JULY 31, 2024

(Formula1.com)

George Russell (No. 63 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team) took a stunning victory in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa after a bold strategy call and a thrilling chase from teammate Lewis Hamilton (No. 44 Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team) in the latter stages of the race. Charles Leclerc (No. 16 Scuderia Ferrari) had made a good start from pole position to initially lead, before being overtaken by Hamilton within two laps. From there the seven-time world champion looked strong at a track where he has been victorious on four prior occasions. But while most of the field opted for a two-stop race, Russell took a gamble by making just one visit to the pits on Lap 10 of 44, meaning that he was attempting to nurse his aging hard tires as the Grand Prix entered its final stages. Hamilton had closed right onto the back of his teammate in the last laps, and despite getting agonizingly close, the Briton was unable to find a way past Russell, who crossed the line just half a second ahead to take the third F1 victory of his career. Oscar Piastri (No. 81 McLaren Formula 1 Team) finished third. Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to Formula1.com) UPDATE: George Russell's Mercedes was deemed to be 1.5kg underweight in the post race inspection; he has been disqualified from the race. Lewis Hamilton has been declared the winner.

(motorsportcollector.com)

Editor-in-Chief's Note: I wanted to take this opportunity to mention George Levy's fantastic new book, Texas Legend - Jim Hall and his Chaparrals. This Official Biography of Jim Hall is simply one of the finest biographies I have ever read, and it stands as the definitive work chronicling the life and achievements of Jim Hall. Full disclosure, Jim Hall is and has been one of my all-time favorites, and Levy's book does Jim justice like no book before it. It is filled with details and anecdotes never revealed until now. I highly recommend this book for enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. It is a superb effort and well worth the read. -PMD 

Editor's Note: This is our dearly departed billboard, which we had at Road America for several years. Peter gifted the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" to the track, which now uses it proudly in all of its communications. -WG

Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG