16/09/2007
NEWS STORY
 |
After all the bull**** of the last few days… weeks… months, isn't is great to get back to what this F1 thing should really be about, racing.
And what better place to blow away the stench of greed, ambition, treachery and disloyalty than the majestic Spa Francorchamps circuit.
In recent days we have all felt tainted by the stink of corruption brought about by Messrs Stepney and Coughlan, hopefully now we can have a race that will help to put their actions out of our minds.
Thankfully, the GP2 races, usually a good yardstick for the Grand Prix, were pretty much incident free, with no major pile ups. That said, (thankfully again) the F1 stars are a tad more adventurous, and therefore there could be silliness at La Source on the first lap, and perhaps even Bus Stop.
The revised Bus Stop and pitlane entrance has caught out several drivers thus far this weekend, and it would not be too much of a surprise to see a few more drivers caught out this afternoon.
Robert Kubica had an engine change before qualifying yesterday, and therefore forfeits ten grid spots, which means he starts from fifteenth on the grid. However, an engine change to Giancarlo Fisichella's car after the session means that the hapless Italian will start from the back of the grid.
As ever there will be the usual speculation as to fuel loads and strategy, however, let's forget all that - let's face it, there are rarely any major surprises - so let's sit back and hope for a great race on a great circuit.
Though it is out of the Constructors' Championship, McLaren will be keen to see its drivers dominate the Drivers' Championship, not to mention getting one over their Italian rivals. Then again, following the humiliation of Monza, Ferrari will be keen to reassert themselves here on the Ardennes Rollercoaster.
It should be good to see Robert Kubica battle his way back up the grid, while Nico Rosberg has been looking good all weekend. While Nick Heidfeld looks likely to take his customary fourth/fifth place, is it possible that Webber or Trulli could pick up a few more points?
Fifteen minutes before the start of the race, Fisichella runs back to the pits, where he climbs into the T-car. For reasons unknown, Davidson is also starting from the pitlane, behind Fisichella.
As the cars prepare to head off on the warm up lap, the air temperature is 21 degrees C, while the track temperature is 32 degrees C.
Massa starts on the harder tyres, as are most of the other leading drivers. A quick look appears to indicate that the Sypkers are the only cars starting on the softer option.
The grid forms, the tension mounts.
As the two Ferraris get away cleanly, Alonso moves over on his teammate, forcing the Englishman wide at the exit to La Source. As the run downhill towards Eau Rouge, the McLarens are side by side with Rosberg in hot pursuit. Alonso has the advantage at Eau Rouge and moves ahead of his English rival. Phew, hairy stuff!
At the end of the first lap its, Raikkonen, Massa, Alonso, Hamilton, Rosberg, Kovalainen, Webber, Heidfeld, Schumacher and Coulthard. As Kubica moves up to thirteenth, Fisichella heads into the pits and into retirement.
At the end of lap 2, Wurz spins at Bus Stop, dropping the Austrian to the back of the field. Elsewhere, Webber makes a superb move on Kovalainen to take sixth.
As Raikkonen extends his lead to 1.7s, Alonso is 1.4s behind Massa, 1.2s up on Hamilton. Kubica (tenth) is under pressure from Coulthard and Trulli, as he pursues Schumacher. Adrian Sutil is up to thirteenth. Elsewhere, Heidfeld is enjoying a great scrap with Kovalainen.
Kubica makes short work of Schumacher, progressing to ninth, as Barrichello is under pressure from Yamamoto and Davidson.
As Kubica climbs all over Kovalainen, Sutil is up to twelfth and pressuring Coulthard, who is told "don't let the car behind bother you!". Yeh right!
Up front, Raikkonen enjoys a 2.4s lead, as fourth placed Rosberg falls to 7s behind Hamilton.
As Vettel pits, the Kovalainen/Kubica battle continues, and what a great scrap it is.
A lap later, Vettel returns to the pits, his race seemingly over. That said, hew waits in the car as his crew removes the nose.
As Kubica continues his relentless pursuit of Kovalainen, both drivers lock-up at La Source. He's past… the Pole, leaves his braking as late as possible at Bus Stop and it pays off. Great stuff from both these young guns.
After 12 laps, Raikkonen enjoys a 4.8s lead of his Ferrari teammate, as Ferrari-powered Vettel finally gives up the ghost and climbs out of his Toro Rosso.
The BMW drivers - separated by 12s - are lapping within one-thousandth of a second of one another.
At the end of lap 14, Rosberg is the first driver to make a regular pit stop, Webber also pits, as does Liuzzi.
