Belgian Grand Prix 2012, Spa-Francorchamps - Race 12/20

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Spa-Francorchamps

Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps circuit is among the most historic on the Formula One calendar, having hosted a (non-championship) Grand Prix as long ago as 1924, and remains one of the most popular venues with drivers and fans alike.

Run on narrow public roads, the original Spa layout was an amazing 14.9 kilometres long and notoriously dangerous. The lap distance was reduced slightly over the years, with some corners eased, but when the 'old' circuit staged its final Grand Prix in 1970 it still measured just over 14 kilometres and remained staggeringly quick - Chris Amon set that year's fastest lap at an average speed of just under 245 km/h.

Spa did not return to the calendar until 1983 and then in drastically revised form, with lap distance cut to just under seven kilometres. Somehow, though, the circuit's magic was retained. Around two thirds of the lap used the original layout and the legendary Eau Rouge corner remained intact. Only the new Bus Stop chicane on the run down to La Source drew criticism.

More than twenty years on Spa remains the longest circuit on the calendar. Its mix of long straights and challenging fast corners, coupled with its picturesque setting, means that most drivers still rank it among their favourite tracks. The weather is still notoriously changeable (it can often be simultaneously raining on one part of the track and dry on another) and Eau Rouge, with its high speed and sudden elevation change, maintains its reputation as one of Formula One racing's most technically demanding corners.

Such is the challenge of Spa that only the truly great drivers can really claim to have mastered it. In fact just six men have won the race more than twice - Juan Manuel Fangio (three times), Damon Hill (three times), Kimi Raikkonen (four times), Jim Clark (four times), Ayrton Senna (five times) and Michael Schumacher (six times).


Session Times

Fri 31 Aug 2012
Practice 1 09:00 - 10:30
Practice 2 13:00 - 14:30

Sat 1 Sep 2012
Practice 3 10:00 - 11:00
Qualifying 13:00

Sun 2 Sep 2012
Race 13:00


All live on Sky Sports F1. For BBC times and info see here. FIA 2011 race edit can be found here.



Track:

Track Diagram

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Track DRS

Detection point: 235m before T2.
Activation point: 270m after T4.

DRS is disabled at Eau Rouge.


Circuit information

Circuit Name: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Number of Laps: 44
Circuit Length: 7.004 km
Race Distance: 308.052 km
Lap Record: 1:45.108 - K Raikkonen (2004)



Current Standings

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Technical Changes

http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/



Photos from the event

Thursday - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/race/2012/875/general/thursday.html

Friday - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/race/2012/875/general/friday.html

Saturday - www.formula1.com/gallery/race/2012/875/general/saturday.html

Sunday - http://www.formula1.com/gallery/race/2012/875/general/sunday.html


FIA Press Conference

Thursday - http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/8/13710.html

Friday - http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/8/13719.html

Saturday - http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/9/13733.html

Sunday - http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/9/13743.html


Practice 1
Code:
[b]Pos  Driver              Car                   Time       Gap       Laps[/b]
 1.  Kamui Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari        2m11.389s            20
 2.  Pastor Maldonado    Williams-Renault      2m11.941s  + 0.552s  14
 3.  Daniel Ricciardo    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    2m12.004s  + 0.615s  12
 4.  Jean-Eric Vergne    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    2m12.824s  + 1.435s  15
 5.  Mark Webber         Red Bull-Renault      2m13.191s  + 1.802s  13
 6.  Sergio Perez        Sauber-Ferrari        2m13.861s  + 2.472s  16
 7.  Nico Rosberg        Mercedes              2m14.210s  + 2.821s  14
 8.  Valtteri Bottas     Williams-Renault      2m14.660s  + 3.271s  16
 9.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull-Renault      2m14.860s  + 3.471s  12
10.  Michael Schumacher  Mercedes              2m15.402s  + 4.013s  13
11.  Paul di Resta       Force India-Mercedes  2m15.812s  + 4.423s  11
12.  Timo Glock          Marussia-Cosworth     2m16.409s  + 5.020s  16
13.  Nico Hulkenberg     Force India-Mercedes  2m16.786s  + 5.397s  10
14.  Vitaly Petrov       Caterham-Renault      2m16.788s  + 5.399s  16
15.  Lewis Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      2m16.827s  + 5.438s  5
16.  Jenson Button       McLaren-Mercedes      2m16.861s  + 5.472s  8
17.  Charles Pic         Marussia-Cosworth     2m17.519s  + 6.130s  14
18.  Heikki Kovalainen   Caterham-Renault      2m18.199s  + 6.810s  10
19.  Pedro de la Rosa    HRT-Cosworth          2m19.546s  + 8.157s  12
20.  Dani Clos           HRT-Cosworth          2m19.689s  + 8.300s  12
21.  Romain Grosjean     Lotus-Renault         2m38.701s  + 27.312s 9
22.  Fernando Alonso     Ferrari               2m40.749s  + 29.360s 4
23.  Kimi Raikkonen      Lotus-Renault         2m46.580s  + 35.191s 9
24.  Felipe Massa        Ferrari                                    2


