F1 2010: Belgian GP.

[Ferry_vO]

The first race after the four-week summer break on the famous Spa-Francorchamps track. Plenty of rain in the air the weekend!

First ones out after Q1:

18: Trulli
19: Kobayashi
20: Senna
21: Yamamoto
22: De La Rosa
23: Di Grassi
24: Petrov (Crash on the out lap)

Glock and Kovalainen into Q2!

 

[Ferry_vO]

Positions 11 to 17 after Q2:

11: Schumacher (Will loose 10 positions as penalty for the incident with Barrichello in Hungary)
12: Rosberg (Will loose 5 positions as penalty for swapping the gearbox)
13: Alguersuari
14: Liuzzi
15: Buemi
16: kovalainen
17: Glock

Both Williams' cars in Q3.

 

[Ferry_vO]

First ten on the grid:

1: Webber
2: Hamilton
3: Kubica
4: Vettel
5: Button
6: Massa
7: Barrichello
8: Sutil
9: Hulkenberg
10:Alonso

 

[wombat666]

Rather a mixed session Ferry!
I'd prefer a dry race but given the location I doubt it.

 

[Ferry_vO]

I hope for a bit of rain, but only as long as Webber wins tomorrow!

 

[Cazzie]

Not bad for a second-rate driver, eh. :d

You go Webby mate. :ernae:

Caz

 

[Panther_99FS]

Not bad for a second-rate driver, eh. :d

You go Webby mate. :ernae:

Caz

Wasn't Webber on the team first & subsequently the primary driver before even Vettel got there?

 

[wombat666]

I would like to think that is the way RBR view the situation Ed but you know how 'National Politics' get in the way.
Loyalty should count for something, Mark has been on board since the 'Jaguar' fiasco which lead to STR and the RBR, but sometimes I think F1 management can't spell 'loyalty', let alone understand it.
I would rather we had a completely dry race or a completely wet race, not a big fan of Spa in mixed weather conditions.


BTW, let's not overlook the full MotoGP round at Indianapolis, aside from the usual suspects there are several American wild card riders taking part, including Roger Lee Hayden, and Ben Spies is getting quicker with each round.
And FWIW, Ben has signed on as Valentino's replacement next year at Yamaha.

 

[Ferry_vO]

One lesson to be learned from the GP2 race earlier this morning: Stay off the wet curbs!

Plenty of rain over here now, but you never know what will happen over Spa.

 

[Wing_Z]

Mark Webber is looking ever more like a champion to me.
The biggest loser (after Vettel, that is): Fernando Alonso.
Ferrari are in one of those bottomless pit moments.
And here's a prediction: the World Motorsport Council meets this week to decide if $100k is enough punishment for Ferrari's team orders move in Hungary. My bet is No! and goodbye Constructor's points for the season.

 

[Panther_99FS]

I feel sorry for Massa...but I'm also glad Lewis won....

That being said, lesson learned for McLaren is that they should've kept Adrian Newey....

 

[wombat666]

And here's a prediction: the World Motorsport Council meets this week to decide if $100k is enough punishment for Ferrari's team orders move in Hungary. My bet is No! and goodbye Constructor's points for the season.

I doubt this will happen Wing_Z, deserved or not, the backlash from the Tifosi alone would be enormous while the casual TV viewer would not understand why the (arguably) most famous team in F1 goes to the bottom of the pile for 'managing' their drivers.
Me, myself, speaking as one who ceased being a follower of the Red Cars in 1996, actually believe that 'Team Orders' are justified, bottom line being if (for example) I were running a hugely expensive racing team and footing the bill then I lay down the law within that operation.
More to the point, when one driver is a former World Champion and the other a Journeyman (and who knows what is in their contracts) there should be no question regarding priorities, provided both adhere to the absolute Rule Number 1, do not drive into one another.
IMHO Massa is a good #2 driver, nothing more, and he's just one of a number of journeymen drivers employed by FIAT since 1996.
When it comes down to the crunch, in almost every form of Motorsport 'Team Orders' are in force, like it or not.

 

[Panther_99FS]

Once again, Hamilton shows how good he is in the wet...

 

[Ferry_vO]

He was lucky to keep it out of the barriers when the rain started the second time, and he was lucky Webber's car didn't do well on the start..

 

[Wing_Z]

He was lucky to keep it out of the barriers when the rain started the second time, and he was lucky Webber's car didn't do well on the start..

Gary Player said, years ago:
"The more I practice, the luckier I get!"
Vettel might become World Champion once he's got the rhythm...

Wombat: the fact that Jean Todt has taken a step back possibly shows they are serious. There is no way Todt could whack his former team with a really hefty penalty.
Time will tell, seems the thinking is split between:
Everyone does it, so let it go, and
Nobody should do it
Whatever, it's a breach of the rules as they stand.

 

[Panther_99FS]

He was lucky to keep it out of the barriers when the rain started the second time, .

Looking at Hamilton's previous record in the rain, I'd debate that this was skill vice luck....(But I know you're not a Hamilton fan..)

 

[demorier]

Just been catching up on replays of the weekend stuff, been a little busy. Once again my favorite outsider this season (Kubica) keeps picking up points. Could have really got himself a second place...except for a messy tyre change.

List of drivers Vettel has NOT taken out this session, listed below:

 

[wombat666]

Looking at Hamilton's previous record in the rain, I'd debate that this was skill vice luck....(But I know you're not a Hamilton fan..)

I think Louise has actually matured a bit Ed.
Still never be a fan, but he has shown some common sense this year.
And as always, it's better to be lucky than good, but he has made quite a bit of his own luck as well IMHO.
I hope Kubica finishes this year well up in the points.
He'd be a real acquisition for FIAT but on the other hand I think he would be better off at the Regie.
One thing for sure, Massa should go, he's way past his use by date.
:ernae: