Practice
Ferrari tried the new traffic light system for the first time.
Qualifying
This left seven different teams in the top 10. Heikki Kovalainen qualified tenth for Renault, just behind Jarno Trulli in the Toyota. Ahead of them were Mark Webber 's Red Bull and Nick Heidfeld in the BMW Sauber. Nico Rosberg did very well in the Williams to qualify on row 3 alongside Robert Kubica in the second BMW Sauber. However, the Pole was given a ten place grid drop for an engine change. Once again, McLaren and Ferrari occupied the top four places. Fernando Alonso pipped McLaren teammate... Due to FIA rules about the order in which penalties are applied, Kubica's penalty was applied first. This left him 15th and behind Fisichella. Then the Italian's penalty was applied, so Kubica ended up 14th. This meant Coulthard, Button and Liuzzi all gained two places as both drivers had been ahead of them.
Race
The order from the start remained fairly unchanged with the Ferraris of Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa led away from Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton , although there was a lot of pushing between the McLarens as Hamilton attempted to pass around the outside of turn one, but Alonso pushed him wide onto the tarmac on the outside of the corner. Giancarlo Fisichella 's Renault suffered a suspension failure on lap 2, making him the first retirement of the race. He had been running last. Also on lap 2, Alexander Wurz spun in the Williams , slipping to the back of the field. Sebastian Vettel soon suffered a handling problem, probably caused by a collision, which eliminated his Toro Rosso from the race on lap 9. Massa briefly took the lead on lap 16, but Räikkönen reclaimed it a lap later after his pitstop. David Coulthard suffered a hydraulic failure in his Red Bull on lap 30. He was quickly followed with a fuel pressure problem for Wurz, who was still last, on lap 35, and the Honda of Jenson Button , which dropped out on lap 37 with another hydraulic failure.
External links
50°26′14″N 5°58′17″E / 50.43722°N 5.97139°E / 50.43722; 5.97139
Race Result
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 44 | 1:20:39.066 |
| 2 | 5 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 44 | +4.695 |
| 3 | 1 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren-Mercedes | 44 | +14.343 |
| 4 | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 44 | +23.615 |
| 5 | 9 | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 44 | +51.879 |
| 6 | 16 | Nico Rosberg | Williams-Toyota | 44 | +1:16.876 |
| 7 | 15 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 44 | +1:20.639 |
| 8 | 4 | Heikki Kovalainen | Renault | 44 | +1:25.106 |
| 9 | 10 | Robert Kubica | BMW Sauber | 44 | +1:25.661 |
| 10 | 11 | Ralf Schumacher | Toyota | 44 | +1:28.574 |
Qualifying
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Constructor | Q1 | Q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 1:46.242 | 1:45.070 |
| 2 | 5 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1:46.060 | 1:45.173 |
| 3 | 1 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:46.058 | 1:45.442 |
| 4 | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:46.437 | 1:45.132 |
| 5 | 10 | Robert Kubica | BMW Sauber | 1:46.707 | 1:45.885 |
| 6 | 16 | Nico Rosberg | Williams-Toyota | 1:46.950 | 1:46.469 |
| 7 | 9 | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 1:46.923 | 1:45.994 |
| 8 | 15 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1:47.084 | 1:46.426 |
| 9 | 12 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 1:47.143 | 1:46.480 |
| 10 | 4 | Heikki Kovalainen | Renault | 1:46.971 | 1:46.240 |
Championship Standings After This Race
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
The BMW Sauber's Mola engine, displacing a robust 2. 4 liters, wrestled with the slick asphalt, its power delivery a crucial factor as Alonso pushed relentlessly, a phantom of red chasing him around Eau Rouge. A curious detail – the Williams-Toyota's tire pressures, meticulously managed, indicated a deliberate strategy of sacrificing grip for outright speed, a calculated gamble against the intensifying downpour.
The rain descended upon Spa-Francorchamps with a sudden, almost theatrical fury, mirroring the tension coiled tight around the track. Thirty-seven Grand Prix races had transpired, a testament to the relentless churn of the season, yet the numerical dance of victory remained stubbornly skewed. A curious statistic emerged—only *six* drivers had secured more than one win during this campaign, suggesting a brutal, almost merciless attrition rate within the leading pack.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
The rain, a bruised violet against the asphalt – it wasn't a deluge, merely a persistent, insistent weeping. Hamilton, a wraith in papaya, wrestled with the Blanchimont corner, the car a frantic heartbeat beneath him. A fraction of a second. That's all it took. Alonso, a shadow beside him, felt the shift, the subtle alteration in the grip, a phantom pressure against the steering wheel. The scent of wet rubber, ozone, and the distant rumble of the crowd – a symphony of speed and desperation. A legend was being forged here, amidst the ghosts of Spa's greatest battles.
The rain, a bruised grey veil descending upon Spa, mirrored the quiet contemplation of Allan Moreau. He stood by the pit wall, a veteran's stillness etched onto his face, watching young Hamilton wrestle with the slick tarmac. Moreau had seen countless battles waged beneath this canopy, felt the primal surge of ambition and the cold, sharp bite of defeat. A flicker of something akin to paternal concern crossed his features as Hamilton momentarily lost traction, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. He'd witnessed heroes rise and fall, empires built and shattered, all within the embrace of this historic circuit. A moment, suspended in time, a testament to the enduring spirit of the race.