A.Wayne

Pretty uneventful race, with some moments , Massa appeared to get pretty bored staying behind Kimi and banged out fastest lap so as not to fall asleep

A.Wayne

www.itv.com

In his latest exclusive ITV Sport interview in Belgium, Lewis Hamilton explained why he went to the Paris hearing, talks about defending his title lead and looks ahead to his first F1 race at Spa.


Lewis Hamilton: For me it was important that I just went there [WMSC hearing] to support the team.

These guys, I have been with them since I was 13 so I very much feel part of the family and the feelings that everyone is feeling in the team I feel exactly the same way – you know [it was] very, very emotional for the team.

Steve Rider: As you were waiting for the verdict, what was the tension like because it was a close run thing whether the drivers’ points were going to be lost or not.

LH: It was.

I got back here [Spa], I think it was a two o’clock meeting with my engineer, we were walking the track and I had a call to say that this is what they have said in the press.

So you can imagine my heart just dropped and [to] see that all the work that the team have done, that I have put in this season, it was going to be taken away from me.

Fortunately, I didn’t have my points taken away from me and I think we were really lucky with that, so I am going to do the best job I can and just keep on pushing [for the title]

Steve: You have to say there is a bit of pressure on Fernando [Alonso] as well. We saw that pressure in the press conference a short time ago. He’s having to absorb quite a few questions at the moment isn’t he?

LH: He is – I’m not going to comment again about my opinions about that - but…complete shock and surprise.

But I’ve got to just go out and beat him.

It sounds easy said than done, but in the championship it is easier to chase than it is to defend.

He is defending the world championship but he is chasing me and for me there is more pressure on my shoulders to keep the spot that I have.

I have been leading since the third round I believe and it would be a shame to lose it in the last four [races].

It should be quite an equal getaway for everyone, it is a tight first corner and then you have got a long, long drag down to the next turn, five.

So through Eau Rouge, there is plenty of room for slipstreaming and overtaking.

So going from fourth to first is possible, even though the Ferraris are very quick on the straights.

But I always remain optimistic and look forward to the race.

A.Wayne

Monday, 01, January, 0001, 00:00

www.itv.com

McLaren boss Ron Dennis said he had no complaints about Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton's wheel to wheel antics on the opening lap at Spa.

Alonso and Hamilton ran side by side into La Source, with the world champion edging his title rival off the road and across the asphalt run-off.

But Lewis found great traction and charged back onto the track slightly ahead of Alonso.

They then went through the first part of the breathtaking Eau Rouge corner inches apart before Alonso secured third.

Dennis told ITV Sport's pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz that he was quite happy to see his drivers racing each other so hard.

"It was absolutely fine," he said.

"They weren't too aggressive, and they're racing drivers, that's what they do.

"No-one would blink at it if they were opposing teams.

"They didn't touch each other, it's motor racing, no problem. You get used to it."

Alonso also played down the spectacular moment.

"At the first corner Felipe (Massa) locked the front tyre a little bit, I was blocking the inside and I had no space, so I had a bad exit from turn one," he said.

"I think also Lewis went wide at the exit of turn one, so he took a little bit of advantage running in the tyre marks.

"So we arrived wheel by wheel into turns three and four, but I was lucky to be on the inside and to get the position there.

"In this situation I was quite confident and happy with my position into that corner.

"I was not too worried."

The McLaren duo held their positions for the rest of the uneventful race, which puts Alonso just two points behind Hamilton with three races to go.

"It's that little bit closer for Fernando to Lewis in the world championship, but we've got a great world championship and I'm looking forward to the last three races," said Dennis.

He felt there was little to choose between his drivers during the Spa weekend, even though Alonso had appeared to hold a slight edge.

"Actually Lewis was quicker in the first and the last sector, and Fernando had him in the middle a little bit," Ron told ITV.

"The differential wasn't that much.

"The strategies were slightly different, we gave them every opportunity and we used all the engine life.

"I'm pleased that nothing silly came out of the race, no controversy, and it's great to see them both pretty close to the world championship.

"Let's move to motor racing for the next three grands prix."

A.Wayne

Funny Hearing Ham , complain about Alonso's Hip check, It was tame compared to his Antics @ Monza.....\


Monza

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abEShdaJNOc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCP-Yt77Dts

Hmmmm FIA allows one move to protect line , Hmmmm, Mr Untouchable .......The Ham, AW.


By Jonathan Noble and Pablo Elizalde Sunday, September 16th 2007, 14:56 GMT

The start of the Belgian GPChampionship leader Lewis Hamilton was unhappy with teammate Fernando Alonso's move at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Alonso and Hamilton arrived side by side at the first corner, and the Spaniard forced the Briton off the track.

Hamilton had to go over the astro-turf before rejoining the track and again going side by side before the Eau Rouge corner, where Alonso emerged ahead.

The Briton felt Alonso's move had not been fair.

"I wouldn't say fair, but it was hard," Hamilton said of Alonso's move. "The guy on the outside doesn't always have the corner. I don't know whether I was ahead, but there was enough room for us all to get round fair and square.

"I just feel for someone that's always complaining about people doing unfair manoeuvres, and everyone wanting to be fair and someone I look up to, and he has gone and swiped me and pushed me as wide as he could. I was just really lucky there was a run-off area so I could take that.

"At Eau Rouge it's impossible to take two Formula One cars through there without taking each other out, so I just lifted."

He added: "We all had equal starts, perhaps a little bit better for me than for Fernando. I braked quite late and was on the outside quite close to the Ferraris, and I was just behind Felipe. I started to accelerate and all of a sudden Fernando came sweeping across me, and he knew I was there, so...

"I did the best job I could to get by him down the straight, but it wasn't enough."

Hamilton finished the race in fourth place behind Alonso, who is now two points behind with three races to go.

