2007 Belgian GP - Race 14/17

rpstewart

rpstewart

rpstewart

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Joined
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Location
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F1 bids farewell to Europe for another year from everyone's favourite track, the glorious Spa Francorchamps circuit in the Belgian Ardennes forest.

Friday practice : 0900 - 1030 & 1300 - 1430
Saturday practice : 1000 - 1100
Saturday Qualifying : 1300 - 1400 ITV4 from 1230 - Note the channel change due to the rugby. Highlights 1615 ITV.
Sunday Race : 1300 - 1500 ITV from 1200, Highlights 2245 (ITV) & Monday 1800 (ITV4)

Currently the scores on the doors are (subject to appeal):

Drivers

Code: 
Pos Driver           Nationality   Team           Points 
 
1  Lewis Hamilton       British    McLaren-Mercedes  92 
2  Fernando Alonso      Spanish    McLaren-Mercedes  89 
3  Kimi Räikkönen       Finnish    Ferrari           74 
4  Felipe Massa         Brazilian  Ferrari           69
5  Nick Heidfeld        German     BMW               52  
6  Robert Kubica        Polish     BMW               33
7  Heikki Kovelainen    Finnish    Renault           21
8  Giancarlo Fisichella Italian    Renault           17 
9  Alexander Wurz       Austrian   Williams-Toyota   13
10 Nico Rosberg         German     Williams-Toyota   12
11 Mark Webber          Australian Red Bull-Renault   8
12 David Coulthard      British    Red Bull-Renault   8
13 Jarno Trulli         Italian    Toyota             7 
14 Ralf Schumacher      German     Toyota             5 
15 Takuma Sato          Japanese   Super Aguri-Honda  4 
16 Jenson Button        British    Honda              2
17 Sebatstian Vettel    German     BMW / STR          1
Constructors

Code: 
1  McLaren-Mercedes  166 
2  Ferrari           143
3  BMW                86 
4  Renault            38 
5  Williams-Toyota    25  
6  Red Bull-Renault   16  
7  Toyota             12
8  Super Aguri-Honda   4 
9  Honda               2 
10 STR-Ferrari         0 
11 Spyker-Ferrari      0
If you're interested in seeing what the tracks look like I've updated my Google Earth links and flyovers. Monza is now in high-res following the last data update (must remember to remove the overlay from the .kmz), I think Shanghai is now a more up to date building site but Fuji is still low res. To play the flyovers select the flyover folder and press the play button at the bottom of the Places pane.

Some links for the Spa

Official GP Site
Wikipedia
Circuit details on the official F1 page
 
Wow, Ive justed noticed the drivers standings. All the teams drivers following one after another :p

Cant wait for this race. Its great to have Spa back again. would have loved to go. Frakker, can I take your place ? :D

Just got to remember that qualifying is on ITV4...
 
Oh dear Ron has told the fia that Renault have a dodgy car.

If Macs do get punished this could get very nasty.

I wonder if Stepney could do with a bit of legal aid from Macs
 
I think Coulthard is talking some sense :eek:


"His talent is undoubted but he is not more gifted than Schumacher or Hakkinen or [Fernando] Alonso. He's just another very talented driver. And that's not belittling him at all. But I can't stand it when Lewis, or anyone else, is made out to be a godlike character. We all have our gifts and failings and so much depends on your car. If Lewis was driving for Red Bull I'm sure he would race extremely well, but he'd be battling for points."
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I think hes got it spot on there.

Fair play to Hamilton, hes doing excellent and fair play to him, hes got a very very good chance of becoming world champion. On the other hand though, he is in probably 'the best' car there is on the grid. Fair enough Ferrari have been faster than them but its come to reliability and McLaren have had that all season long. As Coulthard says though, in a 'lesser' team the situation would be differently.

It would have been better if he worked his way up from the bottom like Alonso, Schumacher, Kimi etc and become a great driver. Shame that Kimi has shown his 'true' potential yet. Needs a bloody reliable car :p
 
Slam62 said:
Oh dear Ron has told the fia that Renault have a dodgy car.
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Why would he do that? How does he know that? Renualt have gone down hill from the last 2 season's. Not sure how or why but they have. No need Ron Dennis stepping in and saying that they have a dodgy car. Dodgy in what way?
 
Bennah said:
Why would he do that? How does he know that? Renualt have gone down hill from the last 2 season's. Not sure how or why but they have. No need Ron Dennis stepping in and saying that they have a dodgy car. Dodgy in what way?
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Questions, questions, according to the fia its true, something is afoot.
 
The ITV article on that story:

McLaren has raised questions about the rival Renault team with Formula 1’s governing body, it emerged on Tuesday, as its own fate hangs in the balance ahead of Thursday’s FIA World Motor Sport Council hearing into the espionage case.

Rumours have been gathering pace since the Italian Grand Prix that the Woking squad is planning to argue as part of its defence case that if it is considered culpable and deserving of punishment then so should several rival teams.

The FIA has confirmed to ITV-F1.com that McLaren has brought “certain matters regarding Renault F1” to its attention, but would not divulge the nature of the query.

Spanish media reports have suggested that it concerns a technical aspect of Renault’s car rather than something directly pertinent to the spying case – and the FIA said it would not affect the deliberations of the WMSC and would be dealt with separately.

“We can confirm that McLaren lawyers have recently brought to our attention certain matters regarding Renault F1,” stated an FIA spokesman.
“But we can also confirm that the [Renault] team does not form any part of our investigations into McLaren’s alleged breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

“The FIA has reminded McLaren that the World Council hearing in Paris on Thursday will focus solely on the new evidence in that investigation.

“To the extent required, any other matters will be dealt with as part of an entirely separate process.

“Renault F1 is aware of this and is happy to cooperate.”

McLaren has been advised by its lawyers not to comment on the spy case until Thursday’s hearing and maintained that silence when asked about the Renault matter. But Renault boss Flavio Briatore dismissed suggestions that his team will be dragged into the spying investigations, saying it remained “calm” and accusing his McLaren counterpart Ron Dennis of “throwing stones everywhere” in an attempt to deflect pressure.
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Its all happening now. McLaren having even got passed thursday yet, they are bringing up issues with Renualt.

I wonder if anyone else is going to be brought into this whole situation that we have had this season.
 
Bennah said:
Its all happening now. McLaren having even got passed thursday yet, they are bringing up issues with Renualt.

I wonder if anyone else is going to be brought into this whole situation that we have had this season.
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They are applying pressure in much the same way that Ferrari have said they will take it to the civil courts.

Its all intended to weigh on the minds of Mosley's men.:p
 
SC04 said:
Interesting Coulthard article:

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/motorsport/story/0,,2166381,00.html

For the regular Alonso bashers, note the bit about favouritism, nice to get human insight eh lads?
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Talking a lot of sense to me and yeah hes had his best years but have respect for him no matter what and the ones who are saying hes bitter about hamilton are wrong in my eyes.
His next book is the one to buy to be honest as he said when he finishes racing he will dish the real dirt about behind the scenes of f1 :o
Just hope things dont go ballistic on thursday for mclaren as it will spoil the spa race i reckon ......
 
