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| Photo Credit: Pirelli/ Andrew Hone Photographer |
The Formula 1 cars return to action after a now customary extended hiatus for weeks in the summer. At the ongoing 2014 season's last race in Hungary, Daniel Ricciardo scored a second career victory with Red Bull Racing in a season dominated by the Mercedes AMG team. All but two of the 2014 Formula 1 season's 11 rounds have resulted with either Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton being at the top of the podium at the conclusion of a race. The mid-summer break for the Formula 1 championship has presented an opportunity for drivers, crew members and race shop personnel of the eleven teams to officially rest ahead of the homestretch run consisting of eight grand prix events. Of course, it only seems natural that some, if not all of the Formula 1 teams have taken this time to evaluate their performance and perhaps unofficially search for ways to improve their on-track product. As the 2014 Formula 1 season returns to action at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, there was some interest in whether some teams would arrive from the summer break with better footing.
Qualifying for the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix showed few signs that the story of Mercedes AMG's life at the front of the race field may not change going forward. Nico Rosberg posted a 2-minute, 5.591-second lap time around the historic 7.004-kilometer track in Q3 on intermediate Pirelli tires. A wet Spa-Francorchamps track caused over two minute lap times for the entire Formula 1 field in the three time trial sessions. Although the circuit became drier as the qualifying progressed, cars were never able to transition to slick tires.
Despite the wet circuit, drivers were able to mount some splendid time attacks against each other. The greatest duel came with the Mercedes AMG team drivers wanting to top spot in qualifying. Though Nico Rosberg prevailed with the fastest time in Q3, Lewis Hamilton made it a close battle throughout the final session. Hamilton will start second with a fast lap time 0.228 seconds off from Rosberg. Both Mercedes AMG cars were around two seconds faster than the second row occupants for the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull-Renault was the best non-Mercedes-Benz engine machine in qualifying. The reigning champion's time for third place on the grid was 69/100th of a second faster than the fourth-fastest in Belgium. Fernando Alonso positioned his Ferrari between the Red Bull Racing cars with Daniel Ricciardo starting fifth on Sunday. Customer Mercedes-Benz powered vehicles belonging to Williams and McLaren occupy four of the remaining top-10 positions. Williams driver Valtteri Bottas will start sixth ahead of McLaren rookie driver Kevin Magnussen. The second Ferrari driven by Kimi Raikkonen is the meat inside a Mercedes-Benz sandwich. Felipe Massa and Jenson Button round out the top-10 for the Belgian Grand Prix.
One change to the field for the Belgian Grand Prix is Andre Lotterer driving a Caterham-Renault. Japanese Kamui Koboyashi is a healthy scratch from the scoreless Formula 1 outfit. Regularly a driver for the Audi Sport Team Joest's R18 prototype sports car in the World Endurance Championship, Lotterer will be starting his first career Formula 1 in 21st spot outrunning teammate Marcus Ericsson by one second in qualifying.
Sunday's 44-lap race around the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is set to take place under dry conditions.
2014 Formula 1
Belgian Grand Prix
Starting Grid
| Pos # | Car # | Driver | Team | Engine |
| 1 | 6 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes AMG | Mercedes-Benz |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes AMG | Mercedes-Benz |
| 3 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull | Renault |
| 4 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | Ferrari |
| 5 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | Renault |
| 6 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams F1 | Renault |
| 7 | 22 | Kevin Magnussen | McLaren | Mercedes-Benz |
| 8 | 7 | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | Ferrari |
| 9 | 19 | Felipe Massa | Williams | Mercedes-Benz |
| 10 | 22 | Jenson Button | McLaren | Mercedes-Benz |
| 11 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | Scuderia Toro Rosso | Renault |
| 12 | 25 | Jean-Eric Vergne | Scuderia Toro Rosso | Renault |
| 13 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Force India | Mercedes-Benz |
| 14 | 99 | Adrian Sutil | Sauber | Ferrari |
| 15 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus | Renault |
| 16 | 17 | Jules Bianchi | Marussia | Ferrari |
| 17 | 13 | Pastor Maldonado | Lotus | Renault |
| 18 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India | Mercedes-Benz |
| 19 | 4 | Max Chilton | Marussia | Ferrari |
| 20 | 21 | Esteban Gutierrez | Sauber | Ferrari |
| 21 | 45 | Andre Lotterer | Caterham | Renault |
| 22 | 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Caterham | Renault |
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