FIA Formula1 Racing: Belgian GP

Lewis Hamilton's fifth win in the last seven races extended his championship lead over Max Verstappen to 47 points with just 10 of this season's 17 races remaining. Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas came in 8.4 seconds behind him but ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, meaning the Finn cut the gap to second place in the standings after Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo, who took the extra point for fastest lap, finished fourth ahead of team mate Esteban Ocon who snatched fifth from Red Bull's Alexander Albon on the final lap.

But it was another low point for Ferrari. The Italian team has won in Belgium for the last two years but Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc failed to muster a point between them, finishing 13th and 14th respectively. Ferrari are yet to win a race this season.

Sunday's victory was Hamilton's 89th career win, meaning he moves to within two wins of Michael Schumacher's Formula One record and takes another step closer to equalling the German driver's record of seven career titles.

Drivers – Jean-Eric VERGNE (Toro Rosso), Charles PIC (Marussia), Vitaly PETROV (Caterham), Pedro de la Rosa (HRT), Michael SCHUMACHER (Mercedes), Jenson BUTTON (McLaren)
Belgian GP - Press Conference
Jean-Eric, this is a new circuit for you in Formula One but I understand you’ve raced here before?
Jean-Eric VERGNE: Yeah, I think it’s my favourite track. I’m really happy to be here in F1, to learn this track in and F1 car. I found it amazing in Formula 3 and World Series. So I can’t wait to drive tomorrow in this car, it should be nice.

So you’ve been here in Formula 3 and World Series by Renault?
JEV: Yes. I won three races in F3 in the same weekend here and last year I won as well. I finished second and first. It’s generally a good track for me, so hopefully I make a good run here as well this weekend.

A lot of people feel that with the problem with the technical director at Toros Rosso that development might have finished but I understand that’s not the case.
JEV: So far everything is OK. The team is still pushing really hard. I don’t have much to say about it.

You have some updates here though?
JEV: Yeah we have some good updates. Well, I don’t know if they’re good, but we have some and also we’re testing some new things for next year’s car – front suspension. So, everything is still going on quite well in the team and we’re looking forward to this weekend.