The championship leader said he was still optimistic despite today's result.

"I still feel positive," added Hamilton. "I know it's difficult to believe that, but I am still leading the world championship by two points.

"He only took one point from me today. It's been a tough week, and for sure a lot tougher week for me than for Fernando because ... I won't say any more.

"I think we all did a good job to still bring the car home, and the last three races will be close."

When asked why the week had been harder for him than for Alonso, Hamilton said: "I feel more attached to the team, I guess, and I care a bit more I think."

Flying Finn

He's finally learning the ropes from Kimi, next thing he can start practicing are donuts

Massa actually seemd to be pushing pretty hard in the end since he was "dusting off" many times.

I liked to see Kimi do donuts, Wayne, since you have much better memory than I do, when was last time someone celebrated in F1 by doing donuts? I can't remember anyone doing so but I'm sure back in the day someone did?

I actually wish they all did that but I'm sure it's too much for Bernie...

I enjoyed the race, not only because Kimi won sine it was prety uneventful up front (besides Alonso's 1st corner) but mid pack guys had pretty good fighting going on. And of coure you had to be cheering for Spyker guys!

Still though, I couldn't stop thinking Colin... Damn.

500

Watching this weekend’s race reminded me that I really don’t get why this is the best season in a generation. It might be mildy more interesting than last year, and definitely better than the Schumi steam-roller of early in the decade.

But great motor racing it is not (IMO). The rivalries are fascinating, and the whole spygate has (for better or worse) added an extra heaping of drama, but so many races have been like this past weekend’s:

1) By then end of qualifying, we know which of the two top teams has the edge on the current circuit. This pretty much tells us what the outcome of Sunday will be the vast majority of the time.

2) The race is mainly a procession at the front.

3) Pit stops rarely change anything. At least with Schumi, he and the team would sometimes pull out a nifty strategy that would net the win in some cases where the “other guys” were quicker. The current crop of front runners is so equal in this regard that this does not happen.

4) Race ends and the boring interviews begin… if it is a one-two, than driver number 2 will invariably express frustration as there was nothing he could do, as soon as he would get close, he would lose grip etc.

5) Usual internet discussion the next day about driver 1 absolutely schooled driver 2.

In fairness there have been some exciting moments – enough for a cool highlight reel, but (as many have said) the current Formula One produces very little actual racing. Well, the mid-pack usualy has more, but that gets so little attention on TV.

A.Wayne

By Alan Baldwin Sunday, September 16th 2007, 19:25 GMT

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen testified to last week's Formula One spy hearing that McLaren eavesdropped on Ferrari's team radio throughout his time there, Jean Todt said on Sunday.

The Ferrari team boss told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix, won by Raikkonen, that the Finn's evidence to the Paris hearing was produced to counter a claim from McLaren that Ferrari had snooped on them.

"Kimi Raikkonen made a witness statement about radio communications from his former team," said Todt.

"And maybe one word about that," he continued.

"I have read so much about the 'skeleton in the closet' for Ferrari, the big surprise about what might have happened over the last 10 years.

"The skeleton which was submitted was radio communication."

Leading teams encrypt their communications to and from drivers to protect information from rivals but Todt said it was common practice to hack into them.

"I have to admit that we listen to certain car radios," he said.

"Kimi testified that it was a common practice in his former team from 2002 to 2006.

"When our lawyer asked one of their (McLaren's) witnesses if it was true that they listened to the (other team's) radio, the reply was in the affirmative."

Raikkonen joined Ferrari from McLaren at the end of last season as replacement for seven times champion Michael Schumacher.

MJSpeed

Pretty uneventful race...other than Alonso/Hamilton at the start.

Let's hope next race is a bit more like the European GP when the rain threw a monkey wrench into it.

And yes Adrian Sutil is my new hero...proof once again that all these guys in F1 can drive given a good car.

A.Wayne

+1

A.Wayne

Belgian gp...

A.Wayne

By Pablo Elizalde Monday, September 17th 2007, 14:07 GMT

FIA president Max Mosley says he is waiting to see what McLaren submit to the governing body on Renault, after suggestions that the Woking-based squad may have evidence against their French rival.

McLaren were stripped of all their constructors' championship points and fined a record $100 million for a spying controversy involving leaked Ferrari data.

The British squad's suspended chief designer Mike Coughlan was found to be in possession of a 780-page document with Ferrari information.

Mosley said McLaren team boss Ron Dennis had promised to deliver information that could be detrimental to Renault.

"We haven't had the complaint or the detail we have been promised from McLaren about that, but when we get it, we will investigate," Mosley told BBC Radio 5.

"We've had a dossier from Renault which doesn't look particularly damning, but then again, you wouldn't expect it to. It's allegedly an employee who took some floppy disks with him, but we must wait and see what comes out from McLaren.

"I said to him, 'When you have got your dossier together Ron, let's have it'. He, with Renault's agreement, sent experts into Renault to look at their computer system recently.

"So obviously when he has got that report, if there's something significant in it, I have no doubt he will let us have it."

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore, however, said in Friday's press conference for the Belgian Grand Prix that the French squad had nothing to hide.

"First, if somebody tells me it's the same, I sue somebody, quickly," Briatore said. "Second, it's not an investigation regarding myself and the team. Third, we give all the information to the Federation, at least when we found out something, and this is it. It's as simple as that.

"I think McLaren was judged by the World Council, and there was enough evidence to find McLaren guilty, it's as simple as that. I don't want, at this moment (talk) about Renault because first we are not being investigated, second we give all our evidence to McLaren and to Mr Mosley and to the Federation."

A.Wayne

Ron has nuting ! no worry!, smoke and mirrors, I checked the only thing missing is my porno collection, plus i'm already penalised by having Fisichella...........

MJSpeed