The race was so good that I forgot to post the results here. Verstappen didn't put a foot wrong and went from 10th on the grid to win the race, even including a spin when things were getting greasy in the final few laps. Hamilton did a superb recovery from 7th to come 2nd. Russell 3rd. The Ferraris imploded again with poor strategy decisions.

Result
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 7.834s
3 George Russell Mercedes 12.337s
4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 14.579s
5 Sergio Perez Red Bull 15.688s
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 16.047s
7 Lando Norris McLaren 78.300s
8 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1 Lap
9 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1 Lap
10 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1 Lap
11 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1 Lap
12 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1 Lap
13 Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo Racing 1 Lap
14 Mick Schumacher Haas 1 Lap
15 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 1 Lap
16 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1 Lap
17 Alex Albon Williams 1 Lap
18 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1 Lap
19 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 2 Laps

Did not finish
Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo lap 68 – engine

Not strictly f1 22, ive just read a book by james allen on michael schumacher called the edge of greatness published in 2009 after hed retired.
I was never a schumacher fan per se, although i always saw him as an exceptional driver. The book tried hard to be objective, goes into the perception of him by other drivers and the 'incidents' that made him notorious (punting hill off in 1994, villeneuve in jerez 1997, the benetton traction control, illegal plank, blocking the track at monaco 2006 ect ect).
I never realised that the perception of him by other drivers was as negative as it was, and the absolute dichotomy that the man was so different behing the wheel of his f1 car to what he really was in private.
A really good read.
I still see him as the most unsporting driver ever to do it, but also as the one who took everything to the absolute limit of what was acceptable. He defined the limits that f1 now races to. There was more to schumacher than the public perception of schummel schumi
Ive got a reubens barrichello book to read and ive bought adrian neweys book how to build a car.
Also going to buy damon hills book

Well, and sometimes beyond what was acceptable...

Decent race at spa, i wasnt really interested in the front as after friday and saturday the winner was a foregone conclusion no matter where verstappen started anyway.
I was rather pleased to see alex albon finish in the points, that williams was an absolute missile on the straights and abit of an animal in the twisties, a really well deserved point for the team and a spirited drive from albon.
Seb looked good all race in the green tractor, russell looked lonely and consistent again in the silver shed. lewis.... silly boy but admitted to an error of not leaving the space so fair enough. If it had come off, it would have been hailed as a fabulous pass. Shame, but doesnt really matter in the grand scheme of things, the silver shed isnt fighting for anything anyway
The alpine looked really good all race, ocons pass at the end of the kemmel straight was a fabulous bit of driving from all involved.
Ferrari, did ferrari things in quali with it is i leclercs tyres, and with the odd decision to try to get fastest lap but looked at least vaguely reasonable on the pit wall for once.
Mclaren looked crap, piastri looks like a right tit given the mclaren alpine pace discrepancy. I hope he does go to macca and danny ric gets the alpine drive next year. haas looked crap and nowhere, alfa looked well off although zhou looked pretty good despite the dog of a car at this race. So did gasly, did rather well from a pitlane start i thought. Tsunoda didnt hit anyone or a wall this race so thats a plus.

everything back from the top 4 was interesting throughout the whole race.

The only thing i was abit disappointed with was that nobody bothered to put up at least a little fight when verstappen was in the mirrors. Everyone just let him past. Even fred couldnt be arsed.
But then what was the point, in that car on that track on that day nobody else has a cat in hells chance of even coming close

I don't watch F1 anymore.

BUT, I do like reading about the behind the scenes tittle tattle, and who might go where next season.

F1 2023 calendar approved; French GP out of 24-race schedule

Hard to believe they have left out the classic French GP but still included the shitty Monaco GP.

www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/motorsports/f1-2023-calendar-approved-french-gp-out-of-24-race-schedule/ar-AA122p1R

ive been more interested in the growing furore about 2 teams apparently exceeding the budget cap last year. one by a little and one by a lot . one is apparently aston martin, the other is apparently red bull.
this one will get nasty whatever the fia do. one that cant be swept under the rug if any team has broken the cost cap rules

But does anyone think that the fia will sanction a team?
If either rb or am threaten to pull the plug over sanctions if either are in breach, if indeed the paddock rumours are to be believed, the fia wont sanction them and the other teams will not stand for that
This will be a real lose lose situation. If for example am are found to have blown through the cost cap and spent another 10 million quid, they could say it was material and exclude them from the championship, and it wouldnt matter much. Just the rest of the season would be a test session. But do that to rb and the ramifications are enormous.

Very close in Q3 for the top three. Nice performance for Hamilton. Surprise poor grid position for Verstappen, and what on earth has happened to Ricciardo of late?

Qualifying classification
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:49.412
2 Sergio Perez Red Bull + 0.022
3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes + 0.054
4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari + 0.171
5 Fernando Alonso Alpine + 0.554
6 Lando Norris McLaren + 1.172
7 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri + 1.799
8 Max Verstappen Red Bull + 1.983
9 Kevin Magnussen Haas + 2.161
10 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri + 2.571
11 George Russell Mercedes 1:54.012
12 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.199
13 Mick Schumacher Haas F1 Team +0.358
14 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +0.368
15 Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo +1.506
16 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:56.083
17 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +0.143
18 Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.254
19 Alexander Albon Williams +0.902
20 Nicholas Latifi Williams +1.449