Hamilton takes victory in thrilling finale at Spa

Lewis Hamilton winner Spa 2008

Lewis Hamilton edges closer to winning the drivers’ championship after snatching victory from Kimi Raikkonen in the dramatic closing moments at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps.

Raikkonen was on course to take his long-awaited race victory at his favourite circuit after leading the race from lap two, benefitting from Hamilton’s spin at the La Source hairpin at the end of the opening lap. The Ferrari driver had been under pressure to perform after a series of poor results and race victory would have kick-started his title ambitions.

But during the final three laps, the Finn was uncomfortable in the wet conditions and lost the lead when Hamilton caught and passed him. In fact, the race stewards are investigating a situation at the Bus Stop chicane when the pair may have broken the strict FIA rules on cutting corners…

The incident happened on lap 42 with Hamilton drew alongside his rival on the approach to the chicane. Neither wanted to give way and Lewis was forced off the track by Kimi.

Hamilton arrived on the start/finish straight ahead of Raikkonen and having gained an unfair advantage by cutting the previous corner, the McLaren driver let his rival by. But then he re-passed the Ferrari at the following corner at the La Source hairpin.

Later on that dramatic lap, Raikkonen ran wide at Pouhon but managed to recover with more speed over Hamilton. Then Lewis came across a spinning Williams (Nico Rosberg) and took evasive action! Raikkonen also avoided the backmarker and in the process seemed to have hit his rival… But as soon as Kimi was back in the lead, he spun his Ferrari exiting the corner and Lewis was back in front!

The drama didn’t end there, as Raikkonen tried in vain to regain lost ground on Hamilton, he unfortunately lost control coming out of Blanchimont which resulting in his car and the world championship smashed to pieces against the barrier…

It was crude luck for the reigning world champion as Raikkonen was driving superbly in the leading Ferrari. After inheriting the lead from the spinning McLaren at the end of lap one, the Finn was on course in achieving his fourth successive victory at Spa Francorchamp but that late rain changed the fortune for the Finn.

With Kimi out, it was left for team-mate Felipe Massa to pick up the points and by finishing in second position, the Brazilian is still within touching distance of championship leader Lewis Hamilton in the remaining five races.

BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld gambled on a last-gasp change to intermediate tyres to grab third place on the last lap, ahead of Renault’s Fernando Alonso and Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel.

Team-mate Robert Kubica completed the top six, ahead of the unfortunate Sebastien Bourdais – who stayed out on slicks and was briefly in third, only for a group of intermediate-shod cars to cruise past him on the final lap… Toyota’s Timo Glock completed the points scorer with eighth place.

As for Heikki Kovalainen, this was a race to forget. The Finn made a poor start from third on the grid and he was forced wide at the La Source mayhem caused by Jarno Trulli fast-starting Toyota hitting the back of Bourdais.

That left Kovalainen down ten places in the first corner chaos and in the following laps, the Finn slowly made his way back up the field only for a tangle with Mark Webber at the Bus Stop chicane meant he received a drive-through penalty for punting the Red Bull car into a spin.

That incident cost him track position and although he recovered, the Finn was forced to retire on the final lap.

As for the other McLaren, it was an incredible race from Lewis Hamilton. He recovered from his mistake on lap two when he lost control of his car under braking. Lewis chased after Raikkonen lap after lap and with help from the fickle Belgian weather, the Briton was able to snatch the lead and take his fifth Grand Prix victory this season. Hamilton extends his points lead to eight over title rival Felipe Massa, who finished second in the 44-lap race.

Poor Raikkonen. He had the race in his hands and yet the late rain disrupted his winning performance and ended with a smashed Ferrari on the exit of Blanchimont… This non-finish for Kimi means he is now a massive 23 points behind Lewis in the drivers’ standings and Ferrari may well request the Finn to play the supporting role to aid Felipe Massa in the remaining Grands Prix.

The next race will be the glorious Monza circuit next week. This is Ferrari’s home race and the Italian team will be determined to score a good result in its battle for the world championship against Lewis Hamilton and McLaren-Mercedes.

