F1 Team Form: Belgian Grand Prix

Red Bull have been victorious in each of the last three races at Spa Francorchamps. They, Mercedes and Ferrari have shared the last 11 poles and wins at the track. Here’s everything you need to know about each team’s history at the Belgian Grand Prix!

RED BULL

WINS: 6, POLES: 3, PODIUMS: 16 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: VERSTAPPEN 1st, PEREZ 2nd

Red Bull have taken six victories at the Belgian Grand Prix, and have finished on the podium in all but two of the last 15 years at Spa. 2015 and 2019 are the two years that Red Bull have missed out on the podium at the circuit in that timeframe; with Daniil Kvyat finishing fourth in 2015 and Alex Albon finishing fifth on his Red Bull debut in 2019.

In 2023, Red Bull recorded their third 1-2 finish at Spa. It was their second successive 1-2 at the track, with 2022 marking the team’s first here since 2011.

Red Bull have recorded four DNFs in the past nine years at the Belgian Grand Prix – two for Daniel Ricciardo in 2015 and 2018, and two for Max Verstappen in 2017 and 2019.

2020 marked the first time since 2016 that both Red Bull drivers reached the end of the Belgian Grand Prix, as well as the first time since 2014 that both drivers scored.

The team’s first race here in 2005 is the only occasion on which neither driver has picked up points.

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, 2018 Belgian Grand Prix. Image: © Andrew Balfour.
Image: © Andrew Balfour

2005 is the only time neither Red Bull driver has qualified in the top ten at Spa. Red Bull have taken three poles at the Belgian Grand Prix, in 2010, 2011 and 2021.

Max Verstappen set the fastest time in qualifying in both 2022 and 2023 but grid penalties demoted him to 14th on the grid in 2022 and 6th in 2023 – both positions from which he won. Sergio Perez has started from the front row as a result of Verstappen’s penalties in the last two years. The team also qualified on the front row on two further occasions, in 2013 and 2016.

Red Bull have never been eliminated in Q1 at this circuit, and have had only five Q2 exits. Their most recent Q2 exit at the track came in 2019, when Alex Albon did not progress to Q3 as he was due to start from the back of the grid. 2020 marked the first time both Red Bull drivers qualified in the top six at Spa since 2016.

MERCEDES

WINS: 5, POLES: 7, PODIUMS: 15 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: HAMILTON 4th, RUSSELL 6th

Mercedes took a 1-2 finish on their only visit to Spa-Francorchamps during their first stint in the sport. On their first appearance since 1955, Mercedes scored with both drivers – something which has happened more often than not in every Belgian Grand Prix appearance since.

Michael Schumacher’s 11th place finish in 2012, Lewis Hamilton’s retirements in 2014 & 2022 and Valtteri Bottas’ 12th place in 2021 are the only occasions on which a Mercedes driver has failed to score points here.

For the first time since 2012, neither Mercedes driver finished on the podium at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2022. Their drivers finished fourth and sixth in 2023.

The team have recorded two 1-2 finishes here – in 2015 and 2020. 2016 and 2019 are the only other times that both Mercedes cars have finished on the podium together.

Mercedes at the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix. Image: © Andrew Balfour.
Image: © Andrew Balfour

Mercedes took six consecutive poles at the circuit between 2013 and 2018, but that run came to an end in 2019 with neither Mercedes driver qualifying on the front row. They locked-out the front row once again in 2020, having previously done so in 2014 and 2015.

The team have failed to reach Q3 only once in the last ten years at the circuit. The time they missed out was in 2016, when Lewis Hamilton was forced to start from the back due to engine penalties; though that didn’t stop him from finishing the race on the podium.

FERRARI

WINS: 14, POLES: 12, PODIUMS: 41 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: LECLERC 3rd, SAINZ DNF

Ferrari have won 14 times at Spa Francorchamps, the most wins of any team at the circuit, taking their most recent victories here back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. 2020 marked the first time since their double DNF in 1998 that Ferrari failed to score at the Belgian Grand Prix, with Sebastian Vettel finishing 13th and Charles Leclerc 14th. The team suffered at least one retirement at the circuit in every year between 1987 and 1998.

Ferrari have had 41 top three finishes at the circuit, but in the last 14 seasons, the team has had only six podium visits at the circuit. Fernando Alonso finished as runner-up in 2013, as did Sebastian Vettel in 2017 before going on to win in 2018, and Charles Leclerc was victorious in 2019. Carlos Sainz recorded the team’s first podium here since 2019 in 2022, while Leclerc finished third in 2023.

The 2019 Belgian Grand Prix podium. Image: © Andrew Balfour.
Image: © Andrew Balfour

Ferrari have locked-out the front row six times at Spa, doing so for the first time since 2007 in 2019. Neither Ferrari driver reached Q3 at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2020 or 2021, but both Sainz and Leclerc qualified in the top four in 2022. Sainz was promoted to pole position following a grid penalty for Max Verstappen that year, while Leclerc was promoted to pole in 2023 for the same reason.

Until 2020, there had been only three occasions since 2006 where a Ferrari driver has failed to qualify in the top ten. Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen were eliminated in Q2 in 2012 and 2015 respectively, while Luca Badoer’s 20th place in 2009, on his final F1 appearance, remains the only time the team have been out in Q1 at the circuit.

McLAREN

WINS: 12, POLES: 11, PODIUMS: 25 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: NORRIS 7th, PIASTRI DNF

McLaren have taken 12 victories at Spa Francorchamps, including their first ever win with founder Bruce McLaren in 1968. Between 1987 and 1991, McLaren won all five Belgian Grands Prix, and took 1-2 finishes in all but one of those races.

McLaren have scored only four times in the last nine races at the circuit, recording seven non finishes in that time. In 2021, Daniel Ricciardo’s fourth place became the team’s best result at the circuit since their last win here in 2012. In 2019, the team recorded their first double DNF at Spa since 1983, while 2022 marked their first non-score since 2019.

It should be noted that the team impressed in the Sprint event at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, with Oscar Piastri nearly taking pole position before leading the opening laps and going on to finish as runner-up.

Lando Norris, 2019 Belgian Grand Prix. Image: © Andrew Balfour.
Image: © Andrew Balfour

McLaren have taken 11 pole positions at Spa, most recently with Jenson Button in 2012. They’ve had six front row lock-outs at the circuit. Prior to 2020, McLaren had appeared in Q3 only once in the previous five seasons at Spa, with Jenson Button qualifying ninth in 2016.

Both cars were eliminated in Q1 in both 2015 and 2018. In 2020 and 2021, both drivers reached Q3, with Daniel Ricciardo’s fourth place in 2021 being the team’s best qualifying result since their 2012 pole. Lando Norris had been fastest in Q1 and Q2 in 2021 but crashed out in the wet Q3 session.

Piastri and Norris qualified sixth and seventh for the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix – the first time McLaren qualified with both cars in the top seven at the track since 2010.

ASTON MARTIN

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: ALONSO 5th, STROLL 9th

Spa Francorchamps has been a happy hunting ground for the Silverstone-based team. The team’s original guise, Jordan, scored their first victory with a 1-2 finish in the rain-hit 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, while Force India recorded their first pole position and podium at the circuit in 2009.

Giancarlo Fisichella’s 2009 podium remains their most recent at the circuit – but big points hauls are common for the team in Belgium. 2021 was the first time since 2017 that only one of the team’s drivers scored here, with Sebastian Vettel securing a fifth place finish in the rainy conditions. Vettel finished eighth in 2022, resulting in the team’s lowest points haul at the track since they last failed to score back in 2008.

In 2023, Fernando Alonso recorded the team’s seventh top five result in the last 12 Belgian races, while Lance Stroll ensured their first double points scoring race since 2020. The team has scored with at least one car in every Belgian Grand Prix since 2009.

Since 2005, the Silverstone team has recorded only three retirements at the Belgian Grand Prix. Paul di Resta and Sergio Perez’s retired in 2013 and 2017, while Nico Hulkenberg failed to start in 2015.

Image: © Andrew Balfour

In 2022, neither Sebastian Vettel nor Lance Stroll reached Q3 at the Belgian Grand Prix. It was the first time since 2014 that the team did not record a Q3 appearance. In the six years prior, Stroll’s 13th and 15th places in qualifying in 2019 and 2021 respectively were the only times that the team failed to reach Q3 at Spa. Both Alonso and Stroll progressed to Q3 in 2023.

Giancarlo Fisichella’s pole here for Force India in 2009 remained Team Silverstone’s most recent pole until the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix. Aside from 2008, when both cars were eliminated in Q1, Force India recorded only two other Q1 exits at Spa. The team locked-out the second row of the grid in 2018’s rain-hit qualifying session.

ALPINE

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: OCON 8th, GASLY 11th

Team Enstone’s first appearance at Spa Francorchamps came in 1985 under their original Toleman guise, when Teo Fabi and Piercarlo Ghinzani both retired from the race. The team’s first podium here came courtesy of Nelson Piquet, at Benetton, in 1991. Benetton would secure four more podiums here, including two wins – both for Michael Schumacher, in 1992 and 1995.

As Renault, the team took two top three finishes, with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and Robert Kubica in 2010. Their Lotus guise also brought two podium results – with Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean finishing third in 2012 and 2015 respectively.

2020 marked the first time since 2011 that the team scored with both cars at the Belgian Grand Prix. Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth, while Esteban Ocon came home fifth. It was the team’s first double top five result at the track since 1992. Both drivers scored again in 2022 and Ocon’s eighth place in 2023 ensured the team maintained their record of having scored in every Spa race since 2019.

