Another day, another record……this time it’s youngest ever driver to be on the front row of the grid. In Q3 of the Spa Francochamps qualifying session on Saturday 27th August 2016, Max set a lap time of 1:46.893 to produce his best qualifying position of his F1 career so far and he did it without any running in FP3 (which he had to sit out due to a gear box problem.)
Tickets to the Belgian GP had already sold like hotcakes before Max took P2- all the grandstands were sold out weeks ahead of the GP and ticket sales were up 25% on last year (itself a good year.) The Race Promoter (Andre Maes) had reported they were expecting 20,000 Dutch fans to attend the race. Since qualifying, however, an additional 9,000 tickets (presumably General Admission) have sold overnight. Unofficial reports put attendance on race day at between 85-100,000.
The race itself didn’t go according to plan as a chaotic first lap saw Max’s front wing damaged as he collided with the barrier at Le Source on one side and Kimi Raikkonen on the other. Two more incidents with RAI did nothing to enhance the already delicate relationship between these two drivers (the youngest and oldest on the grid.) No points this week for the Boy Wonder but we have back to back races, with Monza in a few days time and Max maintained his P6 in the driver standings.
Max also launched his new app and his new logo this week, with corresponding memorabilia to boot…..talking of which there was also a limited edition pair of orange racing boots available, designed for the Belgian GP.
@F1TheaJ
Figures here on the news were 25,000 Dutch spectators. For Sunday.
And I have to say this year’s pit walk was the busiest I ever attended. And first time I ever seen more attention at an other box than the one at ferrari. I think that sentence alone shows the magnitude of it all. Furthermore was it so crowded that they opened up the old pits, from la source up to eau rouge, and made the autograph signing in the old pits in stead of the new one. And both pitlanes still were flooded with people, alongside all the people on the start grid! Very schumi-esque. For spa this new kid on the block business really means business. Not to say only the Dutch invaded, of course there were other nationalities too. You brits love coming here. But there was a massive shift towards my native language. Which is fun. Means less thinking how I should say things when I’m drunk 😎
I’ve a feeling Lewis and the Hamfosi were just a warm-up. Do we have 15-20 years of Maximus and the Verstapo ahead of us?
May the maker help us all.
I may actually have to engage the brain; these Orange folk are intense.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of fandom, I will fear no evil: for the Judge art with me; thy rod and thy Bruznic they comfort me.” – Psalms 23:4
Sing hallelujah
Sing it
Yeah sing hallelujah
This just shows the drawing power of Lewis and Jenson to Silverstone, I think if Jenson retires ticket sales will drop, he has a huge fanbase, just when Silverstone need every penny of sales.
If only Max was as likeable…