Belgian GP Thread - Containing Spoilers of Race & Qualifying

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :

The 2014 Belgian GP preview: Everything you need to know about this weekend's race!
The F1 action resumes after the summer break at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
So read on below as Sky Sports Online provides your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the grand prix weekend.

The 2014 Belgian GP in a nutshell
Track: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Permanent circuit.
Race start time: 1pm UK time Sunday (2pm local).
Laps: 44.
Track length: 7.004 km.
Tyre allocation: Medium (white) and soft (yellow). 
DRS Zones: Two with separate detection points – pit straight and Kemmel Straight.
Driver steward: TBA.
Lap record: Sebastian Vettel - 1:47.263 (Red Bull; 2009).
2013 pole: Lewis Hamilton - 2:01.012 (Mercedes).
Form guide
Kimi Raikkonen is the most successful of the current drivers in Belgium, having won the race on four occasions. However, he still trails Michael Schumacher who is out in front with six victories.
Sebastian Vettel is the only other multiple winner amongst those on the 2014 grid having stood atop the podium in 2011 and 2013.
2013 result: 1. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari); 3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes); 4. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); 5. Mark Webber (Red Bull); 6. Jenson Button (McLaren); 7. Felipe Massa (Ferrari); 8. Romain Grosjean (Lotus); 9. Adrian Sutil (Force India); 10. Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso).
Last five winners in Belgium: 2013: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2012: Jenson Button (McLaren); 2011: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2010: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren); 2009: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari).
Pirelli will bring the white-marked medium and yellow-banded soft tyres to Spa-Francorchamps – a step softer with both compounds than last year.
“Spa is one of the most epic circuits of the year, and a track we know well from our experience of GT racing at the Spa 24 Hours too,” Pirelli Motorsport Director Paul Hembery said. 
“This is because of the length of the lap, meaning also that strategy is a very big factor in Spa: there is more time to be won and lost by being on the right tyre at the right time than at many other venues. It’s the sort of race where, under the right circumstances, it’s absolutely possible to go from last to first – and that always makes for a very exciting grand prix.”“An adaptable tyre is the key element, able to work equally well within the very wide range of track and weather conditions that we often see in Belgium. Despite the fact that tyre wear and degradation is traditionally high at Spa – the result of the multiple energy loadings put through the tyres – we have been able to nominate the soft tyres here as well as the medium for the first time since 2011, with the softer option liable to be the preferred choice in qualifying due to a significant time gap. 

[Guest]

Clearly Rosbergs fault from brundle. Toto is furious in that interview, Nico is getting a bol***ing tonight. Nice boos for Nico from the crowd.

[GSC]

The booing of whoever beats Hamilton on the podium is really pathetic now.

[Gerry SA]

Rosberg clearly leading in the championship, if Mercedes want to implement team orders. 

Hamilton will be looking at the back of Nico's car of the rest of the season.

[Fernando]

Personally didn't think much too it personally he tried to go round the outside of Lewis the gap was closed by Lewis and unless Nico went over the kerb which would of launched him into the side of Lewis at that angle.

Personally i agree with Coulthard saying he didn't do it on purpose and was just a natural incident. If you are going to let your drivers race incidents will happen eventually.

Lewis was fairly silly with his puncture and before you Hamilton fans get bitchy. If Lewis didn't floor it back to the pitlane he wouldn't haven't damaged the floor as badly when your 2 seconds faster over a race you don't need to rush and break your car worse then it already was which caused his loss of downforce his complained about.

PS cut the insults out please < This isn't optional i will put you on the naughty step for 24 hrs if need be.

[bogbrush]

The booing is just the same k**bheads who we're doing it to Vettel last year.

Very retarded.

Edit: Fernando - same point I made about the reckless recovery back to pits. He'd have made points otherwise.

[mystiroakey]

One point...If he nursed it back he would have been lapped . he was all ready 80 secs from the lead after his pit. If he was lapped there was no way he could have got points and there would have been no guarantee that his car would have been better.plus add 70 secs to his 80 sec gap.... So please stop talking nonsense. He had to take the risk so he wasnt lapped. It was over 3 and a half miles to go till the pit lane.(20 miles per hour less is 70 secs)

And if you want to believe everything brundle says then listen to him when he says it was rosbergs fault...

Nando it doesn't matter if you think it was a natural no fault incident. Most of us can admit who's fault it was, that includes most fans, all the media, commentators and the merc team.. But even still the luck favoured rosberg not LH and its killing our F1 season...

