Belgian Grand Prix

[Blake]

Another back to back weekend, this time 2 back to back classics. Monza, and now the wonderful Spa Francorchamps. Last year Michael Schumacher wrapped up the title here, this year Alonso could do the same.

The McLaren, as usual, will probably be the fastest car by far. Reliability, however, is still the major weakness in the McLaren package.

Renault are still firing ahead, they just need to keep the cars in one piece and Alonso will have the championship.

The major battle now is in the constructors championship, with only 8 points in it, it is up for grabs.

Again Pizzonia will be racing for Williams in place of the injured Nick Hiedfeld, and Klien will be racing for RBR.

In terms of development, BAR will have a new engine specification and Jordan will be running both drivers in the 'B' chassis, with Tiago aiming to continue his run of consecutive finishes, can he finish every race this season?

The circuit itself is the longest on the F1 calander, and it always throws up a good race. Should be a good weekend

Early predictions:
Kimi
JPM
Alonso
Trulli

Blake

 

[Mclaren_Man]

Even though i want kimi to win here, i've got a bad feeling about this race and i think maybe Alonso will wrap up the title here, but anything can happen.... Great track though, even if Mclaren don't win, i'm sure that the race itself will be interesting. It would be good if it rained because every race has been dry so far this year. My only hope now is that for the rest of the season ferrari don't win a race. Then that will be their first year without a win in like, lots of years (i reckon since 1995???). Of course Indy doesnt count as a "grand prix"...

 

[arsenal]

I don't think kimi will let alonso get away with the championship quite yet.
I'm looking forward to seeing the mclarens tear up the awesome spa circuit.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Can't wait! But with the long straights and Mclarens reliabilty problems, I'm kinda scared.

 

[TMM]

It's come to the point now where Kimi has to do more than just win the race. He needs Alonso to finish with either very little points or no points at all in order to keep the drivers championship alive. I believe that MacLaren have given up on winning the drivers and are concentrating on the constructors.

 

[Slick Rick]

Early predictions:
Kimi
JPM
Alonso
Trulli

Blake

Why so high with Truli? I agree with the first 3 but forth i think will be Micheal or Fisichella.


Yay 4 Mclaren avatars

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Thing is, I made everything in my Mclaren avatar. I love ms Paint.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Mclaren suck! lol!

Nah, one of my fave teams they are, behind, BAR, RBR, Sauber, Toyota.

gonna be a good race, im looking forward to it.

 

[Mulsanne]

1993 was the last year Ferrari went winless. (Berger won the German GP in 1994 and Alesi won the Canadian GP in 1995 - and should have won at Monza)

I too would like to see Kimi win and draw closer in the championship. But I have a feeling Alonso is content with the podium finishes he's been getting recently, since that's all he needs. So Kimi will still win, but Alonso will get on the podium and win the championship that way. What I'd really like to see is Montoya win and overtake Schumacher for third in points. Not bad for someone who had to miss a few races.

I may be the only one who feels this way, but Spa just doesn't seem the same since it became a race-track only and no longer public roads. That and the changes to Eau Rouge and the Bus Stop Chicane. It just seems some of the magic of the place has been lost. (Personally, I'd like to see them back on the old 9-mile circuit. But if these overpaid babies think the new Monza is dangerous, there's no way they'd ever try the old Spa.)

 

[kensei]

This SHOULD finish like this;

Kimi
JPM
ALonso
Fisi
Button
Trulli
MS

However with McMerc's inability to make a decent engine who knows. Kimi/JPM should dominate from the front row. Alonso/Fisi should play catchup from the next.

I love Spa, not as much as some do but I love it. I'm really looking forward to this race.

 

[Lee]

Hmmmm spa always has been an engine killer, i don't think this year will be any different and so McMerc are gonna suffer... big time i feel.

BAR seem an intresting bet with their new engine and areo packages, and Ferrari always run well here, its gonna be a close one... oh no wait we have the champ (we might as well call him that now) Alonso in the field don't we?

Early predictions from the Beemiester;

1st: Alonso
2nd: JPM
3rd: Button
4th: Barrichello
5th: MS
6th: Fisi
7th: JV
8th: Monteiro

I think thats all the will finish, the rest will be signing autographs from the sidelines sometime during the race..

 

[Biased turkey]

Most important question: what's the weather forecast ?

 

[Slick Rick]

Hmmmm spa always has been an engine killer, i don't think this year will be any different and so McMerc are gonna suffer... big time i feel.

I dont understand Mclarens strategy. They clearly have the speed cant they just turn down the revs and sacrafice a bit of speed for reliability. Turning down the revs wont solve the reliability issues becuse its not just the engine but it would help. The last thing they need is a retirement.

 

[Blake]

I'm beginning to blame Kimi more and more for the reliability issues. Not to say McLaren/Mercedes don't have a problem, but it is always Kimi who needs the engine change. I asked a few days ago if anyone thought his driving style had anything to do with his constant 'bad luck', and I got little response. But now I guess there are others who agree with me:

Irvine also cast a quizzical gaze at McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who he says has endured a suspiciously unreliable year with the MP4-20. "They have a reliability problem," Eddie agreed, "but an aggressive style of driving can also lead to faults."

Most important question: what's the weather forecast ?

Last I read was that there is a 60% chance of rain on sunday.

A wet race would certainly be exciting

Blake

 

[Mulsanne]

...the rest will be signing autographs from the sidelines sometime during the race..

They do that??? They actually sign autographs???

 

[Mclaren_Man]

1st: Alonso
2nd: JPM

How is Alonso going to get ahead of Montoya?

As for drivers signing autographs, i seriously doubt it. I remember back in Oz' 2001 when Mika Hakkinen crashed out of the race he just walked straight through the crowd of people surrounding him and left his helmet on to block everyone out. Seriously though, if you had just crashed out of a race (quite a nasty crash aswell) the last thing on earth that you would feel like doing is signing autograph's...

