Reuters
Spa-Franchorchamps, August 23: Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix from pole position here Sunday to stretch his lead over Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg to 28 points with eight races remaining.
Rosberg finished 2.0 seconds behind the Briton, in a dry race despite teams anxiously studying weather maps for approaching rain in the final stages, to complete Mercedes’ seventh one-two in 11 races.
The two collided at Spa last year, with Hamilton having to retire, but the risk of that happening again receded when Rosberg made a slow getaway off the front row.
France’s Romain Grosjean took an emotional third place for Lotus after Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, in his 150th race and the team’s 900th, suffered a right rear tire blowout on the penultimate lap.
Russian Daniil Kvyat finished fourth for Red Bull after a late charge through the field with Mexican Sergio Perez, who had stormed into second place at the start, finishing fifth for Force India.
Brazilian Felipe Massa was sixth for Williams, with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen seventh after starting in 16th place, and 17-year-old Belgian-born Dutchman Max Verstappen eighth for Toro Rosso.
Hamilton has now won six races this season, and 39 in his Formula One career. The double champion has 227 points to Rosberg’s 199 and Sunday was also his 80th podium appearance, equaling the achievement of boyhood hero and late triple world champion Ayrton Senna.
Best finish for FI
Spa-Franchorchamps: Force India driver Sergio Perez drove a brilliant race to end in fifth position and bring home 10 points. Perez had a fantastic start, jumping into second spot by Turn 1 from his starting position of five. Midway through Lap 1 he challenged race leader Lewis Hamilton and also went into the lead for a few seconds before giving the position away during a tough fight with the Mercedes driver.