Anyway you can have your little hate Hamilton area all want without anyone with a differing opinion because that's the last post I make on here. Alienate people who have a different opinion all you want.its worked.  Well done    

[Guest]

Yeah, not sure they understand that brundle, toto & Mercedes as a team admit it was Nico's fault. Agree, on the longest track of year, Hamilton drove at a reasonable speed back, he was risking being lapped. I don't get GSC saying the booing is pathetic, like it's happened every race when LH is beaten, more exaggeration. Fans can boo its their right, they've been denied further racing between the top two, due to Nico's actions, it's understandable to boo.

As for Gerry, total nonsense from you on every sport you post on. Just venting because his beloved Vettel is being spanked as regular as clockwork. Agree mysti, let them have their anti Hamilton zone, it's pretty sad. I've admitted when Lewis has made mistakes or made errors but the complete denial of Hamilton's issues or bad luck & claiming the luck card is boring to debate is quite something.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

No, I said they were level going into the corner and Rosberg tried to hang it round the outside. 


...which is what happened.

NO GSC THIS CLEARLY ISNT THE CASE

LEWIS HAMILTON WAS MILES AHEAD AND ROSBERG TOOK HIM OUT YOU DOOFUS!!!

[Calder106]

Personally didn't think much too it personally he tried to go round the outside of Lewis the gap was closed by Lewis and unless Nico went over the kerb which would of launched him into the side of Lewis at that angle.

Personally i agree with Coulthard saying he didn't do it on purpose and was just a natural incident. If you are going to let your drivers race incidents will happen eventually.

Lewis was fairly silly with his puncture and before you Hamilton fans get bitchy. If Lewis didn't floor it back to the pitlane he wouldn't haven't damaged the floor as badly when your 2 seconds faster over a race you don't need to rush and break your car worse then it already was which caused his loss of downforce his complained about.

PS cut the insults out please < This isn't optional i will put you on the naughty step for 24 hrs if need be.

Ok. If we accept it was an racing/natural incident what is your view on why Rosberg was trying overtake there at that stage of the race. He qualified deservedly on pole yesterday but got of to a bad start letting Hamilton and then Vettel pass. Vettel then handed him a bit of a lifeline by trying to overtake Hamilton and going off the track. I expect Rosberg would have got past Vettel again quite quickly but it might have cost him a second or two before he did. So on Lap 2 or 44 he is just behind Hamilton in a car that is just as fast with the advantage of having DRS. Was there any need to try and overtake there so early in the race. Mercedes have stated that they want their drivers to race which is great but they also do not want their cars crashing into each other.

[Fernando]

Personally didn't think much too it personally he tried to go round the outside of Lewis the gap was closed by Lewis and unless Nico went over the kerb which would of launched him into the side of Lewis at that angle.

Personally i agree with Coulthard saying he didn't do it on purpose and was just a natural incident. If you are going to let your drivers race incidents will happen eventually.

Lewis was fairly silly with his puncture and before you Hamilton fans get bitchy. If Lewis didn't floor it back to the pitlane he wouldn't haven't damaged the floor as badly when your 2 seconds faster over a race you don't need to rush and break your car worse then it already was which caused his loss of downforce his complained about.

PS cut the insults out please < This isn't optional i will put you on the naughty step for 24 hrs if need be.

Ok. If we accept it was an racing/natural incident what is your view on why Rosberg was trying overtake there at that stage of the race. He qualified deservedly on pole yesterday but got of to a  bad start letting Hamilton and then Vettel pass. Vettel then handed him a bit of a lifeline by trying to overtake Hamilton and going off the track. I expect Rosberg would have got past Vettel again quite quickly but it might have cost him a second or two before he did. So on Lap 2 or 44 he is just behind Hamilton in a car that is just as fast with the advantage of having DRS. Was there any need to try and overtake there so early in the race. Mercedes have stated that they want their drivers to race which is great but they also do not want their cars crashing into each other.

Because Hamilton had better race pace as shown throughout Practice sessions was about 0.3 tenths a lap so if he didn't do it early he wouldn't of done it at all. People complain he's not a great overtake yet criticize him for trying to overtake.

