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5 Winners and 5 Losers from Belgium – Who ended the first half of the year on a high? Here is a summary of the article: George Russell won the Belgian Grand Prix but was disqualified due to a regulation infringement. Despite being on a one-stop strategy, Russell led with 34 laps on the same tyres while holding off teammate Lewis Hamilton on fresher rubber. The disqualification cost Russell his second victory of the season and third career win, also preventing Mercedes from achieving their second one-two finish in four years.. Source: Formula 1

EXCLUSIVE: Late nights, secret meetings and colossal contracts – James Vowles on how he signed Carlos Sainz: James Vowles, Team Principal of Williams, has signed Carlos Sainz from Ferrari alongside Alex Albon on a multi-year deal after an eight-month pursuit. Vowles identified Sainz as his top choice early on, recognizing him as the best driver for the job in Williams' rebuild under new management. This signing marks a significant move for the team, which is led by ex-Mercedes man Vowles and aims to turn around its performance and dominate the championship again. The deal was discussed with Sainz's family at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix...png) Source: Formula 1

‘Waiting was exactly the right thing to do’: Why Sainz took his time, then chose Williams Here is a summary of the article about Formula 1: Carlos Sainz Jr has announced that he will leave Ferrari to join Williams Racing in 2024, despite being courted by other teams such as Sauber and Alpine. Team principal Frederic Vasseur welcomed Sainz with praise for the team's history and legacy. The move comes after a six-month delay, causing frustration among rival drivers looking for drives next year. Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas' manager is still waiting to confirm his driver's future due to the complex situation in the Formula 1 market, but expects him to join a team other than Williams, citing their lack of significant updates and points scored this season. Sebastian Vettel has hinted at joining Aston Martin F1 team, confirming his signing with them just 24 hours later.. Source: Race Fans

Perez will remain Verstappen’s team mate, Horner tells Red Bull staff Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has reassured staff that Sergio Perez will continue to drive for the team after the summer break, despite recent poor performances. Perez's contract was extended in June to take him into next season, but he has failed to score points in three of the last five races. However, Perez scored two seventh-place finishes, including one from a front-row start at Spa-Francorchamps. Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko criticized Perez's performance, saying he "completely collapsed" in the final stint. Despite this, Perez made a strategic pit stop that helped protect teammate Max Verstappen from Lando Norris behind him. Horner has indicated that Perez will remain at the team until the end of the season, while Perez himself has dismissed suggestions his place is in danger and expressed confidence in the team's ability to improve their performance after the summer break.. Source: Race Fans

Revised F1 World Championship standings after the 2024 Belgian GP Here is a summary of the article: The Belgian Grand Prix has had significant implications for the 2024 F1 World Championship standings. Despite a 1-2 finish for Mercedes, Ferrari remains in third place with 23 points, now 79 points ahead of Mercedes (19). Max Verstappen extended his lead over Lando Norris due to Norris' costly mistake at the first corner, and Red Bull's advantage over McLaren decreased from 93 points to 42. George Russell's disqualification dropped him to eighth place and he is now 34 points behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Sergio Perez fell from second to seventh and is now 146 points behind Verstappen. Oscar Piastri scored 80 points over the last four events to move into fourth place. Red Bull leads McLaren by 42 points, with Ferrari in third.. Source: Motorsport

Sergio Perez to remain with Red Bull after crunch F1 talks Sergio Perez will remain Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull Racing after the summer break, despite struggling with performance since May. A team meeting on Monday decided that Perez will continue driving for the team in 2024, confirming rumors of him being replaced have been dismissed.. Source: Motorsport

Red Bull decides not to drop Perez mid-season Sergio Perez will remain with Red Bull Racing after a meeting between Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, despite his poor form in recent races. Perez has scored only 28 points in the last eight races, raising doubts among Red Bull's F1 chiefs about keeping him. The team evaluated potential replacements, including Liam Lawson and Daniel Ricciardo, but decided to stick with Perez. Carlos Sainz signed a multi-year contract with Williams on Monday, ending his chances of replacing Sergio Pérez in 2025. Red Bull Racing was hesitant to reunite Sainz and Max Verstappen due to concerns about their team dynamic.. Source: The Race