Team Enstone’s only pole at the Belgian Grand Prix was with Jarno Trulli, in 2004, under their Renault guise. As Benetton, the team qualified on the front row three times – in 1986, 1994 and 1997 – but never took pole.

In recent years, both Renault drivers reached Q3 at Spa in 2019 and 2020. Meanwhile, Pastor Maldonado in 2014 and Carlos Sainz in 2018 have recorded the Enstone team’s only Q1 exits in the past 13 years.

Both Alpine drivers qualified in the top six in 2022 – the second time that the team has done so in the last four races at the track. Both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly were eliminated in Q2 in 2023.

WILLIAMS

WINS: 3, POLES: 7, PODIUMS: 14 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: ALBON 14th, SARGEANT 17th

Williams have taken three victories at Spa, with 1993 being the only time both their drivers have finished on the podium at the track. George Russell recorded Williams’ first podium at the Belgian Grand Prix since 2014 in 2021 as he finished as runner-up in the rain-curtailed race. Nicholas Latifi finished ninth, making it the first time both of the team’s cars have scored here since 2016.

Alex Albon brought the team another point at the circuit in 2022, finishing in tenth. Russell’s retirement here in 2020 was the team’s first at the Belgian Grand Prix since 2012.

Williams have taken seven poles at Spa Francorchamps, including front row lock-outs in 1987, 1993, 1996 and 2001. George Russell qualified on the front row in 2021, with Williams’ first front row qualification at the track since their last front row lock out. With Nicholas Latifi reaching Q2, 2021 was the first time since 2016 that neither Williams driver was eliminated in Q1 at the Belgian Grand Prix. Albon reached Q3 in 2022, but both cars were out in Q1 in 2023.

VISA CASH APP RB

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: TSUNODA 10th, RICCIARDO 16th

The Red Bull junior team has scored at the Belgian Grand Prix in all but one of the last 12 races at Spa Francorchamps. For the first time since 2012, both Toro Rosso cars finished in the top ten at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix. In addition to 2012 and 2019, both cars also scored in 2008.

2011 was the only time both Toro Rosso cars failed to reach the end of the race. Their best finish here came in 2008, when Sebastian Vettel finished fifth.

Toro Rosso at the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix. Image: © Andrew Balfour.
Image: © Andrew Balfour

Despite their high points rate at the track, the team have made only three Q3 appearances at the Belgian Grand Prix in the past 15 years. Their best qualifying result here is sixth, recorded by Jaime Alguersuari in 2011 and equalled by Pierre Gasly in 2021.

2008 is the only season where both of the team’s drivers have reached Q3 here. Both Daniil Kvyat and Gasly were eliminated in Q1 in 2019, marking the team’s first double Q1 exit at the track since 2013.

SAUBER

WINS: 2, POLES: 2, PODIUMS: 3 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: BOTTAS 12th, ZHOU 13th

In the last 13 years, the Sauber team have scored only two points at the Belgian Grand Prix – both thanks to Marcus Ericsson, who finished in tenth place in 2015 and 2018.

The Sauber team have taken two podium finishes at the Spa circuit, their first being a third place finish for Jean Alesi in 1998, and their latest with Nick Heidfeld in the 2008 Belgian Grand Prix. The 2021 rain-shortened race and the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix are the only times since 2015 that both of the team’s drivers have been classified in the result.

In the past 11 seasons, Kimi Raikkonen’s eighth place in qualifying in 2019 is the only time that this team has reached Q3 at the Belgian Grand Prix. In 2012, both cars reached Q3, and Kamui Kobayashi qualified on the front row; the team’s best qualifying result at the circuit.

Both cars were eliminated in Q1 here in both 2020 and 2021. In both 2022 and 2023, one driver exited in Q1, while the other was eliminated in Q2.

HAAS

WINS: 0, POLES: 0, PODIUMS: 0 | 2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT: MAGNUSSEN 15th, HULKENBERG 18th

Haas scored points in both 2017 and 2018 at the Belgian Grand Prix. Romain Grosjean scored their best result here, with seventh place in both 2017 and 2018. Kevin Magnussen also finished eighth in 2018, marking the first time both Haas cars scored at the track. While neither driver has scored in the last five seasons, a Haas car is yet to retire from a race at Spa.

2018 was the first time that Haas appeared in Q3 at the Belgian Grand Prix, doing so with both cars. Romain Grosjean recorded the team’s best qualifying position here with fifth on the grid that season. Kevin Magnussen progressed to Q3 in 2019, qualifying tenth, which remains Haas’ most recent Q3 appearance at the venue.

With both cars out in Q1 in 2020, it was the first time that a Haas driver qualified below 13th at the Belgian Grand Prix. Both Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin were out in Q1 in 2021 in the team’s worst qualifying showing at the track to date.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top
Scroll to Top