Final lap it’s been a lonely race for Button but he has driven a
formidable race, very controlled and not an easy thing to do when you get
word of an accident as we saw at the start. What a way to mark his 50th race
with McLaren, first pole with the team, first pole/win weekend and it’s also
his first win at Spa. Fantastic and well deserved. Vettel finishes second,
very impressive having started in 11th and Raikkonen completes the podium.
Lap 42 Just a couple of laps to go and save for an accident this win
belongs to Button. If things stay like this, Alonso will remain at the top
of the driver standings with Vettel and Webber behind but the significance
will be that the latter two drivers will make a big stride in catching the
Ferrari. Button 14.4 seconds clear.
Paul Cooper not impressed by the race this weekend.
“Without Hamilton and Alonso it really wasn’t much of a race. If the
idiots who caused the problem at the start are allowed on the track again it
will show how meaningless this sport is becoming. Congratulations to Jenson,
but frankly this week has been a non-race, no matter how it is dressed up.”
Here you can see just how bad the accident at the start of the race could have
been with the Lotus of Grosjean flying over Alonso’s exposed head.
Lap 40 you guessed it, Ricciardo has over taken Senna and the Williams
car is being called in…should have happened eight laps ago. Great drive
today from Massa I think, OK he won’t get onto the podium as things stand
but to finish 5th he is answering some of his critics and giving his team a
strong result given that Alonso is out of the race. Moreover, Ferrari should
be pleased with the speed their car has shown this afternoon.
Lap 39 Senna has been overtaken by Vergne and is now defending from
Ricciardo. Di Resta is behind them in 11th. All drivers desperate to claim
the points
Lap 38 I’ll be amazed if Senna manages to hold position until the end.
Williams have made an error in their strategy I think and they are looking
likely to miss out on points. Wonderful duel between the Marussia cars at
the moment in 15th and 16th, Pic just edging ahead of Glock…oh no they
have switched positions again!
Lap 37 Rosberg’s just lost two places to both the Toro Rossos, shame
for him but his tyres are struggling now. Schumacher is back out from the
pits in 7th and chasing Massa. Button is 14 seconds clear at the front and
likely to share the podium with Vettel and Raikkonen now. Vergne told to
push with eight laps to go, “push on Senna”, they say.
Lap 36 seems Schumacher’s strategy is about to change and he is on for
a two-stop race, such a shame he has had a great afternoon but the tyres he
is on are shot. Hulkenberg takes the place as Schumacher comes in. Massa now
getting close to Webber and takes the position.
Lap 35 Right news from the front, sorry I haven’t been able to take my
eyes off that battle for 3rd for a while! Button still leads. Oh never mind
the lead, Hulkenberg has overtaken Schumacher and another fantastic overtake
for the afternoon, very brave but wait a minute, the double DRS of Mercedes
sees Schumacher BACK in front. WOW, keep up if you can!
Lap 34 Hulkenberg defending very well from Webber here and D3e La Rosa
has done well to get out of the way of the four cars. Fantastic battling.
Raikkonen makes a move and he takes the place! Brilliant overtake coming up
the hill. So Raikkonen now 3rd with Schumacher 4th. Webber struggling to get
a move on Hulkenberg and now Massa is coming up to join the party.
Lap 33 The battle for third now has a fourth contender and Mark Webber
is creeping up on Hulkenberg. So close between the four of them, all
following Schumacher who is currently in third trying to sniff out a gap.
ElsewhereKobayashi is up to 13th and chasing Di Resta. Just 18 cars left in
this race.
Lap 32 finally Raikkonen’s patience pays off and he makes a great move
on Schumacher and no sooner do I type that does the German re-take the
position. Fantastic duelling going on here, great to watch and now
Hulkenberg looks like he is getting involved in the action.
Lap 31-32 1:53:464 Massa the fastest man out there and I don’t think
Schumacher’s going to be too popular at the end of this race he is currently
holding a small pack of cars up. Meanwhile at turn 12 we have another
retirement and Karthikeyan is out of the race.
Lap 30 Apparently Mark Webber now under investigation for an unsafe
release. Really didn’t think that was necessary he didn’t look to have
interrupted the incoming car of Massa. Rules are rules I guess.