Williams pledge support for Sargeant but his F1 future looks doubtful The Williams F1 team has announced that Carlos Sainz Jr will replace Logan Sargeant in 2025, leaving Sargeant's future uncertain. This decision was made due to Sargeant's underwhelming performance, failing to out-qualify his teammate for a grand prix and contributing to the team's repair bill. Despite Williams offering support to find a new team for Sargeant, his prospects appear slim given the availability of more experienced drivers.. Source: Race Fans

Sainz acquisition a signal of Williams' ambition - Vowles Here is a summary of the article: Williams has signed Carlos Sainz on a multi-year contract starting from 2025, replacing Logan Sargeant next season. Sainz chose Williams over Alpine and Audi's future F1 project after deliberating for months. Team principal James Vowles believes Sainz will bring experience, performance, and determination to the team, making him an ideal addition. The signing means Sargeant will be replaced, but Williams will provide support for his continued racing career. The arrival of Sainz is seen as a sign of the team's ambition and progress in regaining competitiveness, complementing the existing lineup with Alex Albon.. Source: Racer

Sainz rejection embarrassing for already-troubled Audi F1 team Audi's failure to sign Carlos Sainz from Ferrari is a significant blow, highlighting its challenges in Formula 1. Despite having an in-house engine program and financial backing, Audi was unable to secure Sainz's signature, with Williams eventually convincing him to join their team instead. Audi's options are limited to Sauber or Williams, with Sauber struggling on the track and Williams having a clear plan for improvement. The surprise appointment of Andreas Seidl as leader of Sauber F1 team may not have been enough to convince Sainz to join them, while Williams' head Jost Vowles gave a convincing sales pitch, making it more attractive to Sainz. Audi is now considering withdrawing from Formula 1 due to financial concerns, adding pressure on new Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto.. Source: The Race

ANALYSIS: How Williams won out over Sauber and Alpine to secure Carlos Sainz – and what it means for the rest of the driver market Carlos Sainz has agreed to drive for Williams in 2025, opting for the British team over other offers from Sauber/Audi and Alpine. Initially, he had several options, including seats at top teams like Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Haas, but doors closed as drivers re-signed or teams made their choices. With no immediate chance to win or regularly challenge for podiums at the remaining options, Sainz chose Williams due to its rebuild project led by James Vowles, which he believes offers a more promising future...png) Source: Formula 1

Carlos Sainz to race for Williams F1 team in 2025 and beyond Carlos Sainz will leave Ferrari at the end of the 2025 season and join Williams for the 2026 Formula 1 season. The decision comes after Ferrari signed Lewis Hamilton to drive alongside Charles Leclerc, making it clear that Sainz would not be staying with the team. Sainz had initially considered a move to Alpine but ultimately chose Williams after deliberating over his next career step. Despite initial doubts about the viability of the deal, Williams' boss James Vowles confirmed Sainz's signing after the Belgian Grand Prix, expressing confidence in securing his services for the 2026 season.. Source: Motorsport

Sainz finally picks Williams on two-year post-Ferrari F1 deal Carlos Sainz will join the Williams Formula 1 team in 2025 on a two-year agreement with options to extend, replacing Logan Sargeant who is expected to pursue a career in IndyCar. Sainz chose Williams over rival interest from Alpine and the soon-to-be-Audi Sauber team, despite being courted by Alpine with the prospect of customer Mercedes engines in 2026. This move solidifies Williams' driver lineup for next season alongside Alex Albon, marking a significant statement of intent from the team.. Source: The Race

Why other top teams slept on Russell's Spa one-stopper Here's the summary: The 2022 Belgian Grand Prix saw an unexpected one-stop strategy employed by Mercedes driver George Russell, leading to his victory. Russell's teammate Lewis Hamilton questioned why he wasn't given a similar strategy, but only Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso followed suit in the top 10. The unpredictable weather and limited dry-weather running caught teams and Pirelli off guard, making the hard compound tire show minimal degradation and allowing for one-stop strategies. This led to overtaking being harder than expected, with track position becoming crucial for success. Despite some drivers having fresher tires, they struggled to overtake rivals ahead of them. Russell's riskier approach was attributed to his lack of pressure in the constructors' championship battle, while teams like McLaren and Ferrari opted for more conventional strategies due to concerns about getting undercut or limited tire options. The race outcome has led to a review of team strategies, with Mercedes scoring higher than Red Bull despite being 42 points behind in the constructors' championship.. Source: Motorsport

