Grand Prix 2011 Belgian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

It's a long summer and the key discussions aren't about the F1.

As we are in the middle of the summer break, the SKY/BBC deal continues to take precedence over any on track action we saw at Hungary, which is a shame as we saw a cracker of a race where Jenson Button eventually won his second race of the season ahead of Sebastian Vettel who extended his lead at the top of the championship yet again and surely it takes a miracle for anyone to overtake him now with less than half the races to go.

However with Belgium coming closer on the calender, it seems as if Red Bull has lost the dominance it held over the first half of the season with McLaren appearing to have the best all round package with 4 wins now this year with 2 for Button and 2 for Hamilton. Ferrari aren't far behind and are perhaps the best team in warm conditions but that remains to be seen after a series of damp and cold races. However it would still be a foolish person to bet against Red Bull going into the Belgian Grand Prix where the fast sweeping corners and technical hairpins will no doubt play to their advantage.

Spa Francorchamps is regarded (quite rightly) as the best driver circuit on the calendar with the famous circuit having many variations from its original form to the current version which was last changed in 2006 to incorporate the new pit area and final chicane, the final chicane wasn't popular as both fans and drivers miss the challenging bus stop chicane and the 'new' pit lane which can cause problems.

The grand prix has been famous for it's unpredictable weather with violent storms and half the track being dry and the other wet at the same time and completely random showers, the big example was 2008 where a late shower caught out the entire field and cost Kimi Raikkonen (and eventually Hamilton) the win. In 1998 torrential rain caused one of the worst starts in F1 history where half the field was wiped out on turn 1, eventually (after a restart) Damon Hill won for Jordan in a 1-2 with Ralf Schumacher second, Michael Schumacher famously nearly started a fight with David Coulthard after crashing into him trying to lap him.

Michael Schumacher has an impressive record at this track, winning his first race at the track in 1992 and taking several wins at the track with his last coming in 2002 where he took his seventh world championship. However at the moment it is unlikely that he will add to his list of wins with the Mercedes well off the pace of the leading trio of Ferrari, Mclaren and Red Bull.

Mercedes might find themselves behind Force India at the race as the track suits them down to a tee, in 2009 Fisichella took a surprise pole position and then took second place just finishing behind Raikkonen in the Ferrari (who always seemed to win at Spa when he was driving there)
Sutil and Di Resta have shown impressive pace recently, with both achieving season bests at the last few races and are closing the gap to the flagging Renault team who have really lost performance since the start of the season with Heidfeld and Petrov dissapointing.

On a personal level I am really looking forward to this race as I have weekend tickets and will be at Pouhon all weekend to bring you the best coverage from the track, (better than these Sky lot anyway)

For Galahad's excellent circuit write up, see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/circuit-de-spa-francorchamps/

 

[Hamberg]

It was superb.

 

[Quintessentially]

I've always said the stewards investigate too often, Koba-smashy on Hamilton was a racing incident and the exact sort of thing they should just let go. It's racing, it happens. I'll say this though, for whatever reason Lauda and Mansell do not like Hamilton.

.

I beg to differ. This is the sort of incident the stewards should be investigating because there is a safety case involved, and safety is top of their remit. By all means call it a racing incident after investigating but to effectively refuse to look into it was wholly inapproriate and sends out the wrong message. For me, that panel will always lack credibility as long as you've got Mansell et al involved.

 

[Hamberg]

Well there were drivers better sadly for nico, but Button, Schumi and Vettel and Webber were all better, good drive though

I beg to differ on that, there were cars better than the Mercedes. I think both Schumacher and Rosberg showed excellence in defending today.

Given what Schumacher and Button were able to achieve I'm beginning to wonder about the benefit of starting 11th on fresh tyres though.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Vettel was fortunate today, Webber cocked-up his start (again) and Alonso didn't have the pace on the tyres. If it weren't for Kobayashi or Button qualifying mistake I think a McLaren would have won today. Great drive by Schumacher and Rosberg who both maximised their car's performance. One does have to wonder just what Rosberg would have to achieve to win a race as he effectively was in pole position today and still was a considerable distance behind the big three teams bar Massa who had a puncture.

 

[Jos the Boss]

I beg to differ on that, there were cars better than the Mercedes. I think both Schumacher and Rosberg showed excellence in defending today.

Given what Schumacher and Button were able to achieve I'm beginning to wonder about the benefit of starting 11th on fresh tyres though.

The benefit of starting on the hard tyres actually, get that phase out and power away on softs

 

[Fenderman]

I For me, that panel will always lack credibility as long as you've got Mansell et al involved.

