Kruimel Triumphs in Belgium as Championship Battle Heats Up

The Belgian Grand Prix, the 13th round of F1 Co-op Season 3, provided another exhilarating chapter in the ongoing battle between title contenders. After Fernando Alonso’s dominance in Hungary, all eyes were on Aston Martin to see if the Spaniard could maintain his impressive form. However, it was Kruimel who stole the show, securing pole position and converting it into a hard-fought victory over The Captain.

Qualifying: Kruimel Strikes Back

After weeks of speculation regarding internal tensions at Aston Martin and the distribution of car upgrades, Kruimel made a statement in Belgium by clinching pole position with a stunning 1:41.432 lap. The gap to The Captain in P2 was razor-thin—just 0.04 seconds—setting the stage for another intense showdown. Alonso followed in P3, over half a second behind his teammate, while Hamilton completed the second row.

Further down the grid, Red Bull showed signs of life, with Verstappen in P5 and Norris in P9—marking a rare double top-10 qualification for the struggling team. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s woes continued, as Leclerc could only manage P8.

Race Start: Tight Battles and Early Drama

As the lights went out, both Kruimel and The Captain had strong starts, with The Captain challenging for the lead into Turn 1. Kruimel held firm, maintaining his position, while Verstappen capitalized on a great launch to climb to P3. However, he soon found himself under pressure from Alonso.

By lap 3, Kruimel had built just enough of a gap to deny The Captain DRS, putting himself in a strong position. Alonso, showing better race pace than in qualifying, overtook Verstappen in lap 4. Moments later, Red Bull’s weekend took another disastrous turn as Verstappen suffered an engine failure, forcing him to retire. This left Norris as the only Red Bull in the race, but he struggled to make an impact.

Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri was one of the standout performers in the opening stages. Starting from P10, he had surged up to P5 by lap 5, showcasing Williams’ improved form after their latest upgrades.

Pit Stops: Strategy Misstep for The Captain

By lap 7, Kruimel and The Captain were the first front-runners to pit, both opting for fresh tires. However, their stops were sluggish, with The Captain’s stop taking an additional 0.5 seconds. This proved costly, as he rejoined behind Lando Norris, whereas Kruimel emerged ahead. The time lost behind Norris frustrated The Captain, who immediately voiced his displeasure over team radio, criticizing the timing of his pit stop.

Norris pitted the following lap, but by then, The Captain had already lost over two seconds to Kruimel. Meanwhile, Alonso had quietly closed the gap, sitting just outside of DRS range in P3.

Final Stages: The Captain’s Late Charge Falls Short

For much of the second stint, the gap between Kruimel and The Captain stabilized at around 2.5 seconds. Alonso, unable to match their pace, gradually fell further behind. However, in the closing laps, The Captain found a burst of speed, rapidly closing in on Kruimel.

During the final lap, The Captain became within striking distance, setting up a thrilling conclusion. However, Kruimel expertly defended through the Bus Stop chicane, holding on to win by just 0.5 seconds. The Captain secured P2 along with the fastest lap, while Alonso rounded out the podium.

Further back, Ferrari salvaged some pride as Leclerc climbed from P8 to finish P5, taking valuable points in his fight for a higher championship position. With this result, he closed to within nine points of Sergio Perez for P7 in the standings. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s nightmare continued, with Norris finishing a lowly P17.

Post-Race Reactions: Tension Mounts at Aston Martin and Mercedes

Kruimel was thrilled with his win, but his post-race comments hinted at underlying tensions within Aston Martin: “Wow, he really made me work for it. If this race had been one lap longer, I’m not sure I could have kept him behind. It wasn’t a perfect weekend, but a win is a win. And at least now, it’s clear who the number one driver at Aston Martin is.”

The Captain, on the other hand, was seething: “I’m absolutely gutted. Despite the car not being great, we had a real chance today, and we threw it away. The pit stop strategy was wrong, the stop itself was bad, and I got stuck behind traffic. I lost over two seconds there, and I finished just half a second behind. We don’t get many chances to win, and when we do, the team messes it up. I don’t know what we can actually do right at this point.”

The frustration within Mercedes is reaching boiling point, while the subtle jab from Kruimel regarding his team status suggests that tensions at Aston Martin might also be escalating. The ongoing speculation about Alonso receiving preferential treatment over Kruimel only adds to the intrigue.

Championship Implications and Looking Ahead

With this victory, Kruimel extends his championship lead over The Captain by six points. Meanwhile, The Captain gains ground on Alonso, further solidifying his position as the primary challenger.

As the season heads into its final stretch, the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix will be a significant moment for both Dutch drivers, as they battle for supremacy in front of their home fans. The championship fight remains intense, and with four races to go, every point counts.

One thing is certain—this season is far from over.