race:** Fernando Alonso on Esteban Ocon
* **Team of the Day:** Ferrari
* **Disappointment of the Day:** Mercedes
* **Controversy of the Day:** Sergio Perez's aggressive driving - **Missed Apex Belgian Grand Prix Podcast Highlights:**

- **Christian "Comms" Stevens and Danish TV journalist Kristian "Chaos" Pedersen join the podcast.**

- **The trio discusses the wild weather, Red Bull's dominance, and the midfield maelstrom at the Belgian Grand Prix.**

- **Key Takeaways:**

- **Lewis Hamilton's struggles continue, leading to speculation that Mercedes' development direction may have moved away from his preferences.**

- **Aston Martin had a mixed weekend, with both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll crashing during qualifying.**

- **Yuki Tsunoda secured a surprise victory for Alpha Tauri, while Daniel Ricciardo showed promising signs of improvement at McLaren.**

- **Sergio Perez joins Max Verstappen on the podium, with Ferrari securing a rare third place finish.**

- **The Formula One TV Pro crew is praised for their professionalism and dedication.**

- **Alpine's handling of the Piastri-Ocon driver situation is criticized as a "disaster."**

- **Haas' underwhelming performance raises questions about Kevin Magnussen's future with the team.**

- **Nick DeVries' impressive performance in the Williams is acknowledged, but the hosts refrain from making jokes due to the recent death of his father.**

- **Overall Message:**

- **The Belgian Grand Prix provided excitement and drama, with several teams and drivers making headlines for both positive and negative reasons.** ## Missed Apex Belgian Grand Prix Review

### Race Recap and Analysis

- The Belgian Grand Prix was held in wet conditions, leading to a chaotic and unpredictable race.
- Max Verstappen dominated the race, winning by over 17 seconds despite starting from 14th on the grid.
- Sergio Perez finished second, followed by Carlos Sainz Jr. in third.
- George Russell, Fernando Alonso, and Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top six.
- Several drivers, including Lando Norris and Sebastian Vettel, crashed out of the race due to the wet conditions.

### Team Performances

- Red Bull Racing continued their dominance, with Verstappen and Perez securing a 1-2 finish.
- Ferrari struggled in the wet conditions, with Sainz Jr. the only driver to finish in the top three.
- Mercedes showed improved pace, with Russell and Hamilton finishing in the top six.
- McLaren had a disappointing race, with Norris crashing out and Daniel Ricciardo finishing outside the points.
- Aston Martin also had a poor weekend, with both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso crashing out.

### Missed Apex Awards

- **Missed Apex of the Race:** Aston Martin's pit call to send Lance Stroll out on slick tires in changing conditions, which resulted in him crashing out of the race.
- **Missed Apex Team of the Race:** Red Bull Racing for their dominant performance in the wet conditions.
- **Missed Apex Driver of the Race:** Max Verstappen for his commanding victory from 14th on the grid.

### Overall

- The Belgian Grand Prix was a thrilling and unpredictable race, with Verstappen taking a dominant victory in wet conditions.
- Red Bull Racing continued their dominance, while Ferrari and Mercedes showed mixed results.
- Several teams and drivers had disappointing weekends, including McLaren and Aston Martin.