Belgium Grand Prix 2013, Spa-Francorchamps - Race 11/19

[this_is_gav]

Any news if Vettel's issue was a genuine puncture, or another Silverstone-style tyre failure?

Externally it looked nothing like it. It just started deflating and he kept his foot in it initially (which looked pretty silly given how the car had handled through Stavelot and Paul Frere). Just looked like a puncture to be honest - the inner shoulders of the tyre had mainly gone, but that could have just been the rims cutting them after the deflation.

As I remember, at Silverstone the failures were on the outer edge of each shoulder (towards the sidewall) where they were being cut, not on the inner part of shoulder.

 

[pingwing]

Loving McNish and Alen today, mostly hearing McNish trying to talk about a water pressure problem with his accent is good fun.

 

[utajoker]

hamilton seems well down in both sessions.

any news?

 

[pingwing]

hamilton seems well down in both sessions.

any news?

He's arriving at every corner a bit too hot and not getting the breaks in right (especially at Les Combes), not sure if he has a new break compound or hasn't quite gotten the balance/set up in.

Most of that was on the longer runs which doesn't look as good for race day just yet but expect more work tomorrow.

 

[sunama]

RBR is dominating, it seems.
Vettel/Webber, top 2 in practise.
I guess it was too much to ask/hope.

The only question has to be: how many WDCs can Vettel rack up, before he is no longer in a field leading team.

 

[IPBA]

Its only practice folks - P1 & P2 means nothing. We don't know fuel loads, engine maps etc. The Mercedes were nowhere in practice in Hungary then Lewis stuck it on pole and won the race. I for one will judge after qualifying.

 

[Duke]

Quite mixed times again?

P2 Results

[b]Pos  Driver               Team/Car              Time       Gap      Laps[/b]
 1.  Sebastian Vettel     Red Bull-Renault      1m49.331s           22
 2.  Mark Webber          Red Bull-Renault      1m49.390s  +0.059s  34
 3.  Romain Grosjean      Lotus-Renault         1m50.149s  +0.818s  34
 4.  Felipe Massa         Ferrari               1m50.164s  +0.833s  27
 5.  Jean-Eric Vergne     Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m50.253s  +0.922s  28
 6.  Kimi Raikkonen       Lotus-Renault         1m50.318s  +0.987s  33
 7.  Fernando Alonso      Ferrari               1m50.510s  +1.179s  21
 8.  Sergio Perez         McLaren-Mercedes      1m50.536s  +1.205s  27
 9.  Nico Rosberg         Mercedes              1m50.601s  +1.270s  33
10.  Paul di Resta        Force India-Mercedes  1m50.611s  +1.280s  27
11.  Adrian Sutil         Force India-Mercedes  1m50.629s  +1.298s  30
12.  Lewis Hamilton       Mercedes              1m50.751s  +1.420s  27
13.  Nico Hulkenberg      Sauber-Ferrari        1m50.972s  +1.641s  33
14.  Pastor Maldonado     Williams-Renault      1m50.991s  +1.660s  28
15.  Jenson Button        McLaren-Mercedes      1m51.195s  +1.864s  28
16.  Daniel Ricciardo     Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m51.447s  +2.116s  26
17.  Valtteri Bottas      Williams-Renault      1m51.568s  +2.237s  28
18.  Esteban Gutierrez    Sauber-Ferrari        1m51.644s  +2.313s  26
19.  Giedo van der Garde  Caterham-Renault      1m53.157s  +3.826s  21
20.  Charles Pic          Caterham-Renault      1m53.251s  +3.920s  29
21.  Jules Bianchi        Marussia-Cosworth     1m53.482s  +4.151s  28
22.  Max Chilton          Marussia-Cosworth     1m54.418s  +5.087s  12

 

[utajoker]

He's arriving at every corner a bit too hot and not getting the breaks in right (especially at Les Combes), not sure if he has a new break compound or hasn't quite gotten the balance/set up in.

Most of that was on the longer runs which doesn't look as good for race day just yet but expect more work tomorrow.

looking similar to the last race, he wasn't on it in any practice then pole and win. hope its a repeat performance!

 

[Danthus]

lol tyres.

 

[Skeeter]

You can overtake at Spa, so Hamilton won't be saved by his rivals getting stuck in traffic. To win here you need to be fast.

 

[Jono8]

To win here you need to be fast.

Good job Hamilton is one of, if not the fastest driver(s) then .

 

[smr]

Is this genuine concern for Hammy though...? he's getting quite consistent at trolling us in free practices then sticking her on pole for the race.

 

[smr]

I know it sounds silly but I've had a gut feeling that Jenson will go to Red Bull since Webber left the seat.

It really doesn't make sense though - Honda are coming - he loves Mclaren, they love him. He knows they're a team who win WDCs etc. yet I still get this feeling there will be a shocking surprise soon.

 

[deuse]

You can overtake at Spa, so Hamilton won't be saved by his rivals getting stuck in traffic. To win here you need to be fast.

Skyboy talking rubbish again but what's new.

Now who was it that couldn't overtake at the Hungarian Grand Prix last year and was stuck behind button?

Now who was it that couldn't overtake at the Hungarian Grand Prix this year and was stuck behind button?

Who was it that because he couldn't overtake at the Hungarian Grand Prix 2012\2013 never won?

Who this year done the best overtakes at the Hungarian Grand Prix? LEWIS

 

[deuse]

I know it sounds silly but I've had a gut feeling that Jenson will go to Red Bull since Webber left the seat.

It really doesn't make sense though - Honda are coming - he loves Mclaren, they love him. He knows they're a team who win WDCs etc. yet I still get this feeling there will be a shocking surprise soon.

Jenson won't be going to rb. And by the time Honda come and get settled in jenson will be out of F1.

 

[smr]

Jenson won't be going to rb. And by the time Honda come and get settled in jenson will be out of F1.

I'm sorry, how old is Webber?

 

[Westyfield2]

Argh I forgot to watch practice live. Lol tyres?

 

[Duke]

Ferrari have ditched the monkey seat this race as well - http://i.imgur.com/5WsW4Jvh.jpg

More pics in the tech discussion thread

 

[Danthus]

Argh I forgot to watch practice live. Lol tyres?

Vettel and Alonsos right rear popped.

Debris was the problem according to Pirelli.

 

[Skeeter]

Good job Hamilton is one of, if not the fastest driver(s) then .

It's a shame the Mercedes car is a bit of an unknown until race day.

Skyboy talking rubbish again but what's new.

Now who was it that couldn't overtake at the Hungarian Grand Prix last year and was stuck behind button?

Now who was it that couldn't overtake at the Hungarian Grand Prix this year and was stuck behind button?

Who was it that because he couldn't overtake at the Hungarian Grand Prix 2012\2013 never won?

Who this year done the best overtakes at the Hungarian Grand Prix? LEWIS

What are you on? How does pulling off some great overtakes at Hungary help Hamilton win from pole? You can overtake at Spa, so sticking it on pole won't be enough if the chasing cars are faster in the race.