Not even going to bother to reply to Mysti & John your logic is pathetic so because 3 people think Nico is guilty he is? Sure why not it's all Nico's fault just so LOL I've seen a fair few people calling an incident but no it's Nico's fault because its your beloved Lewis. You 2 have your Hamilton love fest zone. It's the same every season when someone is competitive again him it's always someone elses fault but his.

[Calder106]

Rosberg was faster in two of the three qualifying sessions. He had DRS available, pit stops to come (not been Hamilton's strong point this season), by keeping close behind he may have forced a mistake from Hamilton. However if he felt it necessary to go for the overtake so early in the race surely he could have attacked in a place where there was less danger of a coming together.

[Fernando]

Rosberg was faster in two of the three qualifying sessions. He had DRS available, pit stops to come (not been Hamilton's strong point this season), by keeping close behind he may have forced a mistake from Hamilton. However if he felt it necessary to go for the overtake so early in the race surely he could have attacked in a place where there was less danger of a coming together.

At the end of a straight is the least dangerous place you can overtake on a track any corner and Hamilton would of done the same as Hungary and forced him off track. Personally whilst Rosberg was quicker in Practice Hamilton had better race pace as proved by the stint times they did so there was a chance of Lewis building a big enough gap to negate DRS and atleast enough time to come out the pits still ahead of an undercut.

[Calder106]

Don't understand your first sentence. Yes Hamilton had better pace in the earlier practice sessions but is it not the case that both drivers have access to the others data so Rosberg could have changed something in his set up prior to qualifying.. So it is not a given that would carry on to the actual race.

[Fernando]

Don't understand your first sentence. Yes Hamilton had better pace in the earlier practice sessions but is it not the case that both drivers have access to the others data so Rosberg could have changed something in his set up prior to qualifying.. So it is not a given that would carry on to the actual race.

It's not a given no but then again you'd expect both were holding something in reserve like most do throughout practice. Whilst it's race simulation you get held in traffic every now and again with people doing different things.

[Fernando]

Kevin Magnussen as he has been given a 20 second time penalty as well as two penalty points after stewards investigated the incident with himself and Fernando Alonso late in the race, when the latter ended up on the grass.

Magnussen is now classified 13th, with Nico Hulkenberg benefitting with the final point for 10th

[GSC]

Wonder what's more likely. All of us being anti Hamilton or you two pro Hamilton

[Guest]

Not even going to bother to reply to Mysti & John your logic is pathetic so because 3 people think Nico is guilty he is? .

Errrrrr.......yeah. A well respected pundit & ex driver, myself - who's watched f1 for 20 years & most importantly of all, the bosses of the Mercedes team. Yet you still won't admit it was his fault. Our logic is pathetic, but you won't go into detail because you know your wrong.

   

[Gerry SA]

John

Vettel getting beaten like clockwork? So what? 4 world titles papi. 

When hypejob Hamilton wins 4 world titles you come back to me.

[Fernando]

Not even going to bother to reply to Mysti & John your logic is pathetic so because 3 people think Nico is guilty he is? .

Errrrrr.......yeah. A well respected pundit & ex driver, myself - who's watched f1 for 20 years & most importantly of all, the bosses of the Mercedes team. Yet you still won't admit it was his fault. Our logic is pathetic, but you won't go into detail because you know your wrong.

   

So that makes Christian Horner & David Coulthard wrong then both called it an racing incident. Clearly you Hamilton fanboys can't seem to comprehend that.  It doesn't surprise me you came back with a pathetic reply like that. Maybe should set up yours & Mysti's special area just for you 2 to love Hamilton. Im quite happy to do that would give everyone else a break of the usual cowpat the pair of you come out with over Hamilton  

[Calder106]

Rosberg was faster in two of the three qualifying sessions. He had DRS available, pit stops to come (not been Hamilton's strong point this season), by keeping close behind he may have forced a mistake from Hamilton. However if he felt it necessary to go for the overtake so early in the race surely he could have attacked in a place where there was less danger of a coming together.

At the end of a straight is the least dangerous place you can overtake on a track any corner and Hamilton would of done the same as Hungary and forced him off track. Personally whilst Rosberg was quicker in Practice Hamilton had better race pace as proved by the stint times they did so there was a chance of Lewis building a big enough gap to negate DRS and atleast enough time to come out the pits still ahead of an undercut.

Understand the first sentence now but am still confused as Rosberg was trying to overtake on a corner.

