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The Belgian Grand Prix Thread (Raikkonen wins!)

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:48 pm
by Ed
This is the place to discuss everything related to the sixteenth round of the 2005 season taking place at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium between the 9th and the 11th of September.

The Belgian Grand Prix Preview is available here.
The main Belgian Grand Prix Page is available here.

To submit your 8 'n' Pole Picks for Belgium click here, to register in the competition click here (it is never too late to enter as the winner of each round wins a prize in addition to the overall prizes)


Team and Driver Previews available soon.

FIA Press Conferences:
Thurday with Christian Klien, Ralf Schumacher, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen
Friday with John Howett, Flavio Briatore and Norbert Haug
Saturday with Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen and Giancarlo Fisichella
Sunday with Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:50 pm
by Ed
The event timetable for the Belgian Grand Prix

Friday
1st Friday Practice 11:00 local time - 09:00 GMT
2nd Friday Practice 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

Saturday
1st Saturday Practice 09:00 local time - 07:00 GMT
2nd Saturday Practice 10:15 local time - 08:15 GMT
Qualifying 13:00 local time - 11:00 GMT

Sunday
Race 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:52 pm
by Ed
The latest weather forecast for the Belgian Grand Prix (last updated 11 September)

Friday
1st Practice - 11:00 - 22 - Mostly cloudy
2nd Practice - 14:00 - 25 - Mostly Cloudy

Saturday
1st Practice - 09:00 - 17 - Few Showers
2nd Practice - 10:15 - 18 - Few Showers
Qualifying - 13:00 - 22 - Showers

Sunday
Race - 14:00 - 21 - Rain

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 6:11 pm
by Ed
Engine status:

The following drivers will use the same engine used in Italy:

Rubens Barrichello - Ferrari
Fernando Alonso - Renault
Giancarlo Fisichella - Renault
Mark Webber - Williams
Antonio Pizzonia - Williams
Kimi Raikkonen - McLaren
David Coulthard - Red Bull
Christian Klien - Red Bull
Jarno Trulli - Toyota
Tiago Monteiro - Jordan
Robert Doornbos - Minardi

All other drivers will have a new engine for the next two events (Belgium and Brazil)

Picks for Spa from someone ranked in the 400's!

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:44 am
by Jim Watt
So. Once again it appears that I have either lost the place to post my picks or I am the first one to dare to make them known! :lol:

Having been so lamentably out of the loop lately I figure I might as well throw my pathetic picks up to be lampooned by the literati of speed.

So I'm hoping for just enough rain to allow the Bridgestone shod red cars to earn enough points to keep the suspense in the manufacturers' race for third place.

Although Jense appears to believe that Rubens is a second slower than the Webbo, I expect the Brazilian to do almost as well in the wet as Michael. Actually, I think it will take Mark a full five laps this time to find a way to the garage; I only hope he doesn't collect Kimi or Fernando this time, though I expect they'll be long in the distance and out of his reach.

Enough of the crystal-gazing; here are my peerless picks:

Pole: Kimi, of course; indeed I expect him to be on the pole even though he'll have a full tank when he does his qual run!

1: Kimi, because I can't believe he hasn't used up his full complement of bad luck by this time!
2. Juan Pablo, because I believe he'll thoroughly enjoy queering up Fernando's dreams...
3. Fernando, because I think even with a de-tuned engine and instructions to concentrate on finishing decently in the points, he'll be able to cruise to the podium. Now he COULD get frustrated by JPM's wobbly blocking and try to pass him, but then we'd have the spectacle of the Mac # 2 taking out the Renault #1 --and the forums will be full of spanish naughty words! Too much, I think, to hope for! :D
4. Jarno Trulli in the Toyota will be haunting Mr. Braun's dreams! :twisted:
5. Jenson B. should be able to get the Honda close, but probably not close enough to matter to anyone!
6. Michael in the Ferrari with the red camera ... if it rains hard enough near the race's end, he'll cut a swath and start knocking people off at a good rate. The commentators will go ga ga and start saying crazy things like, "If this race had another 20 laps in it, we could well see Michael earning a podium position!"
7. Ralph Schumacher in the other Toyota will make Ross glad that he's sacked little Rubens, who will take the last points slot because, actually, he's quite decent in the wet.
8. Rubens Barrichello! Remember that name; next year it will fade like that of a recent Canadian World Champion!

So. Have at me Ferrari haters and lovers of Fernando the cute! :D :wave:

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:36 pm
by Kapel
Ed wrote:The latest weather forecast for the Belgian Grand Prix (last updated 7 September)

Friday - 26 - AM Showers
1st Practice - 11:00
2nd Practice - 14:00

Saturday - 21 - Showers
1st Practice - 09:00
2nd Practice - 10:15
Qualifying - 13:00

Sunday - 19 - Showers
Race - 14:00
Showers!!!!! :lol: :lol:
But i hope this time it rains...though i really doubt it...only for Narain!!! :wink:

Re: Picks for Spa from someone ranked in the 400's!

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:37 pm
by Kapel
Jim Watt wrote:So. Once again it appears that I have either lost the place to post my picks or I am the first one to dare to make them known! :lol:

Having been so lamentably out of the loop lately I figure I might as well throw my pathetic picks up to be lampooned by the literati of speed.

So I'm hoping for just enough rain to allow the Bridgestone shod red cars to earn enough points to keep the suspense in the manufacturers' race for third place.

Although Jense appears to believe that Rubens is a second slower than the Webbo, I expect the Brazilian to do almost as well in the wet as Michael. Actually, I think it will take Mark a full five laps this time to find a way to the garage; I only hope he doesn't collect Kimi or Fernando this time, though I expect they'll be long in the distance and out of his reach.

Enough of the crystal-gazing; here are my peerless picks:

Pole: Kimi, of course; indeed I expect him to be on the pole even though he'll have a full tank when he does his qual run!

1: Kimi, because I can't believe he hasn't used up his full complement of bad luck by this time!
2. Juan Pablo, because I believe he'll thoroughly enjoy queering up Fernando's dreams...
3. Fernando, because I think even with a de-tuned engine and instructions to concentrate on finishing decently in the points, he'll be able to cruise to the podium. Now he COULD get frustrated by JPM's wobbly blocking and try to pass him, but then we'd have the spectacle of the Mac # 2 taking out the Renault #1 --and the forums will be full of spanish naughty words! Too much, I think, to hope for! :D
4. Jarno Trulli in the Toyota will be haunting Mr. Braun's dreams! :twisted:
5. Jenson B. should be able to get the Honda close, but probably not close enough to matter to anyone!
6. Michael in the Ferrari with the red camera ... if it rains hard enough near the race's end, he'll cut a swath and start knocking people off at a good rate. The commentators will go ga ga and start saying crazy things like, "If this race had another 20 laps in it, we could well see Michael earning a podium position!"
7. Ralph Schumacher in the other Toyota will make Ross glad that he's sacked little Rubens, who will take the last points slot because, actually, he's quite decent in the wet.
8. Rubens Barrichello! Remember that name; next year it will fade like that of a recent Canadian World Champion!

So. Have at me Ferrari haters and lovers of Fernando the cute! :D :wave:
Well Jim u could re post this on 8npole thread :wink:

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 4:27 pm
by Ed
Kapel wrote: Showers!!!!! :lol: :lol:
But i hope this time it rains...though i really doubt it...only for Narain!!! :wink:
So far it looks like we'll have a wet weekend. That would certainly make things interesting!

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 4:34 pm
by Kapel
Ed wrote:
Kapel wrote: Showers!!!!! :lol: :lol:
But i hope this time it rains...though i really doubt it...only for Narain!!! :wink:
So far it looks like we'll have a wet weekend. That would certainly make things interesting!
Ed,if it rains in the entire race,i'll send u some nice Ganapati Sweets :wink:

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:36 pm
by JayVee
Jim,

You insist :D

Well to start with, it isn't Kimi's luck, it is the poor reliability of the Mercedes. If Kimi was really unlucky he would have his engine failures in the race and not in practice :D

Alonso The Cute has a real chance of winning the title in Belgium. Raikkonen's luck will finally run out and his engine will fail duing the race :bounce: :TOTW:
And you'll then read all sorts of beautiful Spanish words on the forums :D

The rest, well Toyota will move ahead of Ferrari and Pizzonia will make Frank think again about his options for next year :wink:

And if it rains, Bambino driver will park it :alright:

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:44 pm
by Kapel
Bambino driver would park next to the cute's car who has been screaming on his radio after the shunt when Webber was not allowed to pass him :wink: :lol: :lol:

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:51 pm
by JayVee
I see, Alonso The Cute needs more intra team orders again :shock: :shock:

:TOTW: :rolling: :ROTFLMAO: :TOTW: :coool:

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 8:39 pm
by Kapel
JayVee wrote:I see, Alonso The Cute needs more intra team orders again :shock: :shock:

:TOTW: :rolling: :ROTFLMAO: :TOTW: :coool:
Yeah :wink: :lol:
Actually Fisi should be asked to bump of Kimi :wink:

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 9:50 pm
by adz_619
wet weekend, this would be kool. A good fight between the the 2nd class runners like Jenson and trulli would be great in the middle pack. However dont want JB disturbing the title fight between Kimi and alonso though .

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 9:55 pm
by Kapel
adz_619 wrote:wet weekend, this would be kool. A good fight between the the 2nd class runners like Jenson and trulli would be great in the middle pack. However dont want JB disturbing the title fight between Kimi and alonso though .
R u sure??? :wink: :lol: