29/08/2004
NEWS STORY
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Less then an hour before today's race, our photographer, John Marsh, called to say that despite a few black clouds in the distance it looked like being a dry race. Sadly, and no disrespect to John or his valuable array of cameras, it looks like he was right.
That said, we are still assured of a thrilling - if short - sprint to the first corner, with Michael Schumacher flanked by the two Renaults - masters of the fast start - with David Coulthard right behind. However, with some of the fastest drivers further back down the grid, it remains to be seen whether we'll see fireworks or the entire field head off down to Eau Rouge intact.
Adding to 'the mix' is the fact that none of the drivers had any 'dry' running on Saturday. Therefore, many of them will be starting the race with a wet set up, unable to change anything until the first pit stop.
Having wrapped up the 2004 constructors' championship two weeks ago in Hungary, Ferrari and Michael Schumacher could today secure his seventh drivers' title, appropriately the Italian outfit's 700th Grands Prix.
As the cars prepare for the warm up lap, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 21 degrees.
The field heads off on the warm up lap, everyone gets away cleanly.
The Renaults shoot off into the lead as Schumacher fluffs it, Coulthard also gets past the German. However, there's mayhem as predicted but not at La Source.
As the cars exit the corner there's an incident then a further clash down the hill and again as the field exits Eau Rouge. Webber, Sato, Bruni and Pantano all appear to be out, though Raikkonen was involved in the incident at the exit of La Source, clashing with Massa. Button, Massa, Baumgartner, Barrichello, Heidfeld and Panis all pit as the rest of the field lines up behind the safety car.
Pantano, Bruni and Sato walk back to the pits, their race over almost before its begun.
Interestingly, Raikkonen appeared to be involved in the first incident, but hasn't stopped for repairs, he's now running fifth.
As the field continues behind the safety car, both Massa and Barrichello return to the pits.
With two laps completed, Trulli leads from Alonso, Coulthard, Schumacher, Raikkonen, Montoya, Fisichella, Pizzonia, Klien and Zonta.
The pit crew continue to work on Barrichello's Ferrari and Massa's Sauber. Both rejoin 'the race', and attempt to catch up with the rest of the field. If Barrichello's problem hasn't been sorted, the championship is over.
At the end of lap 4, the safety car pulls of and the race is underway. Raikkonen passes Schumacher on the run down the hill to Eau rouge, the German clearly caught on the hop. Montoya closes in on the German, as Trulli and Alonso head off into the distance.
Schumacher is struggling and at Bus Stop the Colombian makes his move, the Ferrari driver unable to do anything about it. On the run up to Les Combes Raikkonen passes Coulthard to take third.
The Finn is setting a blistering pace, posting the fastest lap of the race thus far. Trulli leads from Alonso, Raikkonen, Coulthard, Montoya and Schumacher. Fisichella is closing in on the German, who hasn't given up on Montoya.
Although Schumacher is struggling, his only championship rival (Barrichello) is 28s behind.
The top six are covered by 8.4s, the pace is frantic.
Klien is running ninth, all over the back of Pizzonia, while Barrichello closes in on Heidfeld.
Alonso is now 0.9s behind Trulli, with Raikkonen a further 0.9s behind. The order seems to have settled.
Trulli and Alonso are both quick in various sectors, but after nine laps nobody has matched Raikkonen's fastest lap.
Klien stops at the end of lap nine, the first of the 'scheduled' pit stops. Next time around Jarno Trulli stops promoting teammate Alonso into the lead. 8.2s later the Italian is back on track, in ninth ahead of Zonta.
Alonso now leads Raikkonen by 1.1s with Coulthard 4.7s down the road ahead of Montoya and Schumacher. The Spaniard goes off but manages to get back on track, moments later he goes off again, clearly he has a problem. Nonetheless his race is over. Elsewhere, David Coulthard has a puncture and heads slowly back to the pits.
Therefore Raikkonen leads from Montoya and Schumacher, with Fisichella fourth ahead of Pizzonia, Button, Trulli, Zonta, Massa and Panis.
Somehow, DC gets back to the pits, exiting just as Kimi Raikkonen enters for his scheduled stop.
After 13 laps, Juan Pablo Montoya leads Michael Schumacher by 3.3s, with Fisichella third. Next time around however, the Italian pits, which promotes Pizzonia to third and Raikkonen to fourth.
Schumacher closes in on Montoya, the gap now down to 1.5s.
Barrichello is up to eleventh, as Montoya pits, the Colombian stationary for 7.7s. Schumacher leads Pizzonia by 7.7. Meanwhile Montoya goes head-to-head with Massa through Eau Rouge, but the refuses to give way, his Colombian rival forced to ease off, thus losing vital time.
At the end of lap 15 it's Schumacher's turn to pit, which leaves Antonio Pizzonia leading. 8.1s later the Ferrari is heading back down the pitlane.
As the dust settles, Montoya has lost out dearly following that 'moment' with Massa, and is running behind the Brazilian and Schumacher.
Pizzonia pits at the end of lap 17, which leaves Raikkonen leading from Button - who has yet to make a scheduled stop - with Schumacher third, ahead of Trulli, Massa, Montoya, Pizzonia, Fisichella, Panis and Barrichello.
Despite that excellent move on Schumacher earlier, Montoya is making hard work of getting past Massa, who in turn is climbing all over Trulli.
At the end of lap 19, Massa pits, which releases Montoya. Panis and Heidfeld also pit.
