Belgian Grand Prix (2014): RESULT

It’s a Mercedes front row for the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, but it’s Rosberg on pole after Hamilton had a patchy qualifying. Can Hamilton win in Spa?

Qualifying for the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix saw the Mercedes cars of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton capture the front row, and do so with a couple of seconds to spare over the rest of the field. So the race would be all about the battle between Rosberg and Hamilton. Wouldn’t it?

In fact it was – as the battle between the two Mercedes drivers dictated the result – but not in the way you’d expect.

In fact, on lap two, Rosberg ran in to Hamilton – who’d taken the lead from the start – puncturing Lewis’s rear left tyre and damaging his own front wing in a careless, and stupid, attempt to make a pass when it was really unnecessary.

Hamilton had a long way to get back to the pits with a flat tyre, and the damage to his car’s floor that treck inflicted compromised the rest of his race and he retired with five laps to go.

Rosberg carried on after the coming together, but had to stop on lap eight after his lack of downforce caused by the accident saw his tyre wear compromised, during which Ricciardo who’d passed Vettel for second just before, took the lead.

Ricciardo controlled the race after that, but in the closing laps Rosberg stopped for new tyres and started to haul the Australian in.

But Rosberg couldn’t make up a 20 second deficit and ended up in second spot, followed by Bottas in the Williams, Raikkonen in the Ferrari – a good drive for Kimi – Vettel in fifth, Magnusson and Button in the McLarens, Alonso’s Ferrari in eight, Perez in the Force India n ninth and Daniil Kvyat in the Toro Rosso completed the points places.

But the memorable story from Spa 2014 will be the stupidity of Nico Rosberg and the clear anger of Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda at his actions.

What that will mean for the Mercedes team remains to be seen, but the reality is that Hamilton is now 29 points behind Rosberg with seven races left.

Perhaps Mercedes should ‘rest’ Rosberg for a race to compensate?