Stella: Piastri Belgian GP pitstop error "costly" in F1 victory charge McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes Oscar Piastri's mistake during the final pitstop at the Belgian Grand Prix cost him a potential win. Piastri overshot his pitbox, losing around 1.5-2 seconds, which proved "costly" in his pursuit of victory. Despite being on pace with the leaders throughout the race, Piastri was unable to catch Charles Leclerc's Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes due to the mistake. The error also meant he arrived at the back of Hamilton's car with more worn-out tyres, making it harder to overtake.. Source: Motorsport

Mercedes suspects loss of rubber a factor in Russell DSQ Mercedes driver George Russell was disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix due to his car being underweight by 1.5kg. He had won the race with a thrilling finish, holding off Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri. The disqualification means that Hamilton inherits the victory, his 105th win in Formula 1. Mercedes attributes the issue to the loss of rubber weight from Russell's tires during the one-stop strategy, which will be thoroughly investigated. Despite the disappointment, Mercedes' trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin praised the team's overall performance, considering it a positive despite a challenging start to the weekend.. Source: Racer

Verstappen seeing positives despite missing out on podium in Belgium Here is a summary of the article: Max Verstappen secured a fourth-place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix despite starting from eleventh due to a grid penalty. He faced challenges in overtaking other cars because of traffic and limited use of DRS (Drag Reduction System). Following George Russell's disqualification, Verstappen was promoted to fourth place. Instead of targeting rival drivers for the championship, Verstappen focused on maintaining distance from Lando Norris, his closest challenger, who started ahead of him. Although teammate Sergio Perez dropped to seventh, Verstappen did not request assistance in recovering positions as he prioritized his own race. Red Bull Racing successfully managed performance and limited damage to help Verstappen extend his championship lead despite not having the fastest car.. Source: Racer

What’s at stake for Red Bull as Perez F1 decision looms Sergio Pérez's position at Red Bull Racing is uncertain due to a string of poor performances, threatening the team's lead in the constructors' championship. Pérez's struggles have allowed McLaren to close the gap to just 42 points. Team bosses Christian Horner and Helmut Marko will discuss on Monday whether Pérez will be given another 10 races to improve or replaced by another driver. The decision is urgent due to the upcoming summer shutdown, which would leave limited time to introduce a new driver before the next race. Potential replacements include Daniel Ricciardo and reserve driver Liam Lawson, with tests planned in AlphaTauri's 2022 car to assess their abilities. Pérez has recently been signed to a two-year deal, but his inconsistent performance has raised doubts about his future in the team.. Source: Motorsport

EXPLAINED: Why George Russell was disqualified and stripped of Belgian Grand Prix victory, the rule that was broken and how it could have happened George Russell won the Belgian Grand Prix in Formula 1, but his victory was later taken away due to an irregularity with the fuel weight of his car. According to a Technical Delegate's report, the team failed to follow the correct procedure for draining fuel from the car during the race, resulting in 2.8 liters being removed. This violation of TR Article 6.5.2 led to Russell's disqualification and the loss of his win...jpg) Source: Formula 1

Hamilton says car now feels “fully under control – I’ve not had that for years” Lewis Hamilton won the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix after his teammate George Russell was disqualified due to an underweight car. Hamilton credited Mercedes' improvements in handling after a poor practice session on Friday, saying it felt "night and day different" in the race. The team had tested a new floor design on Friday but reverted back to the original due to balance issues. Russell acknowledged significant changes were made after Friday's practice, though they didn't fully resolve the issue; he is confident that Mercedes will have a better setup for the next race at Zandvoort.. Source: Race Fans