Soldato
2008 Belgian GP - Race 13/18
- Thread starter rpstewart
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Soldato
Just to remind (and in more than a few cases educate) y'all, let us take a look at some decent Spa races over the years.
1) 1985. Now, as results go, this wasn't that exciting. Senna won by the best part of half a minute. Except for one curious statistical point - the top finishers either were or would be World Champions. Seriously - Senna (champion in '99, 90 and '91), from Mansell ('92), from Prost ('85, '86, '90, '93), from Rosberg ('82), from Piquet ('81, '83, '87). Proof that the best drivers shine on the best tracks when the rules allow them to do so.
2) 1989. Simply for the start Mansell made. Passing both Williams cars on the run to La Source, and doing it on the grass. It was run in utterly cruddy conditions as well. Murray Walker talks about it in his autobiography - he asked Johnny Herbert (who had retired on lap 3 and come up to the commentary box) how close you had to be to see the guy in front - Johnny replied that you had to have your visor right up against the rear light of the car ahead! In the end, the top three were seperated by less than 2 seconds IIRC.
3) 1992. The start of the Schumacher legend. Do I have to say any more?
4) 1993. Damon Hill winning after Prost fell behind Hill and Schumacher in the pits due to a communications ****-up. I count this as a good race simply because it proved (immediately) that Damon wasn't just a flash in the pan - if he'd just won the Hungarian GP that year, then he might not have been kept on into 1994. The fact that he won here straight after winning in Hungary (and then won again next time out in Italy) secured him at Williams long enough to get a championship.
5) 1995. Mixed conditions for this one, and it saw Schumacher win from 16th on the grid. Bit of controversy over his.....robust tactics against Hill, and he was given a suspended ban for it. I also like watching this race because Brundle got onto the podium.
6) 1998. It was a demolition derby, yes. But what a demolition derby! And it got Jordan their first win, and the first for Hill since 1996 (thanks to his crappy Arrows going south on him heartbreakingly close to the finish line at Hungary in '97)
7) 2000. Just for that pass Mika made on Schumacher. The current crop of front-runners could learn a thing or two from that.
8) 2007. Odd choice, I'm sure you'll agree. After all - not much really happened in the end. And the top seven in qualifying were the top seven at the end of the race, except Rosberg and Heidfeld swapped places. But that is exactly my point - if I feel trenchant enough when some of you rag on me for saying how dull modern F1 has become, all I have to do is point to this race and dare you to say that it's a shining beacon of how good the current iteration of the sport is. And this is a decent track as well! Not a TilkeDrome, or a characterless blot on the landscape like Barcelona or Magny-Cours.
1) 1985. Now, as results go, this wasn't that exciting. Senna won by the best part of half a minute. Except for one curious statistical point - the top finishers either were or would be World Champions. Seriously - Senna (champion in '99, 90 and '91), from Mansell ('92), from Prost ('85, '86, '90, '93), from Rosberg ('82), from Piquet ('81, '83, '87). Proof that the best drivers shine on the best tracks when the rules allow them to do so.
2) 1989. Simply for the start Mansell made. Passing both Williams cars on the run to La Source, and doing it on the grass. It was run in utterly cruddy conditions as well. Murray Walker talks about it in his autobiography - he asked Johnny Herbert (who had retired on lap 3 and come up to the commentary box) how close you had to be to see the guy in front - Johnny replied that you had to have your visor right up against the rear light of the car ahead! In the end, the top three were seperated by less than 2 seconds IIRC.
3) 1992. The start of the Schumacher legend. Do I have to say any more?
4) 1993. Damon Hill winning after Prost fell behind Hill and Schumacher in the pits due to a communications ****-up. I count this as a good race simply because it proved (immediately) that Damon wasn't just a flash in the pan - if he'd just won the Hungarian GP that year, then he might not have been kept on into 1994. The fact that he won here straight after winning in Hungary (and then won again next time out in Italy) secured him at Williams long enough to get a championship.
5) 1995. Mixed conditions for this one, and it saw Schumacher win from 16th on the grid. Bit of controversy over his.....robust tactics against Hill, and he was given a suspended ban for it. I also like watching this race because Brundle got onto the podium.
6) 1998. It was a demolition derby, yes. But what a demolition derby! And it got Jordan their first win, and the first for Hill since 1996 (thanks to his crappy Arrows going south on him heartbreakingly close to the finish line at Hungary in '97)
7) 2000. Just for that pass Mika made on Schumacher. The current crop of front-runners could learn a thing or two from that.
8) 2007. Odd choice, I'm sure you'll agree. After all - not much really happened in the end. And the top seven in qualifying were the top seven at the end of the race, except Rosberg and Heidfeld swapped places. But that is exactly my point - if I feel trenchant enough when some of you rag on me for saying how dull modern F1 has become, all I have to do is point to this race and dare you to say that it's a shining beacon of how good the current iteration of the sport is. And this is a decent track as well! Not a TilkeDrome, or a characterless blot on the landscape like Barcelona or Magny-Cours.
Soldato
Soldato
Nice little article over at autosport regarding engine power - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/70246
Soldato
Soldato
That video is as old as time itself, the real reason for his decline is clearly because he's lost the motivation!
Soldato
fitted a ferrari engine now?Some nice fast corners should help us out this week, revised suspension package to so hopefully some point scoring. Well i can only hope
Associate
fitted a ferrari engine now?
Checkout the stats for Silverstone, Red Bull were one of,if not the only team managing to take Copse flat out. Does seem to
like high speed corner circuits
Soldato
I'm going this year! I for one hope it doesn't rain otherwise we are all getting soaked 
Soldato
Was Sato even yesterday's man? He had a few good races but the majority of times he was Mr Mediocre or Mr Inawallonfire.
How many teams has Sato driven for - quite a few isnt it? Jordan where the first to sign him up I seem to recall
Which year was it when DC drove into the back of Schumacher in the dreadful rain, and there was a punchup in the pitlane?
Always remember that dreadful pileup right at the start - amazing the worst injury was a broken ankle, quite amazing considering the carnage
Which year was it when DC drove into the back of Schumacher in the dreadful rain, and there was a punchup in the pitlane?
Always remember that dreadful pileup right at the start - amazing the worst injury was a broken ankle, quite amazing considering the carnage
I'm going this year! I for one hope it doesn't rain otherwise we are all getting soaked
It best rain now, just spent £60 on Waterproofs!
Cant wait though! Should be awesome!
Soldato
Im suprised that the RedBull team has changed to Ferrari engines before now.
You could see in Valencia that the Ferrari engine was giving more than the Renault plant.
You could see in Valencia that the Ferrari engine was giving more than the Renault plant.
Soldato
Questions about people going to Spa.
Is it that expensive to watch the race over there? Where do people mostly watch the race? Do prices differ to where abouts on the track you are?
I am considering going over there with a friend next year.
Is it that expensive to watch the race over there? Where do people mostly watch the race? Do prices differ to where abouts on the track you are?
I am considering going over there with a friend next year.
Soldato
The only thing current engine swaps prove is just how stupid and corrupt the rules regarding the engine freeze are...
Cost cutting measures? Damn ridiculous, the costs will just go somewhere else and we see teams on the back foot due to a lack of power. Meanwhile we can have teams change parts for "reliability"...
It's F1 not banger racing, want a cost cutting engine freeze? **** off.
Cost cutting measures? Damn ridiculous, the costs will just go somewhere else and we see teams on the back foot due to a lack of power. Meanwhile we can have teams change parts for "reliability"...
It's F1 not banger racing, want a cost cutting engine freeze? **** off.
Associate
Not 100% sure but i think it was 1998
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