Friday Practice 1 times:
Code: 
 1.  Raikkonen     Ferrari            (B)  1:47.339            16
 2.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes   (B)  1:47.881  + 0.542   19
 3.  Alonso        McLaren-Mercedes   (B)  1:47.994  + 0.655   17
 4.  Heidfeld      BMW Sauber         (B)  1:48.052  + 0.713   20
 5.  Rosberg       Williams-Toyota    (B)  1:48.372  + 1.033   18
 6.  Kubica        BMW Sauber         (B)  1:48.605  + 1.266   20
 7.  Wurz          Williams-Toyota    (B)  1:48.920  + 1.581   20
 8.  Trulli        Toyota             (B)  1:48.994  + 1.655   19
 9.  Kovalainen    Renault            (B)  1:49.138  + 1.799   22
10.  Button        Honda              (B)  1:49.330  + 1.991   22
11.  Fisichella    Renault            (B)  1:49.380  + 2.041   25
12.  R.Schumacher  Toyota             (B)  1:49.548  + 2.209   21
13.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault   (B)  1:49.894  + 2.555   23
14.  Coulthard     Red Bull-Renault   (B)  1:49.931  + 2.592   19
15.  Barrichello   Honda              (B)  1:50.264  + 2.925   22
16.  Vettel        Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B)  1:50.482  + 3.143   27
17.  Sato          Super Aguri-Honda  (B)  1:50.640  + 3.301   16
18.  Davidson      Super Aguri-Honda  (B)  1:50.648  + 3.309   20
19.  Sutil         Spyker-Ferrari     (B)  1:50.768  + 3.429   22
20.  Liuzzi        Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B)  1:51.628  + 4.289   12
21.  Yamamoto      Spyker-Ferrari     (B)  1:52.379  + 5.040   21
22.  Massa         Ferrari            (B)  No time              2

Massa won't be happy losing virtually a full session of track time, there's no indication as to why yet.

To be honest I've given up trying to read anything into Friday's times, just look at Monza, Ferrari were well ahead on Friday and pretty much nowhere for the rest of the weekend.

EDIT: Autosport are saying that Massa had an off at Rivages, the slow right hander after the right-left at the end of the long straight.
 
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Friday Practice 2
Code: 
Pos  Driver        Team                    Time               Laps
 1.  Alonso        McLaren-Mercedes   (B)  1:46.654            29
 2.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes   (B)  1:46.765  + 0.111   29
 3.  Massa         Ferrari            (B)  1:46.953  + 0.299   27
 4.  Raikkonen     Ferrari            (B)  1:47.166  + 0.512   26
 5.  Trulli        Toyota             (B)  1:47.491  + 0.837   33
 6.  R.Schumacher  Toyota             (B)  1:47.946  + 1.292   34
 7.  Fisichella    Renault            (B)  1:48.086  + 1.432   30
 8.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault   (B)  1:48.271  + 1.617   29
 9.  Kubica        BMW Sauber         (B)  1:48.279  + 1.625   37
10.  Kovalainen    Renault            (B)  1:48.567  + 1.913   38
11.  Heidfeld      BMW Sauber         (B)  1:48.606  + 1.952   36
12.  Rosberg       Williams-Toyota    (B)  1:48.840  + 2.186   32
13.  Coulthard     Red Bull-Renault   (B)  1:48.883  + 2.229   17
14.  Button        Honda              (B)  1:48.919  + 2.265   29
15.  Barrichello   Honda              (B)  1:49.364  + 2.710   31
16.  Wurz          Williams-Toyota    (B)  1:49.393  + 2.739   28
17.  Yamamoto      Spyker-Ferrari     (B)  1:49.697  + 3.043   32
18.  Vettel        Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B)  1:49.720  + 3.066   34
19.  Sato          Super Aguri-Honda  (B)  1:50.168  + 3.514   23
20.  Sutil         Spyker-Ferrari     (B)  1:50.399  + 3.745   24
21.  Davidson      Super Aguri-Honda  (B)  1:50.542  + 3.888   24
22.  Liuzzi        Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B)  1:50.865  + 4.211    9
 
frakker said:
Will be off to Spa shortly. Digital camera and Jaffa Cakes at hand! Looking forward to a good race and hopefully access to the paddock via a contact at Bridgestone (fingers firmly crossed). Toodle pip!
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I fly out tomorrow morning and will be at spa on sunday morning - cant wait!!!
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You two really arent my friends at the moment. Snot fair!:mad:
 
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