Lap 29 Raikkonen has been in for his second stop so order of cars is
all over the place for a moment. There’s a great duel with Senna and Massa
for 8th place at the moment and the Ferrari takes the position. Latest stops
mean Vettel is second and Schumacher third, Raikkonen comes out fifth and
Hulkenberg is fifth with Webber really laying on the pressure.
Lap 27 Button is over 11 seconds ahead at the front and looking
comfortable. If you’re just joining me and wondering why on earth there have
been so many retirements today, scroll down to see the images from the start
of the Grand Prix. Hamilton and Grosjean collided in an incident that I
think was more the fault of the Frenchman. As a result of the contact they
made, Alonso and Perez’s races ended.
Sergio Perez
I am OK. I think we paid for a mistake form another driver and it’s a shame
for myself and the team. I’m looking forward to the next one.
Lap 26 Webber told Button is on a one-stop, encouraging driving from
him having looked a little out of it at the start. Kimi told to save 10 per
cent KERS each lap.
Lap 25 Massa told his lap times are still competitive but there is a
long way to go. Kobayashi pits again, it’s a good stop but Sauber won’t get
what they want this afternoon after such a formidable effort in qualifying.
Lap 24 Vettel makes a good move on Massa to go 5th behind his team-mate
Webber. Also the incident that saw Schumacher cut across Vettel to enter the
pits will be investigated after the race apparently. Schumacher now chasing
the Ferrari of Massa, not an enviable sandwich for the Brazilian to be in.
HALFWAY 1-19 Button, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Webber, Massa, Vettel,
Ricciardo, Schu, Vergne, Di Resta, Senna, Kobayashi, Rosberg, Petrov, Glock,
Karthikeyan, De La Rosa, Pic
Lap 22 apologies skipped a lap there for news from Alonso. Vettel has
pitted so we have Button leading with Raikkonen 2nd and Hulkenberg 3rd.
Vettel is back in 6th having stopped.
Alonso has tweeted: “Thank you for all the messages, I am fine
and now 100% thinking about Monza. Forza Felipe Massa.”
Lap 20 Race leader Button is coming in for a pit stop so Vettel leads
the race for now. Great first 20 laps from Button. Great stop fropm McLaren
2.6 seconds and McLaren still lead.
Lap 19 There’s some improvement for Webber now who’s crept up to 6th
and is chasing Hulkenberg. Meanwhile it’s the usual suspects at the back
now. Vettel makes a move on Schumacher and they raced side by side before
the Mercedes snuck into the pits! He totally caught Vettel off guard…and
me to be honest … I did not expect that! So Vettel takes second and
Schumacher is now going for a two-stop I would think. Wonderful.
Lap 18 Vettel is also yet to stop so that’s the front three drivers all
looking like they are on for one-stop strategies. Pic in 14th is yet to pit.
Button’s lead is plus 15 seconds. Bizarrely, Senna is gunning to finish the
race on his set of tyres having pitted once. We’ll see.
Lap 17 Vettel now up to third behind Schumacher and Button [1st]
There’s a great race for 7th between Webber, Ricciardo and Rosberg.
Kovalainen now under investigation for the unsafe release in the pits.
Button told he is “on course for target plus one”. McLaren very
happy with their driver.
Lap 16 Contact in the pits and it’s an unsafe release by the Caterham
[Kovalainen] and the cars clips an HRT
Lap 15 Right are Button and Schumacher going for the one-stop strategy
then? They are yet to pit as is Rosberg and the softs are lasting well.
Button only one tenth slower than his fastest and Schumacher has just set
his fastest lap so clearly the tyres are holding up well.
Grosjean: It was a good starts and then a big boom. The main thing is
we are all ok. [Did he move too fast] I don’t know I haven’t seen the
coverage.”
Lap 14 Anyone who last season criticised Vettel for not being an
overtaking driver should take a look at some of the moves he has made this
afternoon. He’s just taken 4th place from Senna and Schumacher is now up to
2nd after Hulkenberg pits.
Lap 13 plenty of cars pitting now. Glock is now at the back as
Kobayashi starts to make some moves. Button’s lead increases to 8.5 seconds.
Lap 12 Both Raikkonen and Webber now on the hard tyre. The former told
now is the time to push as other cars are struggling and will start to pit.
Button is just over seven seconds clear at the front of the pack.
Lap 11 Di Resta pits and goes onto the hard tyres. Senna holding off
the pressure from Vettel behind him, good battle for 8th place going on
there. And Schumacher has made his move and taken third from Raikkonen. Both
veteran drivers duelling side by side and the Mercedes takes the place.
Webber pits.
After 10 laps:
1) Jenson, 2) HUL, 3) RAI, 4) MSC, 5) DIR, 6) RIC, 7) VER, 8) SEN, 9) VET,
10) WEB
Lap 10 Ricciardo in the Toro Rosso is having a wonderful race at the
moment! He’s just overtaken Di Resta for fifth. Rosberg meanwhile, who
started 23rd is up to 12th so he should be happy with that given how his
race looked destined to go.
Lap 9 Vettel telling his team to pit him when there is a good gap for
him to emerge form the lane with clean air. Race not going to plan for the
world champion just now though he’s just overtaken his team-mate for 9th.
Lap 8 So we have Button flying at the front with Hulkenberg and
Raikkonen behind. Poor old Kobayashi who had such a wonderful qualifying is
at the back in 19th. Elsewhere Di Resta is fifth behind Schumacher, with
Ricciardo and Vergne behind. The Redbulls are in 9th and 10th, Webber ahead
of Vettel at the moment.
Lap 7 caught your breath? Wow what a start. Alonso is back in the
Ferrari garage and looks fine though obviously disappointed. We have 19 cars
remaining in this race. Schumacher told he has an opportunity to go into
third as Raikkonen is struggling. Also Vettel has made a successful move on
Massa who is also struggling.
Lap 6 well having said I didn’t think he could make much of this his
300th Grand Prix the various retirements has seen Schumacher jump up to 4th
now. Fantastic work from the Mercedes engineers who faced a battle against
time to have the car ready after the KERS packed in and it needed a new
engine.
Lap 5 safety car is in and on the re-start Hulkenberg overtakes
Raikkonen for second. Maldonado is out of the race. Just waiting for a
replay on what happened to him but as a footnote he is under investigation
for a jump start at the beginning of the race. Button running away with
things at the front.
Lap 4 Safety car still out on the track. Hamilton went straight over to
Grosjean after that incident tapping his head as though to say “What
the hell were you thinking.” Hamilton will give no interviews until the
race is over. Safety car coming in this lap.
This from Daniel Austin: “Crash at the start was totally
Grosjean’s Fault. Hamilton pulls away in a straight line and Grosjean drives
across at right angles across Hamilton’s car.”
Lap 4 Can’t tell you how much of a heart in throat moment that was when
the Lotus flew over Alonso, drivers heads are exposed as you know and that could
have been a lot worse. Doctors did attend the Ferrari driver in the car but
he left on his feet. Looked to have avoided any serious injury.
Lap 3 Number of drivers fortunate to have avoided their races ending –
namely Sebastian Vettel who managed to creep though unscathed. Send me your
throughts on that start if you saw it. Was Grosjean moving to a gap or
trying to block Hamilton?
Lap 2: Button, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Di Resta, Schumacher make up the
front five. Hamilton and Grosjean moved for the same space and that’s what
has triggered the crash. The Frenchman moved to the right and Alonso so is
deeply unlucky to have had his race ended by that. Kobayashi is still in the
race his team-mate Perez is out though, such a shame for Sauber. That will
be with the stewards and I’ll being you news as I get it.
First lap Schumacher up to 5th now, the safety car is out. Hamilton has
picked up some of the scrap metal from the floor, not sure why. Just waiting
for a replay to bring you that latest on this crash. Seems to have damaged
other cars, Maldonado and DLR are in the pits.
First corner: So much smoke from Kobayashi, HUGE contact and
Hamilton Alonso Grosjean and Kobayashi look like they could be out of the
race already, that’s a mini 1998 all over again minus the rain. So three
cars are out, Alonso has needed the doctor to assess him I think that’s
because the Lotus of Grosjean flew over the Ferrari.
12:59 drivers now on formation laps.
12:56 time for some predictions? I’m backing Button to make this
weekend his with Alonso and Raikkonen on the podium? What do you think? Drop
me an email and let me know
12:52 drivers have the soft and medium tyres for this race, top nine
plus Webber will start on mediums. Rosberg and Hulkenberg the only drivers
not on the option tyres.
12:48 Back to Button for a moment and his first pole position with
McLaren, here’s what he said yesterday after qualifying:
It’s pretty emotional. It’s been so long since my last pole position that
it almost feels like a win for me. In fact, it’s my first pole since Monaco
2009 — which was a race that I won — and it demonstrates that I can qualify
really well. Sundays have been good over the last few years but not so much
Saturdays. It’s been good to come back after such a long break and to do
well on the Saturday. Today the balance was to my liking. I obviously have a
style where it’s quite difficult to find a car that works for me in
qualifying, but when it does we can get pole position.”
Let’s take a look at Spa in numbers:
- Circuit length: 7.004km/4.352 miles
- Laps: 44
- Race distance: 308.052km/191.414miles
- Lap record: 1min 45.108secs (Kimi Raikkonen, 2004)
- 2011 pole position: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) 1min 48.298secs
- 2011 winner: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
- 2011 fastest lap: Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1min 49.883secs
- Number of corners: 19 (10 left/9 right)
- Tyre compounds to be used: hard/medium
- Overtaking chance: medium-low
- Average lap speed: 222kph (137.944mph)
- No of safety cars deployed since 2002: 8
12:43 Very memorable moment from this tracke involving David Coulthard
and Michael Schumacher…yes you know the one I am talking about. Despite
the indicent of 1998, our columnist has said the following about the
seven-time champion regarding today’s achievement:
Michael may be a happier, smilier, more relaxed man in his second
incarnation as a Formula One driver, but one thing he can’t do is stay out
of trouble. I am genuinely happy for him though. Inevitably, when our
relationship is brought up, people recall our collision here in 1998, after
which he marched down to the McLaren motor home, grabbed me by the throat
and accused me of trying to kill him. And it’s true that we haven’t always
seen eye to eye. But I respect his achievements. Michael was a remorseless
winner. To some he will always remain a tainted champion rather than a great
one; someone who was prepared to push the rules so far that he frequently
broke them. But he was an exceptional driver too. You do not win 91 grands
prix in all conditions and on all types of tracks without being special. The
question now is whether he stays to break one of the few records he doesn’t
own. Rubens Barrichello made 322 race starts before leaving F1 at the end of
last year. Will Michael stay for one more season and surpass his old team
mate? It would not surprise me. He is still competitive, still capable of
big performances even if he has generally been outclassed by his team-mate
Nico Rosberg. A win here at the place he likes to call his ‘living room’ –
where he made his debut 21 years ago and where he won here six times – might
just accelerate any decision. I can’t see it happening but with Michael
nothing would surprise me.“
12:34 Interesting quotes from Bernie Ecclestone on the BBC at the
moment who has just said “We’re going to miss Michael, it’s a shame he
will leave without being a winner.” Err…has comeone just let a
proverbial cat out of the bag? Surely Schumacher won’t leave mid season.
Send me your thoughts on this, should he stays or go? emily.benammar@telegraph.co.uk
12:32 He may not have managed to break into the top 10 for today’s race
but congratulations must be offered to Schumacher who is driving his 300th
Grand Prix this afternoon. As a result of his achievement the 43-year-old,
now in his 19th season, has been awarded honorary citizenship of Spa. Since
his debut at this track 21 years ago, the German has clocked up 91 career
wins and seven world titles. Only Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello has
driven more F1 races that Schumacher with 326 [races] and 322 [starts]. One
more season Michael and that record is yours.
On Thursday Schumacher was shown a banner calling for him to race 400…to which
he said:
For the 400 races? I think we can say no … But it’s nice that the fans
are still encouraging me to go. (Three hundred) is certainly an
interesting, beautiful and nice number. A number that I didn’t think about
at the time that I retired at the end of 2006. At one time there was talk
about whether someone could beat (Italian driver) Riccardo Patrese’s number
of 250. The 300 is a beautiful side effect.”
Here’s his celebration cake:
12:29 Pretty deep Tweeting from Hamilton this morning, think some of
the images he has put out to his fans have earned him grief from Martin
Whitmarsh because they gave away confidential information to McLaren’s
rivals.
12:25 Enough of the down in the dumps news, what’s been good this
weekend? Kobayashi.
Am delighted to see him at the front of the grid and in doing son he has
become only the second Japanese driver to do so following Takuma Sato in the
2004 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. It is also Kobayashi’s best
ever result in qualifying. Here’s what he had to say yesterday:
In yesterday’s practice we really struggled a lot, but this morning we
improved a lot. We didn’t really know how much the track conditions would
improve. Tomorrow is a different story, and we need to fight.”
12:19 As I mentioned, we’ve seen too many times what the rain can do at
Spa and while the forecast for today’s race is bright and dry, never rule it
out. Remember this from 1998? In extremely wet condition, Coulthard lost
control of his car causing a collision involving 13 drivers and the race was
subsequently stopped. After a delay of more than an hour to clear the track,
a second attempt was made to start the race, albeit without four of the
drivers involved in the incident.
12:14 I was thrilled to see Maldonado take third in qualifying
yesterday…this joy was short-lived however after learning that he has been
dropped to 6th after he was found guilty of blocking German rival Nico
Hulkenberg of Force India during the Q1 session. Such a shame for him and
it’ll no doubt fuel those critics that relentlessly accuse him of being a
danger. I’m not saying he hasn’t conducted himself in a reckless manner on a
number of occasion this season but I really do think there’s a hell of a
driver forming there with Williams and his efforts this weekend will have
done nothing to damage his plea to the team to renew his contract. A good
result this afternoon could go a long way in fast-tracking that deal.
12:10 Yesterday’s qualifying produced a number of further surprises.
Looking at the grid don’t expect to see Nico Rosberg anywhere near the front
this afternoon. The German had a right ‘mare yesterday. Not only did he fail
to get through Q1 but to add insult to injury he was also hit with a
five-place grid penalty and as such starts in 23rd. His team-mate Michael
Schumacher did a little better but Q3 was a step too far so he starts 13th.
Rounding off a disappointing day for the German drivers, defending world
champion Sebastian Vettel didn’t make it to the third qualifying session but
will start 10th thanks to other penalties. His Red Bull team-mate Mark
Webber qualified 7th but starts behind Vettel in 12th having also been given
with a five-place grid penalty for a gear-box change. Oh and topping off Red
Bull’s misery, their champion driver was fined 10,000 euros for conducting a
practice start in the pitlane in FP3.
12pm Good afternoon F1 fanatics and welcome back to Sunday afternoons
with meaning! After a lengthy five-week break, normality has been restored
and we’re in Belgium for round 12 of the season and a track that sits high
among the drivers’ favourites. It’s the track where cars can race in rain
and the start of a lap and end it in glorious sunshine, where Schumacher
grabbed Coulthard by the throat accusing him of trying to kill him and where
fans played witness to a 14-car pile up in 1998. It’s never uneventful so
hold on to your hats Spa-Francorchamps always provides thrills and
excitement.
Jenson Button is in pole position today – the first time he has led off from
prime position during his tenure at McLaren…was anyone else dumfounded by
that fact yesterday? I couldn’t believe it; after 49 races the 32-year-old
has kept his fans waiting. His last pole was at Monaco in 2009 when he was
driving for Brawn and won a certain championship in the same year. But
yesterday he showed the speed McLaren have sought for so long and finished
0.298 seconds faster than his closest rival – another surprise for the front
row – Kamui Kobayashi.
And here’s what he’s been Tweeting this morning….
How they start:
1. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren
2. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber – Ferrari
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus – Renault
4. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber – Ferrari
5. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari
6. Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams – Renault
7. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren
8. Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus – Renault
9. Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India – Mercedes
10. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull – Renault
11. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India – Mercedes
12. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull – Renault
13. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes
14. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari
15. Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso – Ferrari
16. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso – Ferrari
17. Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams – Renault
18. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham – Renault
19. Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham – Renault
20. Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia – Cosworth
21. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT – Cosworth
22. Charles Pic (France) Marussia – Cosworth
23. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes
24. Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT – Cosworth