The problem with Mansell is that he has already made his mind up about what he thinks of Lewis. In any other arena he would be disqualified from taking part in an investigation and judgement on the grounds of lacking impartiality since his statements on so many occasions clearly demonstrate his bias. This is the real problem with having human beings as Stewards. They/we are in general incapable of true objectivity so until we have automatons on the bench we'll just have to lump it (much to my distaste).

 

[Hamberg]

Precisely and with DRS now the drivers with that speed advantage don't get caught up so much battling against cars with a similar or greater speed advantage. Not to take anything away from Schumacher's drive but he was able to put less stress on the car and had the benefit of fresh tyres at every stop. So I don't think it was massively superior to Rosberg's.

 

[The Pits]

What I would like is an appeals system.

It seems that decisions cannot be overturned once they have been made, but a review by an alternative body would mitigate these things a little. Also, maybe like the selection of a jury, each panel member approved by the teams?

My thoughts on this weekends incidents aside, it does seem that there is a serious lack of consistency in what is investigated and in what way, which needs to be adressed for the sake of credibility of the stewards.

 

[Hamberg]

I thought a team can request an investigation up to 4 hours post race finish (as Ferrari love to do!)? However I guess for VMM what is the point in doing so? If i were them i'd be more upset that they didn't see fit to investigate it rather than seeking for Kobayashi to be punished (which won't alter anything for them).

I didn't get to see the Hamilton interview with Lee, when she said there would be no investigation, what was Hamilton's reaction?

 

[Brogan]

Lap times of the top 5 drivers.

 

[Puhoon]

How did Lewis turn into him though? Koba was behind and made contact with his rear tyre so he couldn't have been beside him

I don't understand this position as put forward by EJ at all. So now the leading driver has to take responsibility for the following driver? The same EJ had the opposite opinion in Monaco when Lewis put his car up the inside of a driver who then turned in for his racing line

EJ can be a complete knob sometimes

Well, Koba was driving straight and Hamilton turned to the outside to take the normal racing line. Koba was alongside when Hamilton turned leftt. Had he been behind Hamilton when they made contact, Koba would have been flying in the air.

 

[Hamberg]

when Hamilton turned left.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt here and assume you are visually impaired.

 

[Gert]

Totally agree with that Can't understand why that user hasn't gone to Specsavers

 

[Fenderman]

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt here and assume you are visually impaired.

Niki Lauda seems to think that a bit of footage looking at the two cars head on means that they are side by side .... yet the front wheel of one hits the rear wheel of the other which should tell his brain that compensating for lack of depth perception due to viewing a two dimensional picture might just be a good idea.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

I'm beginning to think that a driver in the stewards room isn't a good idea now. Clearly some ex drivers don't have it in them to go into the stewards room and be unbiased. Personally i'd do a better job than some of these ex drivers.

 

[Il_leone]

I'm beginning to think that a driver in the stewards room isn't a good idea now. Clearly some ex drivers don't have it in them to go into the stewards room and be unbiased. Personally i'd do a better job than some of these ex drivers.

In other words turn a blind eye to every incident involving Lewis Hamilton would be your ideal situation

 

[no-FIAt-please]

I don't think hammy is saying that, clearly the problem is Mansell and his attitude towards Lewis Hamilton, same goes for Niki Lauda as the pair of them have never had a nice thing to say about Hamilton. Why don't they get a number of drivers to evaluate a collision, wouldn't that offer a more objective decision making process?

 

[Il_leone]

Who was in the stewards yesterday investigating Maldonado and Hamilton.... Nigel Mansell and who got the worst of the punishment -.... Maldonado

THe stewards have a right to investigate every incident they deemed where a driver or team has acted unprofessionally or irresponsibly that would endanger themselves, fellow drivers, team members or spectators and marshalls

They can also act upon if a formal protest was lodged by a driver or team..so do people think Sauber or Kobayashi did not protest then that Hamilton did was dangerous and appeared to be weaving in their eyes..its the sort of move Schumacher use to do and get away with time and time again

 

[no-FIAt-please]

so do people think Sauber or Kobayashi did not protest then that Hamilton did was dangerous and appeared to be weaving in their eyes..

Wait... So you're saying you think Hamilton was weaving?

 

[Il_leone]

I don't think hammy is saying that, clearly the problem is Mansell and his attitude towards Lewis Hamilton, same goes for Niki Lauda as the pair of them have never had a nice thing to say about Hamilton. Why don't they get a number of drivers to evaluate a collision, wouldn't that offer a more objective decision making process?

You still need a majority call to punish the driver. When did Lauda punish Hamilton being on the stewards ? LASt Year at Silverstone I remember Alonso got punished for grass cutting with Mansell on the stewards and the accusation was a conspiracy against him in favour of Hamilton

Mansell also made it clear drivers should not be missing Eau rouge deliberately to get a slingshot like Raikkonen did in 2009 to win the race