He might have been told to ignore Sutil, but Coulthard is under all sorts of pressure from the Spyker driver. Elsewhere, Raikkonen and Alonso pit, the McLaren driver clearly going for a very long middle stint. Kubica also stops.
At the end of lap 15, Mass and Hamilton both pit, both sticking with the harder option.
Therefore, Raikkonen leads from Massa, who is followed by Heidfeld, Alonso and Hamilton, though the German has yet to stop. Kovalainen is sixth, ahead of Schumacher, Rosberg, Webber and Coulthard. Sutil has pitted, much to the relief of the Scot.
Hamilton gets it all wrong at Bus Stop, the Englishman now 2.2s behind his teammate, but 14.7s behind the race leader.
At the end of lap 18, Heidfeld pits, leaving Kovalainen, Schumacher and Coulthard as the only top ten runners still to stop.
Having 'lost' Sutil, Coulthard is now under intense pressure from Kubica, with Button keeping a watching eye on the Scot. The Pole tries a bit of late braking, it might have worked with Kovalainen, but not with the wily old Scottish veteran of 225 Grands Prix.
At the end of lap 20, Schumacher pits, as Kubica continues to hound Coulthard. Two laps later, Kovalainen pits, leaving DC as the only top ten driver yet to stop.
Raikkonen leads Massa by 2.3s, with Alonso a further 11.8s down the road, as the McLarens seemingly have no answer to the Maranello cars. Howe different from a week ago. Hamilton is fourth, 3s behind his teammate, with Heidfeld fifth, ahead of Rosberg, Webber, Coulthard, Kubica and Kovalainen.
A mistake by Wurz sees Yamamoto slip by, leaving the talented Austrian in last place.
At the end of lap 24, Button and Liuzzi both pit, their first stops of the afternoon. Next time around, DC pits, which releases Kubica. The Pole was lapping at 1:50.88, it will be worth seeing how his times improve. He is now almost 18s behind Webber.
With a lap or so, Kubica is lapping at 49.59, matching the pace of Hamilton. Sato (fifteenth) is told that he's racing Button and Liuzzi, just in case he didn't know. On cue, the Japanese driver launches an attack on his former teammate, however, the Englishman is having none of it.
At the end of lap 30, Rosberg comes in for his second, and final stop, switching to the softer tyre. He rejoins in seventh.
Next time around the race leader pits, as does Sutil. Elsewhere, Coulthard pulls off track at Bus Stop, having clearly suffered a problem with the Red Bull.
As Mass and Trulli pit, Sato passes Button, going around the outside of the frustrated English driver.
At the end of lap 33, Alonso pits, promoting Hamilton to second, though the English driver still has to stop. Wurz, Kubica and Sato also pit.
On lap 34, Massa posts a new fastest lap (48.036), as Heidfeld pits. The Brazilian is 1.8s behind Hamilton, who still has to stop.
Alex Wurz makes his third stop of the afternoon, but this time it's permanent, he drives into the Williams garage and climbs out of his car, his day's work done.
At the end of lap 37, as Kubica climbs all over Kovalainen, Hamilton finally pits. Meanwhile, Button drives into the Honda garage, his race over.
Therefore, at the end of lap 38, Raikkonen leads Massa by 3.1s, with Alonso a further 14s down the road, 6.4s clear of Hamilton. Heidfeld is fifth, ahead of Rosberg, Webber, Kovalainen, Kubica and Schumacher.
As Kubica continues to hassle Kovalainen, the two almost touching at Bus Stop, Hamilton sets his best lap time of the race.
With two pas remaining, Massa turns up the wick on his teammate, as Hamilton increases the pressure on Alonso, taking a second out of the Spaniard.
A lapse of concentration as Hamilton makes a mistake at Pouhon. Thankfully the new tarmac run off allows him to continue.
Kimi Raikkonen takes the win and with it Ferrari claims the 2007 Constructors' Championship. The Finn celebrates his victory with a do-nut, which could well end up in a reprimand - fun, indeed any show of emotion, is not allowed in F1 these days.
Massa takes second, ahead of Alonso and Hamilton, with Heidfeld finishing fifth, ahead of Rosberg, Webber, Kovalainen, Kubica and Schumacher.
Not the best of races, indeed it was quite processional, however, there were some great scraps, particularly Kubica and Kovalainen.
Hamilton still leads the World Championship, however, he now has Alonso just two points behind, and Raikkonen 13, with Massa a full 20 points behind.
This week we head to Jerez for the final full test of the season, before Formula One heads of the double header in Japan and China.
However we might feel about it, the Constructors' Championship has been decided for us… the Drivers' Championship is still wide open.
To check out our Belgian GP gallery, click here