After a four-week hiatus, Formula One action returns with a bang this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix. All eyes will be on defending champion Lewis Hamilton as he looks to consolidate his 21-point advantage at the top of the driver’s standings.
Can the Mercedes driver continue his dominance at Spa? Or will another driver spoil his party this coming weekend? Read on below for a complete preview of this much-anticipated 44-lap race. While you’re at it, you can check out our feature article on Lewis Hamilton as we list the top five reasons why he won’t win the Belgian Grand Prix this coming Sunday.
[sc:MultiSportArticles ]
2015 Belgian Grand Prix Preview
Favorites
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
[sc:Other240banner ]Lewis Hamilton may have struggled last month at Hungaroring, but he is still the odds-on favorite to win the Belgian Grand Prix this coming weekend. Even though he finished a disappointing sixth at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the British star remained on top of the Formula One Driver Standings with 202 points.
The two-time Formula One champion has been superb for Mercedes this year, clinching a podium place in nine out of the 10 races thus far this season. He will fancy his chances of extending that incredible form this coming Sunday as he has fared extremely well at Spa in the past. He won the Belgian Grand Prix back in 2010.
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
Lewis Hamilton may be the favorite to win the Belgian Grand Prix, but you can never count out Nico Rosberg from making a run at the title this coming weekend. He is currently second in the Formula One Driver Standings with 181 points, just 21 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton. The German driver already has three race victories this year, capturing Grand Prix wins at Spain, Monaco and Austria. He also finished second in last year’s Belgian Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Rounding up our list of favorites for the Belgian Grand Prix is four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel. The Ferrari driver is currently third in the Driver’s Championship with 160 points to his name. He’s the only non-Mercedes driver to grab a race victory this year, capturing the Malaysian and Hungarian Grand Prix this season. Vettel has been pretty consistent for Ferrari this campaign, finishing in the top 5 in all 10 races this year. He has two Belgian Grand Prix wins in his career.
Sleepers – Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas (Williams)
One team that has been a definite surprise this Formula One season is Williams. Led by drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, they are currently third in the Constructor’s championship with 151 points to their name. They have been in outstanding form of late, scoring a total of 70 points in the last four rounds. Massa captured the Belgian Grand Prix back in 2008, while Bottas’ best finish in this event came here last year when he ended up in third place.
Long Shot – Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
It has been a disappointing season thus far for Australian Daniel Ricciardo who’s currently in seventh place in the Driver’s championship with a measly 51 points. Quite surprisingly, the Red Bull driver still has no race victories this year. If there’s one place, though, that can kick start Ricciardo’s dismal Formula One campaign, it’s got to be Spa. He won the Belgian Grand Prix in spectacular fashion last year, overcoming a fifth-place start to record his second consecutive Grand Prix victory. He’s fresh off a third-place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix, his first podium finish for Red Bull this year.