[Fernando]

Rosberg was faster in two of the three qualifying sessions. He had DRS available, pit stops to come (not been Hamilton's strong point this season), by keeping close behind he may have forced a mistake from Hamilton. However if he felt it necessary to go for the overtake so early in the race surely he could have attacked in a place where there was less danger of a coming together.

At the end of a straight is the least dangerous place you can overtake on a track any corner and Hamilton would of done the same as Hungary and forced him off track. Personally whilst Rosberg was quicker in Practice Hamilton had better race pace as proved by the stint times they did so there was a chance of Lewis building a big enough gap to negate DRS and atleast enough time to come out the pits still ahead of an undercut.

Understand the first sentence now but am still confused as Rosberg was trying to overtake on a corner.

Yeah but he started the move at the end of the straight which continued into the corner.   

[Bull]

What's going on here then?

[Born Slippy]

So Rosberg has now told Hamilton he hit him on purpose? Wow.

[Gerry SA]

Nico is firmly showing cry baby Hamilton who's the boss.

[Guest]

We're pathetic because we don't agree with you. Okay. Let me guess rosberg is still void of any blame, Nando?

Hamilton is the cry baby, I think you mean Nico mate. Doesn't surprise me to hear he did it on purpose. He's still crying over Something of nothing way back in the season at Bahrain. Only way of winning is through Hamilton issues or taking him out. Pathetic & embarrassing from rosberg, no wonder he's hated in Germany.

[Guest]

Crashing on purpose is deliberately endangering the life of a driver. Should be thrown out of the championship

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Just lol

[Born Slippy]

Apparently Mercedes have said Hamilton's comments are accurate. Very difficult to see how Mercedes can let Rosberg race if that's true.

[owen10ozzy]

Well definitely seems that it was on purpose; Hamiltons and Mercedes comments would seem to confirm it! If that is indeed the case then what are the repercussions?

Don't see Rosberg being thrown out as unless conversation was recorded it would be merely hearsay. Mercedes themselves are unlikely to sack him or punish him in a way which affects the standing in constructors as it means financial loss for them...so just what could they do?

Dangerous precedent doing nothing as you then set a tone to say 'do what you like and get away with it'! As has been said in a sport such as this essentially Rosberg has purposefully endangered another racers life and that is appalling.

Problem Hamilton has now is he couldn't just go out and return the favour next race as that would immediately be looked at by stewards etc because of the limelight this incident has garnered.

I do feel for Hamilton in the sense he seems to have had the bad luck for the vast majority of the campaign; how many times is it before a coincidence becomes something more!

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but given the admission today it wouldn't shock me if years down the line or even sooner revelations came out about fixes being in and meddling happening on car set ups etc!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

#HAMILTONCONSPIRACYKLAXON

[mystiroakey]

The problem is. If rosberg isn't punished. Lewis could take him out.. This is becoming dangerous for both drivers unless someone acts.. Every race from here on in they will race for themselves and themselves only... Rosberg needs to be punished and stuck at the back of the pack next race to diffuse them coming together and show the drivers they will act on issues regarding safety..

I can not believe he admitted to doing it. That is so stupid.. The FIA may be forced into doing something. I blamed rosberg. But I blamed him for being a bad overtaker not a nasty evil driver.. Its pretty sad day for the sport...

PS.... I am only posting on here until nando builds me my own f1 page...

you can  call it 'mysti and johns F1 forum' please nando mate.. Everyone is welcome on it.. But use commonsense   

[Guest]

The Rosberg defence team has mysteriously gone quiet - what a surprise.

He won't be thrown out the championship but something along the lines of his Belgium points rescinded & a back of the grid start for Monza. I can't believe he has admitted it, quite shocking. No wonder the Germans have disowned him.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Can anybody point me in the direction of Mercedes saying this?

Daft from Rosberg, its a racing incident but to say that (if he indeed has) is just wreckless. Deserves punishment if true

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Although I didn't see people moaning when Hamilton was bumping into cars left, right and centre during the German GP...

[Gerry SA]

Calling it now, cry baby Hamilton will announce that he's rejoining McLaren for 2015(during or after Italian GP weekend. Hamilton will beg daddy Ron to let him come home. John will join Hamilton/Dennis is a three way...

In turn Mercedes will sign Sebastian Vettel to form a German dream team. 

With Jenson Button joining Red Bull Racing.

[mystiroakey]

Gerry...

You don't want two no.1 drivers in a top team. Its just a proven fact. It causes to many issues. You need a no.1 and a no.2 if the are competing for the divers title.