 

[Blake]

Yeah, first you'd rush to talk to Louise!



Blake

 

[SouL]

Renault is going to play it safe. They're going to put their cars on light fuel for qualifying to beat the rest of the field and sit behind the 2 McLarens in row 2. Renault can't risk having their cars sit any lower than row 2 as the likely hodd of a first corner tangle increases.

From there it's going to be down to whether Alonso can get a good start. If the 2 McLarens are in front row, it'll be hard for Alonso to get past at the first corner. I don't think the distance to the first corner is great enough for Alonso to out accelerate the heavier McLarens. He'll really need to get past and try to give himself a good gap.
If not, and assuming McLaren has a trouble free race, it's very possible we could see a McLaren 1-2.

As long as Kimi finishes next to Alonso in the standings, the championship is still alive. I'm really hoping this drags on 'till China.

 

[Blake]

Friday Practice 1

Pos. Driver Team Time Laps
1 K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:48.206 5
2 A. Wurz McLaren 1:48.216 18
3 G. Fisichella Renault 1:48.619 6
4 R. Zonta Toyota 1:49.445 22
5 M. Webber Williams 1:49.692 4
6 J. Button BAR 1:49.890 7
7 J. Trulli Toyota 1:50.542 9
8 M. Schumacher Ferrari 1:50.564 4
9 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:50.820 8
10 V. Liuzzi Red Bull 1:50.951 17
11 T. Sato BAR 1:51.003 7
12 R. Barrichello Ferrari 1:51.177 5
13 J. Villeneuve Sauber 1:52.173 7
14 F. Massa Sauber 1:52.236 9
15 N. Karthikeyan Jordan 1:53.148 9
16 A. Pizzonia Williams 1:53.535 4
17 C. Albers Minardi 1:53.807 9
18 N. Kiesa Jordan 1:54.437 17
19 R. Doornbos Minardi 1:54.973 8
20 T. Monteiro Jordan 1:55.174 7
21 Minardi 2:02.502 5
22 D. Coulthard Red Bull no time 1
23 C. Klien Red Bull no time 1
24 F. Alonso Renault no time 0
25 JP. Montoya McLaren no time 0

Blake

 

[Slick Rick]

I'm beginning to blame Kimi more and more for the reliability issues. Not to say McLaren/Mercedes don't have a problem, but it is always Kimi who needs the engine change. I asked a few days ago if anyone thought his driving style had anything to do with his constant 'bad luck', and I got little response. But now I guess there are others who agree with me:

Bit like Sato last year or the year before that with all his engine blow ups. BAR said it could of been his driving style because Buttons car was reliable.

 

[Blake]

Exactly, I doubt McLaren would blame it on Kimi as he is viewed as the fastest driver in F1 at the moment, but still, I think they would have more of an idea with their ability to compare the data between JPM and Kimi.

Mark Webber came out late and was fifth on 1m 49.692s, but new Williams team mate Antionio Pizzonia lapped in 1m 53.535s for 16th overall before sliding off the road and hitting a tyre wall at Fagnes.

Go Jungle boy! He can't seem to handle the wet too well can he

Blake

 

[Solid Lifters]

Hmmm... It would be interesting if it rained on Sunday. Spa is very hard on the tires. This should give JPM and Kimi a break, compared to what happened last week, with tire wear. Lucky them, if it rains. But, the Renaults are usually good in the rain. So, that should make things even.

Fisi's practice time was impressive. He really needs to jump ahead of Trulli in the points. He's the man whom Fisi replaced, so he needs to do a better job than him. Plus, with the constructors points still up for grabs, Fisi really needs a podium finish every race from now on.

Early Predictions

If it rains...

1. Alonso
2. Fisi
3. Kimi

If it doesn't rain...

1. Alonso
2. JPM
3. Fisi

I don't see Kimi finishing the race if it doesn't rain. I bet he pushes it too much and causes either a tire failure, or his engine blows. He has to push it, because he's desperate to catch up to Alonso for the points.

 

[Slick Rick]

Hmmm... It would be interesting if it rained on Sunday. Spa is very hard on the tires. This should give JPM and Kimi a break, compared to what happened last week, with tire wear. Lucky them, if it rains. But, the Renaults are usually good in the rain. So, that should make things even.

You forgot the rain master Micheal. Whenever it rains he always comes out on top!

 

[Blake]

Why does he have to push it? The car is a good second quicker that the Renault, he grabs pole with a tonne of fuel and controls the pace while he is heavy and then walks it.

Blake

 

[TMM]

Yeah, first you'd rush to talk to Louise!



Blake

Well I certainly would. Especailly if she does mouth to mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Blake]

You forgot the rain master Micheal. Whenever it rains he always comes out on top!

Yeah, bridgestone own in the rain. Or at least they used to, can't remember how they did in wet testing earlier this year.

Blake

 

[Blake]

Well I certainly would. Especailly if she does mouth to mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because she's sooooo attractive

Blake

 

[Mclaren_Man]

As far as im concerned you guys can have louise, no thank you....

Webber is good in the wet aswell aparently so i hope it rains because webber needs to get a decent result. What's kimi like in the rain? i can't remember any races where he impressed in the rain, Hakkinen was hopeless compared to MS, but isn't everyone...

Looks like there will be no times for practice session two today as it is really coming down

 

[Blake]

Yep, no one did a timed lap in session 2. 3 people left the garages, Luizzi caused a red flag, Doornbos made it home safely while the red flag was out, later Alonso went out and spun and limped back to pit lane. That's not the highlights of the session, that's everything

Blake

 

[Blake]

And in reliability news, Fisi is having an engine change

Blake