Move of the race

Max Verstappen’s breathe-holding pass on Felipe Nasr around the outside of the Sauber driver at the 320km/h Blanchimont corner and diving up the inside at the Bus Stop to take the position. Verstappen nearly made it a two-fer on the last lap as he had and then lost a position to Raikkonen under braking. Verstappen hauled himself up from the back of the grid to a fighting 8th.

Luck of the day

Had Vettel’s tire exploded on the 300km/h entry of Eau Rouge, rather than the Kemmel straight, the accident would have been unavoidably catastrophic.

Driver of the day

Grosjean’s gutsy drive and dogged pursuit of Vettel payed off with his first podium finish in two seasons. From the race’s midpoint, Grosjean, driving for the financially strapped Lotus team, came alive, passing the fastest runners of the day. It couldn’t have come at a better moment. The Enstone outfit’s cars were threaten with impound in Belgium after a legal suit was filed by former reserve driver Charles Pic. It’s now presumed the cars will be able to travel to Monza.