Yes rosberg or lewis will be off. But don't expect it to deffo be lh leaving this time. Things could be changing. But the last thing anyone wants in the best team is the type of combination we have today . Don't put vettel, rosberg, Hamilton or Alonso together. If one other car is close to you they will end up wining the drivers title.

Let's say it stays the same but RB come back. Riccardo and vettel could have the same issues as well. We need the Webber's and massas of this world.. Sadly..

[bogbrush]

Hamilton making a fool of himself claiming Rosberg hit him deliberately. Basically a gross distortion of the alleged words.

He is made for his more extreme fans really.

[mystiroakey]

The words were.

I could have backed out but I didn't to prove a point.

If you can't wok out what that means you have lost it bogbrush.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

So Rosberg hasn't said he deliberately hit him at all then. Should've figured

[mystiroakey]

He hit him to prove a point yes. And admitted it. Lewis had the race line and he went straight into it. Merc are clearly going to go nuts. Both drivers could have been out. Luckily for rosberg it didn't effect him, infact it helped him.

Next race is going to be nuts. The merc behind the scenes teams are going to be having kittens..

Can't wait. We shall see if the FIA do anything . not sure they will.. Which is fair enough .. But LH will deliberately stitch him up at any opourtunity..

Rosberg should have just shut up about it and said sorry I couldn't back out.

[bogbrush]

Quote please, and source.

[mystiroakey]

Watch SSN.

Read the BBC. Its everywhere. Do your own research. It really is simple.

[bogbrush]

The words were.

I could have backed out but I didn't to prove a point.

If you can't wok out what that means you have lost it bogbrush.

Oh, so he said he didn't back out. Not that he hit him.

Fuss over.

Silly Hamilton.

[mystiroakey]

To prove point is the point you need to take notice of.

It means it was a conscious decision

[sikhlion]

I was sad to see Lewis missing out on points this race but to me the puncture looked like an unfortunate racing incident. We've seen it loads where the end plate comes off the front nose when the car behind clips the one infront. I think it would take a highly skilled driver to deliberately use his car to cause a puncture on someone else's car whilst not causing major damage to his own car. Lewis has had awful luck this year and there's no doubt this has affected his championship quest but Rosberg wouldn't be a F1 racer if he didn't try to overtake him. You have to take your chances if you want to win. It wasn't awful what Rosberg did was just a clumsy mistake he doesn't deserve to be vilified so much...

[bogbrush]

To prove point is the point you need to take notice of.

It means it was a conscious decision

He didn't pull out to prove a point. Didn't pull out.

Nothing there about deliberately hitting him.

Looks to me like he was playing it really tough, to prove a point.

Unless you think that - as would have happened 9 times out of 10 - losing your own front wing and inflicting no damage on Hamilton would have been a great point to prove. Is that what you think? Or that he has the skill to puncture his tyres using a front wing without damaging it?

[mystiroakey]

Bog brush read my posts.. Stop putting words into my mouth.

He shouldn't have antagonised the situation. He is a clumsy overtaker , we all know he is. Lh is the much better overtaker. He should have just said. I tried and failed and unluckily clipped him.
There was no conscious decision to ruin Hamilton's race but not his own.. If he did that on purpose he would be the most skilled driver of a time.  He needs to just act with more humility. And it was his fault and LH was unlucky. Yet you keep blaming LH... I have no idea why you are doing that under all the proof under the sun.

[bogbrush]

So you agree Hamilton has been a fool misrepresenting what Rosberg said.

I don't know why we're arguing! Then again, you did say at 8.02 "he hit him to prove a point, yes, and admitted it" which is obviously misrepresentation.

[mystiroakey]

I think rosberg did something stupid or inept and gained a huge advantage from his mistake.. The end..lh is obviously going to be furious.

[Calder106]

So why didn't he back out. He backed out when he nearly hit Vettel later in the race. He seemed to think he was faster and that Hamilton should have given him space. But Fernando told me that Hamilton had the faster car and that was the reason why Rosberg was trying to overtake into a corner on the 2nd lap of the race which was going to be a probable 1-2for Mercedes. He would have had DRS available quite soon, there were still pitstops, and Hamilton could easily have made an error which could have let him through. Rosberg had pole deservedly but lost the lead due to a bad start. As long Hamilton holds him off legally I don't see why Rosberg should expect him to give space.

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