Share

Horror F1 crashes, drinking from a shoe - 5 incredible Belgian GP moments

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium - Following the traditional northern Summer break, Formula 1 teams resumed racing action at the Spa-Fracorchamps - the notorious 7km race track in Belgium.

The race at Spa was tipped to be yet another Mercedes-dominated GP, with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg battling for the title.

As racing resumed in Spa, it became evident that these two drivers will not be involved in any wheel-to-wheel racing on the track as Hamilton received several engine penalties, prompting him to start from the back of the grid.

When the checquered flag dropped, it was Rosberg who cruised to victory with a very comfortable 14-second lead ahead of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Hamilton in third.

Check out our top 5 moments from the Belgian GP:

1 Rosberg win blighted by booing crowd

The 2016 Belgian GP was tipped to be yet another Mercedes victory. Since Hamilton was penalised, Rosberg was perfectly placed to win the race and claw back for the fight of the title lead. Avoiding a first-corner incident that eliminated both Ferraris and Ricciardo's team mate Max Verstappen, Rosberg dominated the race and is poised to reclaim the Drivers' Championship lead.

READ: As it happened: Belgian GP

Rosberg's drive en route to his first victory at Spa was blighted by a rowdy crowd supporting Verstappen. Verstappen's home nation of Netherlands borders Belgium and hundreds of fans flocked over to see their hero in action. When Rosberg appeared on the podium the crowd booed and jeered. Fortunately, Rosberg shut down the offending crowd by stating that Verstappen is still young and that he will eventually grab a victory at Spa.

It silenced the crowd; if only for a very brief moment.

2 Raikkonen suffers literal blows

This was disastrous, to say the least! With both Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel starting on the second row on the grid, Ferrari was ideally positioned to retake second from Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship. When the lights went out both Ferrari drivers made great starts, but approaching the first corner it was clear that something was about to ruin their race.

READ: Raikkonen's former engineer - Kimi deserves 2017 seat

Raikkonen sped down the start/finish straight, with Verstappen to his right and Vettel to his left. Verstappen, albeit on the inside lane, exceeded track limits as he forced his way on Raikkonen's inside. Raikkonen, trying to avoid contact, delayed his turn-in, which led to the already-turning Vettel hitting Raikkonen's car, who then made contact with the overzealous Verstappen.

READ: 'Max needs a psychiatrist' - F1 world blasts Verstappen

Commentator Martin Brundle said: "It's not Raikkonen's fault because he had no option. And Verstappen is pushing his luck."

3 From last to third

He may have started the 2016 season on the back foot but Lewis Hamilton is clearly a class above the rest. Whether or not you agree with his lifestyle off-track, throughout this season he has made an incredible comeback.

READ: Rosberg closes gap in title race, yet Hamilton seems happier

Starting from last on the grid, Hamilton drove valiantly to finish in a very commendable third place - his 97th career podium. When drivers crashed ahead of him (read: points two and four), he avoided contact and stuck to his guns to minimise the points damage to Rosberg in the title race. Fans, pundits and critics hailed Hamilton the driver of the day and why wouldn't they? At the moment, bar penalties, he appears to be unstoppable!

4 Magnussen limps away from 300km/h crash

Renault's Kevin Magnussen became the latest victim of the infamous Eu Rouge corner. Dipping downhill, where drivers can reach speeds in excess of 300km/h on the exit of the hill, Magnussen lost control of his Renault, causing the Dane to crash into race barriers.

READ: Magnussen ready for Monza despite Spa crash

It was another sign of the advances F1 has made in terms of safety as despite the horrendous crash, Magnussen limped away from what could've been a deadly collision.

Magnussen was taken to hospital for checkups and posed a tweet for worrying fans:

Watch Magnussen's crash below:

5 Mark Webber drank from what?!

Former Red Bull driver Mark Webber, conducting podium interviews, was pleased to see fellow-Australian Ricciardo achieve second place. The two shared some some banter, saying how proud they're making Australia because there are now "two Australians on the F1 podium".

But then things took a strange turn as Webber proceeded to drink from Ricciardo's shoe. It's cringe-worthy, disgusting yet  absolutely glorious to perform on a race podium. Cheers!

A video posted by @igsybrownbear on


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()