Belgium: Daniel’s late reward with belated point
Daniel finished 11th on the road before being promoted into the points after George Russell’s disqualification, wrapping up the first half of the year with strong pace in Spa.
Race data
Belgium (Round 14 of 24), 26-28 July, 2024
Spa-Francorchamps: 7.004km, 44 laps
Qualified: 13th
Finished: 10th
Laps per position: 10th (8 laps), 11th (8 laps), 12th (5 laps), 13th (4 laps), 14th (10 laps), 15th (3 laps), 16th (3 laps), 17th (3 laps)
Pit stops/tyres: Lap 8 (soft/medium), Lap 21 (medium/hard)
Fastest lap: 1min 47.435secs (12th), lap 37
Points this event: 1
Points this season: 12 (13th in world championship)
Daniel's download
“That race was like qualifying on Saturday where I felt pleased with what we did, and one point for us is a big deal because every point matters in the midfield fight we’re in.
“I feel like we did a really strong race, but unfortunately some other guys did really strong races too! We had 10th with a few laps to go but I genuinely think [Alpine’s Esteban] Ocon was just a bit quicker and he had a bit of a fresher tyre as well. We tried to hold on, but a few laps short. Sometimes you can only do the best you can, so for that we leave here – the weekend as a whole – with a smile and with our heads held high.
“Qualifying – I didn’t love 13th, I felt like we were better than that – but it was a call we made at the time [to run earlier in Q2] and it didn’t seem like a silly one, it just didn’t work out for us. We were able to improve a little bit but then the rain stayed light enough that at the end, everyone was able to improve. That was frustrating, but I didn’t argue with our train of thought up to that moment. If it rains earlier, we look like the good guys. It just didn’t work out for us but I’m definitely happy with the pace we had.
“I would have loved the whole first half of the season to be strong, but it wasn’t the case. I had my struggles in the first kind of half of the half [season] and it was clear I needed to pick it up and find something. But since Montreal, since the pressure probably started to build – other than Silverstone that was a bit of an outlier – I feel the races have been much more in line with what I’m capable of. I feel like I’m leaving the weekend feeling more content and fulfilled.
“It’s important I was able to do that, and it leaves me entering the break with much more of a spring in my step. Looking ahead, excited to get back and get out there in Zandvoort.”
DR’s race recap
* Qualified 13th, started on soft tyres and finished lap 1 in 14th after being passed by Bottas/Sauber.
* Pitted from 14th on lap 8 for medium tyres, fell to 17th.
* Pitted again for hard tyres from 10th on lap 21 and dropped to 17th.
* Passed Sargeant/Williams on lap 23 for 16th.
* Overtook Magnussen/Haas on lap 26, to 14th.
* Passed Stroll/Aston Martin on lap 37 for 10th.
* Overtaken by Ocon on lap 41, demoted to 11th.
* Finished 11th after 44 laps, promoted to 10th after Russell/Mercedes disqualification. Finished 54.4secs behind winner Hamilton/Mercedes, and 8secs ahead of Stroll in 11th.
DR’s next destination
Round 15: Netherlands (Zandvoort), 25 August
Netherlands in 2023: Did not compete (broken hand after accident in FP2)
In F1: 2 races, 0 points
Best qualifying: 10th (2021)
Best finish: 11th (2021)
