2010 F1 Belgian Grand Prix

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Not sure it was mentioned already but this will be Barrichello's 300th race:

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Seismica
The straightline speed advantage of the Mclaren that the drivers enjoyed earlier in the season is all but gone. Their competitors have F-ducts now too. They may be able to capitalize on the more powerful Mercedes Engine, but they're going to have to run fairly high downforce in qualifying to match the Red Bulls and Ferraris in sector 2.
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I'm pretty sure McLaren still have a massive straight line speed advantage over the rest. I think it was at Hockenheim when they were around 6-7mph faster on the straights, although we didn't really see that speed around Hungary. The other teams may have developed their own f-ducts but it is not as good. It will be interesting to see how things work out this weekend.

I think we could be in for a very close race. Red Bull will make up all of their time in sector 2, and the McLaren will lose all of their time in sector 2. The ferrari will be the most consistent but I think all of them will be very close.
 
Matti_Dude
I'm pretty sure McLaren still have a massive straight line speed advantage over the rest. I think it was at Hockenheim when they were around 6-7mph faster on the straights, although we didn't really see that speed around Hungary. The other teams may have developed their own f-ducts but it is not as good. It will be interesting to see how things work out this weekend.

I think we could be in for a very close race. Red Bull will make up all of their time in sector 2, and the McLaren will lose all of their time in sector 2. The ferrari will be the most consistent but I think all of them will be very close.
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McLaren has the Mercedes engine, so they should still have a top speed advantage.
 
Thank god the one month break is finally over and we return to the most incredible (IMO) race track in the world :drool:

I have a feeling that Ferrari will be extremely impressive this weekend with their new updates to the gearbox and rear end on the F10...so I'm putting my money on Alonso to pull through with a win on Sunday.

I've also been hearing a rumor that Shell has developed a new fuel specifically for Ferrari (which they will use this weekend) which is supposed to dramatically improve the engines power figures and fuel economy by ~5% (which seems a bit optimistic to me) in both areas. If this holds true, the other teams better look out :sly:
 
The only thing wrong with this track is that we have to wait another year to see F1 here again. Can't wait for this weekend after such a long break.
 
Am watching the first practice and its allready very spa as it should be...very wet and dark!!!!...great...

Did you guys see the onboard camera in Button's car?...the one reversed angle from the front wing?...wow!you could actually see the wind vortex created by the front wing directed to the side of the car!!!...amazing,never seen that before...


Here is a link for the rain radar in Spa:http://www.meteox.be/mijnbuienradar.aspx?x=402&y=590&id=1&naam=zoom&size=1x1

Spa is just right of the center of the radarscreen...



spy.
 
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I don't think that the first practise session helped us at all about seeing which cars are performing the best. Sutil put the Force India right up there, but he's always really good in the rain. The rest of the top teams looked very even in my opinion, it just seemed that whoever went out on track at the right time seemed to be the ones who got the quickest times. I'm hoping that the next session will be a little bit drier than the last one.
 
Matti_Dude
I don't think that the first practise session helped us at all about seeing which cars are performing the best. Sutil put the Force India right up there, but he's always really good in the rain. The rest of the top teams looked very even in my opinion, it just seemed that whoever went out on track at the right time seemed to be the ones who got the quickest times. I'm hoping that the next session will be a little bit drier than the last one.
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It will be a little drier...look at the link i posted above...👍



spy.
 
Just heard Schumacher will be penalized 10 places back in the race, which is a real shame I think, I so wished him a good race here, as he won already 6 times at this track. Well, not going to happen...
 
He was given that penalty after the last race for nearly slamming Rubens in to the wall. Doesn't make any difference. Even if he somehow started from pole he wouldn't win.
 
Did anyone notice the heat haze at the top of the straight while it was pretty heavy rain down at blanchimont. It just cofirms Spa's status as a micro climate.
 
Very wet conditions at Spa...classic! Free practice is worth a look, the weather is making things interesting. Glock has already been in the wall and Liuzzi was lucky not to of damaged his Force India severely.

Sutil and Kubica are doing brilliantly.
 
Alex.
I believe they also have a flexible floor.
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Perhaps this is why Vettel couldn't pass Alonso at Hungary. Remember his late pit entry? It might have damaged their 'secret weapon'.

spyrrari
Did you guys see the onboard camera in Button's car?...the one reversed angle from the front wing?...wow!you could actually see the wind vortex created by the front wing directed to the side of the car!!!...amazing,never seen that before...
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Any images or videos of this you can post? It sounds pretty cool.
 
I've been getting a bit irritated with, by extension, the BBC F1 team reporting on the FIA talking about this track, specifically La Source.

Apparently drivers are - as they have been for a number of years - running very wide through La Source and leaving the white lines, denoting the track. The BBC are talking about how the FIA plan to solve this - astroturf, grass, paint, sand, spikes, crash barriers along the outside.

Now, oddly, I seem to recall they punished a driver with a drive-through (retropsectively) a couple of years ago at this exact track for crossing outside the white lines. Why not, for example, enforce this rule rather than trying to introduce physical methods (at the circuit's expense)? That is, after all, what rules are for? Right?


Answers on a postcard to the FIA...
 
DQuaN
He was given that penalty after the last race for nearly slamming Rubens in to the wall. Doesn't make any difference. Even if he somehow started from pole he wouldn't win.
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I know, I wasn't talking about him winning the race, obviously, I was talking about him getting some points.

Edit: Nice wind effetcs at the sides of the frontspoiler of the RBR.
 
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Reims_
Perhaps this is why Vettel couldn't pass Alonso at Hungary. Remember his late pit entry? It might have damaged their 'secret weapon'.



Any images or videos of this you can post? It sounds pretty cool.
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Maybe it will be somewhere later today...if i can find it i will post it...👍



Its dry enough now for dry tyres,so we will see some speed finally...But more rain could come in 10 minutes or so...



spy.
 
Famine
I've been getting a bit irritated with, by extension, the BBC F1 team reporting on the FIA talking about this track, specifically La Source.

Apparently drivers are - as they have been for a number of years - running very wide through La Source and leaving the white lines, denoting the track. The BBC are talking about how the FIA plan to solve this - astroturf, grass, paint, sand, spikes, crash barriers along the outside.

Now, oddly, I seem to recall they punished a driver with a drive-through (retropsectively) a couple of years ago at this exact track for crossing outside the white lines. Why not, for example, enforce this rule rather than trying to introduce physical methods (at the circuit's expense)? That is, after all, what rules are for? Right?


Answers on a postcard to the FIA...
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I would agree with the commentators to be honest. Resorting back to gravel traps and grass on the outside of the corners forces the drivers to give the edge of the track a bit more respect. Having to penalize the drivers for deliberately using the run off area just gives the FIA more thing to think about during the race.
 
Not really. It is, of course, exactly what they're supposed to be doing during a race.

If a car does it repeatedly at other levels, it's black-flagged. Why does F1 need to introduce physical barriers? Because the FIA can't be bothered to enforce its own rules except when it suits?
 
Famine
Not really. It is, of course, exactly what they're supposed to be doing during a race.

If a car does it repeatedly at other levels, it's black-flagged. Why does F1 need to introduce physical barriers? Because the FIA can't be bothered to enforce its own rules except when it suits?
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Because that's how things used to be, and as Anthony Davidson and Karun Chandok both said they were fans of the 'old school' racing. I would agree with them, obviously not an actual barrier, but just something to penalise a driver without making them do a drive-through or something similar.
 
Matti_Dude
Because that's how things used to be, and as Anthony Davidson and Karun Chandok both said they were fans of the 'old school' racing.
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I remember "old school racing". People died. A lot.


The FIA have a rule in place for this situation, but don't want to enforce it - rather make the circuit, at their own expense, create a physical barrier to prevent drivers breaking the rule they can't be bothered to enforce. Except when it suits them (2008).
 
Famine
I remember "old school racing". People died. A lot.


The FIA have a rule in place for this situation, but don't want to enforce it - rather make the circuit, at their own expense, create a physical barrier to prevent drivers breaking the rule they can't be bothered to enforce. Except when it suits them (2008).
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If they just put a gravel trap on the outside of a bend though, that would slow down an out of control car a lot faster than a run off area though.
 

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