2016 Belgian Grand Prix - Driver ratings

Motor Racing - Formula One World Championship - Belgian Grand Prix - Race Day - Spa Francorchamps, Belgium

Lewis Hamilton - 3rd place, 15 points - 8/10

It’s a strange thing to say after Hamilton rose from the back row to the podium, but this was not a spectacular performance from him. Set the car up for the race throughout the weekend and benefitted from three quick cars ahead - Max Verstappen, Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel - colliding at Turn 1 to climb to 15th at the end of the first lap. It was a conservative approach he confirmed he took deliberately and only made two more overtakes before pit stops under the safety car promoted him to fifth, and the red flag then handed him a free stop. Essentially after that he was in a 33-lap race from fifth on the grid but could only pass Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg, with two further stops due to high tyre wear preventing him from getting close to Ricciardo and Rosberg. An excellent result, achieved with a solid drive.