Practice 2
Code:
[b]Pos  Driver              Car                   Time       Gap        Laps[/b]
 1.  Charles Pic         Marussia-Cosworth     2m49.354s             4
 2.  Daniel Ricciardo    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    2m49.750s  + 0.396s   3
 3.  Fernando Alonso     Ferrari               2m50.497s  + 1.143s   3
 4.  Paul di Resta       Force India-Mercedes  2m51.333s  + 1.979s   3
 5.  Pastor Maldonado    Williams-Renault      2m51.660s  + 2.306s   4
 6.  Timo Glock          Marussia-Cosworth     2m52.076s  + 2.722s   4
 7.  Kamui Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari        2m53.232s  + 3.878s   4
 8.  Jean-Eric Vergne    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    2m58.232s  + 8.878s   3
 9.  Nico Hulkenberg     Force India-Mercedes  2m59.125s  + 9.771s   5
10.  Sergio Perez        Sauber-Ferrari        3m12.901s  + 23.547s  4
11.  Nico Rosberg        Mercedes                                    3
12.  Michael Schumacher  Mercedes                                    4
13.  Heikki Kovalainen   Caterham-Renault                            1
14.  Lewis Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes                            2
15.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull-Renault                            3
16.  Jenson Button       McLaren-Mercedes                            2
17.  Felipe Massa        Ferrari                                     2
18.  Bruno Senna         Williams-Renault                            3


Practice 3
Code:
[b]Pos  Driver              Car                   Time       Gap       Laps[/b]
 1.  Fernando Alonso     Ferrari               1m48.542s            18
 2.  Kimi Raikkonen      Lotus-Renault         1m48.683s  + 0.141s  21
 3.  Sergio Perez        Sauber-Ferrari        1m48.850s  + 0.308s  23
 4.  Kamui Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari        1m48.863s  + 0.321s  20
 5.  Jenson Button       McLaren-Mercedes      1m49.091s  + 0.549s  18
 6.  Felipe Massa        Ferrari               1m49.092s  + 0.550s  16
 7.  Mark Webber         Red Bull-Renault      1m49.164s  + 0.622s  21
 8.  Romain Grosjean     Lotus-Renault         1m49.266s  + 0.724s  23
 9.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull-Renault      1m49.292s  + 0.750s  23
10.  Paul di Resta       Force India-Mercedes  1m49.382s  + 0.840s  22
11.  Pastor Maldonado    Williams-Renault      1m49.561s  + 1.019s  23
12.  Lewis Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      1m49.615s  + 1.073s  19
13.  Michael Schumacher  Mercedes              1m49.621s  + 1.079s  26
14.  Nico Hulkenberg     Force India-Mercedes  1m49.674s  + 1.132s  23
15.  Jean-Eric Vergne    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m49.710s  + 1.168s  21
16.  Daniel Ricciardo    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m49.776s  + 1.234s  22
17.  Bruno Senna         Williams-Renault      1m50.027s  + 1.485s  20
18.  Heikki Kovalainen   Caterham-Renault      1m52.339s  + 3.797s  21
19.  Charles Pic         Marussia-Cosworth     1m52.566s  + 4.024s  20
20.  Timo Glock          Marussia-Cosworth     1m52.630s  + 4.088s  18
21.  Vitaly Petrov       Caterham-Renault      1m52.809s  + 4.267s  22
22.  Pedro de la Rosa    HRT-Cosworth          1m53.383s  + 4.841s  22
23.  Narain Karthikeyan  HRT-Cosworth          1m53.562s  + 5.020s  23
24.  Nico Rosberg        Mercedes              1m58.113s  + 9.571s  5


Qualifying
Code:
[b]Pos  Driver              Car                   Time       Gap[/b]
 1.  Jenson Button       McLaren-Mercedes      1m47.573s
 2.  Kamui Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari        1m47.871s  + 0.298s
 3.  Pastor Maldonado    Williams-Renault      1m47.893s  + 0.320s
 4.  Kimi Raikkonen      Lotus-Renault         1m48.205s  + 0.632s
 5.  Sergio Perez        Sauber-Ferrari        1m48.219s  + 0.646s
 6.  Fernando Alonso     Ferrari               1m48.313s  + 0.740s
 7.  Mark Webber         Red Bull-Renault      1m48.392s  + 0.819s***
 8.  Lewis Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      1m48.394s  + 0.821s
 9.  Romain Grosjean     Lotus-Renault         1m48.538s  + 0.965s
10.  Paul di Resta       Force India-Mercedes  1m48.890s  + 1.317s
Q2 cut-off time: 1m48.993s                                Gap *
11.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull-Renault      1m49.722s  + 0.472s
12.  Nico Hulkenberg     Force India-Mercedes  1m49.362s  + 0.112s
13.  Michael Schumacher  Mercedes              1m49.742s  + 0.492s
14.  Felipe Massa        Ferrari               1m49.588s  + 0.338s
15.  Jean-Eric Vergne    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m49.763s  + 0.513s
16.  Daniel Ricciardo    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m49.572s  + 0.322s
17.  Bruno Senna         Williams-Renault      1m49.958s  + 0.708s
Q1 cut-off time: 1m50.126s                                Gap **
18.  Nico Rosberg        Mercedes              1m50.181s  + 1.188s***
19.  Heikki Kovalainen   Caterham-Renault      1m51.739s  + 2.746s
20.  Vitaly Petrov       Caterham-Renault      1m51.967s  + 2.974s
21.  Timo Glock          Marussia-Cosworth     1m52.336s  + 3.343s
22.  Pedro de la Rosa    HRT-Cosworth          1m53.030s  + 4.037s
23.  Charles Pic         Marussia-Cosworth     1m53.493s  + 4.500s
24.  Narain Karthikeyan  HRT-Cosworth          1m54.989s  + 5.996s


Race
Code:
[b]Pos  Driver        Team                       Time[/b]
 1.  Button        McLaren-Mercedes           1h29:08.530
 2.  Vettel        Red Bull-Renault           +    13.624
 3.  Raikkonen     Lotus-Renault              +    25.334
 4.  Hulkenberg    Force India-Mercedes       +    27.843
 5.  Massa         Ferrari                    +    29.845
 6.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault           +    31.244
 7.  Schumacher    Mercedes                   +    53.374
 8.  Vergne        Toro Rosso-Ferrari         +    58.865
 9.  Ricciardo     Toro Rosso-Ferrari         +  1:02.982
10.  Di Resta      Force India-Mercedes       +  1:03.783
11.  Rosberg       Mercedes                   +  1:05.111
12.  Senna         Williams-Renault           +  1:11.529
13.  Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari             +  1:56.119
14.  Petrov        Caterham-Renault           +     1 lap
15.  Glock         Marussia-Cosworth          +     1 lap
16.  Pic           Marussia-Cosworth          +     1 lap
17.  Kovalainen    Caterham-Renault           +     1 lap
18.  De la Rosa    HRT-Cosworth               +     1 lap
 
Last edited:
Man of Honour
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Was out hooning on track today so didn't get to see FP1 & 2. Looks like I didn't miss much though :)

Times below, although slightly meaningless.


FP1 Times

Code:
[b]Pos  Driver              Car                   Time       Gap       Laps[/b]
 1.  Kamui Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari        2m11.389s            20
 2.  Pastor Maldonado    Williams-Renault      2m11.941s  + 0.552s  14
 3.  Daniel Ricciardo    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    2m12.004s  + 0.615s  12
 4.  Jean-Eric Vergne    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    2m12.824s  + 1.435s  15
 5.  Mark Webber         Red Bull-Renault      2m13.191s  + 1.802s  13
 6.  Sergio Perez        Sauber-Ferrari        2m13.861s  + 2.472s  16
 7.  Nico Rosberg        Mercedes              2m14.210s  + 2.821s  14
 8.  Valtteri Bottas     Williams-Renault      2m14.660s  + 3.271s  16
 9.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull-Renault      2m14.860s  + 3.471s  12
10.  Michael Schumacher  Mercedes              2m15.402s  + 4.013s  13
11.  Paul di Resta       Force India-Mercedes  2m15.812s  + 4.423s  11
12.  Timo Glock          Marussia-Cosworth     2m16.409s  + 5.020s  16
13.  Nico Hulkenberg     Force India-Mercedes  2m16.786s  + 5.397s  10
14.  Vitaly Petrov       Caterham-Renault      2m16.788s  + 5.399s  16
15.  Lewis Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      2m16.827s  + 5.438s  5
16.  Jenson Button       McLaren-Mercedes      2m16.861s  + 5.472s  8
17.  Charles Pic         Marussia-Cosworth     2m17.519s  + 6.130s  14
18.  Heikki Kovalainen   Caterham-Renault      2m18.199s  + 6.810s  10
19.  Pedro de la Rosa    HRT-Cosworth          2m19.546s  + 8.157s  12
20.  Dani Clos           HRT-Cosworth          2m19.689s  + 8.300s  12
21.  Romain Grosjean     Lotus-Renault         2m38.701s  + 27.312s 9
22.  Fernando Alonso     Ferrari               2m40.749s  + 29.360s 4
23.  Kimi Raikkonen      Lotus-Renault         2m46.580s  + 35.191s 9
24.  Felipe Massa        Ferrari                                    2


FP2 Times

Code:
[b]Pos  Driver              Car                   Time       Gap        Laps[/b]
 1.  Charles Pic         Marussia-Cosworth     2m49.354s             4
 2.  Daniel Ricciardo    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    2m49.750s  + 0.396s   3
 3.  Fernando Alonso     Ferrari               2m50.497s  + 1.143s   3
 4.  Paul di Resta       Force India-Mercedes  2m51.333s  + 1.979s   3
 5.  Pastor Maldonado    Williams-Renault      2m51.660s  + 2.306s   4
 6.  Timo Glock          Marussia-Cosworth     2m52.076s  + 2.722s   4
 7.  Kamui Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari        2m53.232s  + 3.878s   4
 8.  Jean-Eric Vergne    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    2m58.232s  + 8.878s   3
 9.  Nico Hulkenberg     Force India-Mercedes  2m59.125s  + 9.771s   5
10.  Sergio Perez        Sauber-Ferrari        3m12.901s  + 23.547s  4
11.  Nico Rosberg        Mercedes                                    3
12.  Michael Schumacher  Mercedes                                    4
13.  Heikki Kovalainen   Caterham-Renault                            1
14.  Lewis Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes                            2
15.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull-Renault                            3
16.  Jenson Button       McLaren-Mercedes                            2
17.  Felipe Massa        Ferrari                                     2
18.  Bruno Senna         Williams-Renault                            3
 
Man of Honour
OP
Joined
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Posts
34,531
Location
Wiltshire
Just caught up with qually. What a great few laps from Button there, hope he has got his head around the set up and tyres again now. The grid could help him a lot here, with Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Webber being quite far down.
 
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