The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Vettel claims Spa win as Alonso hails halo
F1: German driver closes gap on Hamilton as new safety device saves Leclerc in crash
Fernando Alonso said Formula One’s new halo device saved Charles Leclerc from serious injury following a terrifying crash at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel finished 11 seconds clear of Lewis Hamilton to win on the sport’s return to action at Spa-francorchamps and reduce the championship deficit to 17 points.
But the Ferrari driver’s commanding victory was overshadowed by Alonso’s opening-corner crash in which the Spaniard was sent airborne and within inches of Sauber driver Leclerc’s head.
Images of Leclerc’s white halo, the three-pronged cockpit protection device which sits above the driver and became mandatory this season, later emerged to reveal the black marks of Alonso’s Mclaren.
The dramatic collision was caused by Nico Hulkenberg after the experienced Renault driver missed his braking point at La Source and, in a plume of tyre smoke, careered into the back of Alonso.
The force of the impact launched the double world champion skywards before his Mclaren landed on the helpless Leclerc, and then on the tarmac. Miraculously, however, all three men walked away completely unscathed.
“I flew over Leclerc’s car and the halo was a very good thing to have today,” Alonso, 37, said. “Looking at the replay I think it helped him.
“We didn’t have any doubts about it before, but this accident shows it offers good protection.”
Hulkenberg admitted fault for the incident and was given a 10-place grid penalty for the next race in Italy. He was also hit with three points on his drivers’ licence.
“Nico totally missed the braking point and he played bowling with us,” Alonso added.
“The drivers think it is the last corner of the championship and it has high consequences. You think they would be at a higher level to drive in this series.”
The halo was controversially introduced following a series of high-profile accidents in the past decade.
Leclerc, the highly-rated 20-year-old who has impressed in his rookie season and is set to race for Ferrari in the future, said: “It all went very quickly and in the moment you don’t realise what is happening.
“I felt the impact and looking at the image of my car it is quite spectacular. I was lucky.”
There was nothing fortunate about Vettel’s win. Following back-to-back victories for Hamilton before the break, the German needed to stop the rot in the first race after the summer interval.
On Saturday, Hamilton took advantage of a rain shower in qualifying to secure the front slot on the grid, but Vettel won the race by moving past his rival on the first lap.
Vettel came under pressure from Hamilton at the right-handed Les Combes but the Ferrari man held the racing line to retain the lead. He held off Hamilton again when the race resumed following the safety car, and then cruised to the chequered flag.