Running third, Schumacher is lapping around half-a-second quicker than Raikkonen and Button.
Montoya makes the same move on Trulli that he made on Schumacher earlier, but this time it's messy. The WilliamsF1 hits the Renault which spins around losing a couple of positions, while the Colombian loses his place to teammate Pizzonia.
At the end of lap 21 Button pits, promoting Schumacher to second, 13s behind race leader Raikkonen. Pizzonia is now third ahead of Montoya, Fisichella and Barrichello.
The race stewards announce that they are to investigate the 'incident' involving Trulli and Montoya, as Barrichello gets past Fisichella to take fifth. Moments later the Italian is passed by Button.
Trulli pits, the Italian having gone right off the pace since that 'coming together' with Montoya. He has now dropped to eleventh.
At the end of lap 23, Raikkonen leads Schumacher by 11.9s, with Pizzonia a further 11.3s behind, ahead of Montoya, Button, Fisichella, Zonta and Massa.
Trulli drops to twelfth, just ahead of the hapless David Coulthard.
Raikkonen extends his lead to 13.1s,lapping 0.7s faster than Schumacher. Just as Montoya begins to close in on Pizzonia, the Brazilian 'ups' his pace.
At the end of lap 26, Fisichella (6th) pits, which promoted Zonta, who of course started from the back of the grid. Meanwhile, Schumacher is now matching Raikkonen's lap times. Next time around, the German posts his fastest lap of the race (1:45.728).
Schumacher posts a new fastest lap, the German crossing the line at 1:45.503. Raikkonen now leads by 12.1s.
At the end of lap 28, Raikkonen pits, as does Montoya. Meanwhile Button's race is over, his right rear tyre explodes which causes him to spin into poor old Zsolt Baumgartner, who is an innocent victim. Both drivers are out on the spot leaving debris all over the track.
As the safety car is deployed, Schumacher pits, he senses victory, the worst possible scenario for Raikkonen. Pizzonia pits as do Zonta, Massa, Panis and Heidfeld.
The cars run behind the safety car - Raikkonen leads from Schumacher, Pizzonia, Montoya, Barrichello, Zonta, Massa, Fisichella, Panis, Klien, Trulli and Coulthard.
However, there's heartbreak for Pizzonia, his car has a problem forcing the Brazilian to pull off track. He sits beside the track, quietly weeping, though he has done all that he could. A great drive from 'Jungle Boy'.
Having lost out to Kimi at the end of the last safety car period, Schumacher now has the opportunity to repay the compliment, though Juan Pablo might want to have a say in the issue.
At the end of lap 34 - ten laps remaining - the safety car pulls off. The race is back on, but Raikkonen plays it cool, leading the field into La Source. Further back, Klien passes Panis to take eighth, and a possible World Championship point. Moments later he's climbing all over the back of seventh-placed Fisichella.
At the end of the next lap, Raikkonen heads Schumacher by 1.3s with Montoya a further 1.2 behind. Barrichello is fourth ahead of Zonta, Massa, Fisichella and Klien. Elsewhere, Heidfeld makes his fifth stop of the day.
Montoya posts two consecutive (personal) fastest laps, but is falling away from Schumacher, who now has a 3.8s advantage. However, the German is now 1.5s behind Raikkonen.
More misery for WilliamsF1, Montoya has a puncture, he's crawling round to the pits. He gets back to the pits and despite the fact that his crew have changed his tyres, the Colombian gets out of the car.
Meanwhile Klien and Coulthard have come together on the run up the hill from Eau Rouge. It's looks like a massive accident, but somehow, even though his car is badly damaged, the Scot drives back to the pits. However, the safety car is brought out for the third time, as a result of the debris on track.
A new nose and tyres, and unbelievably DC re-enters the fray.
At the end of lap 41, with three laps remaining, the safety car pulls off, can Schumacher turn the tables this time?
The race is on (again) and Raikkonen heads off towards La Source with Schumacher in hot pursuit. As the cars head up the field Zonta's engine blows big time, a nightmare for the Brazilian.
Raikkonen sets a new fastest lap (1:45.108), extending his lead to 2.3s, as Coulthard passes Panis to take seventh.
The Finn begins the final lap, 3.3s ahead of the man who is set to take his seventh World Championship, Michael Schumacher. The German has clearly settled for second, content with the title.
An emotional win for 'the iceman', his team and of course his boss, Ron Dennis, who for once seems lost for words.
Somehow, despite the drama of the first lap and an ultra-long pit stop, Rubens Barrichello takes third, while David Coulthard, who only moments ago was involved in a most horrendous incident, takes seventh.
A day of high drama and emotion for all involved, with the Sauber duo of Massa and Fisichella taking fourth and fifth, ahead of Christian Klien, who has surely silenced a few of his cynics. French veteran Olivier Panis taking the final point after a typical 'head down, let's get on with it' performance.
Commiserations however to Antonio Pizzonia, Juan Pablo Montoya and Ricardo Zonta, each in his own way clearly 'robbed'.
An incident filled race, but not a great race - we'll deal with that later - and certainly the sort of 'traditional fare' we've come to expect from Spa, it's great to be back.
No disrespect to Michael, this was what F1 needed, it's what McLaren needed. We may make fun of the Woking outfit and its boss, but there's no denying that they've worked bloody hard for this moment, after all earlier this year, who would seriously have predicted a silver and black car taking a podium, let alone a win?
Congratulations Michael, and well done Kimi, McLaren and Ron.