Race results from Spa Francorchamps – 44 laps:

1. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1h22.44.933
2. Massa Ferrari +14.461
3. Heidfeld BMW Sauber +23.844
4. Alonso Renault +28.939
5. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari +29.037
6. Kubica BMW Sauber +29.498
7. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari +31.196
8. Glock Toyota +56.506
9. Webber Red Bull-Renault +57.237
10. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes +1 lap
11. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault +1 lap
12. Rosberg Williams-Toyota +1 lap
13. Sutil Force India-Ferrari +1 lap
14. Nakajima Williams-Toyota +1 lap
15. Button Honda +1 lap
16. Trulli Toyota +1 lap
17. Fisichella Force India-Ferrari +1 lap
18. Raikkonen Ferrari +2 laps

Fastest lap: Raikkonen, 1:47.930

Not classified/retirements:

Barrichello Honda 21 laps
Piquet Renault 14 laps

World Championship standings, round 13:

Drivers:

1. Hamilton 80
2. Massa 72
3. Kubica 58
4. Raikkonen 57
5. Heidfeld 47
6. Kovalainen 43
7. Trulli 26
8. Alonso 23
9. Webber 18
10. Glock 16
11. Vettel 13
12. Piquet 13
13. Barrichello 11
14. Rosberg 9
15. Nakajima 8
16. Coulthard 6
17. Bourdais 4
18. Button 3

Constructors:

1. Ferrari 129
2. McLaren-Mercedes 123
3. BMW Sauber 105
4. Toyota 42
5. Renault 36
6. Red Bull-Renault 24
7. Williams-Toyota 17
8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 17
9. Honda 14

Next race: Italian Grand Prix, Monza, September 12-14

4 thoughts to “Hamilton takes victory in thrilling finale at Spa”

  1. UPDATE: Timo Glock has been given a 25-second penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix after the stewards ruled he had overtaken under yellow.

    The Toyota driver passed Red Bull’s Mark Webber for eighth place in the dying moments of the race, in an area where there were yellow flags following Kimi Raikkonen’s crash.

    After the race, Glock was hit with a penalty that dropped him outside of the points.

    Webber is then moved to the point-scoring positions.

    SOURCE: Autosport.com

    Still no news on the Hamilton-Raikkonen incident on lap 42 at the Bus Stop chicane…

  2. LATEST NEWS!

    Lewis Hamilton has lost his victory at the Belgian Grand Prix after he was given a penalty for cutting a chicane when fighting with Kimi Raikkonen.

    The stewards gave Hamilton a drive-through penalty after the race had ended, meaning 25 seconds were added to his time.

    The win goes to Brazilian Felipe Massa, second in the race. The penalty has dropped Hamilton to third place in the race.

    Revised race results and standings:

    1. Massa Ferrari
    2. Heidfeld BMW Sauber
    3. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
    4. Alonso Renault
    5. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari
    6. Kubica BMW Sauber
    7. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari
    8. Webber Red Bull-Renault
    9. Glock Toyota
    10. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes
    11. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault
    12. Rosberg Williams-Toyota
    13. Sutil Force India-Ferrari
    14. Nakajima Williams-Toyota
    15. Button Honda
    16. Trulli Toyota
    17. Fisichella Force India-Ferrari
    18. Raikkonen Ferrari

    Drivers:

    1. Hamilton 76
    2. Massa 74
    3. Kubica 58
    4. Raikkonen 57
    5. Heidfeld 49
    6. Kovalainen 43
    7. Trulli 26
    8. Alonso 23
    9. Webber 19
    10. Glock 16
    11. Vettel 13
    12. Piquet 13
    13. Barrichello 11
    14. Rosberg 9
    15. Nakajima 8
    16. Coulthard 6
    17. Bourdais 4
    18. Button 3

    Constructors:
    1. Ferrari 131
    2. McLaren-Mercedes 119
    3. BMW Sauber 107
    4. Toyota 41
    5. Renault 36
    6. Red Bull-Renault 25
    7. Williams-Toyota 17
    8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 17
    9. Honda 14

    SOURCE: Autosport.com

    Such a harsh penalty for Lewis Hamilton after cutting the chicane during his wheel-to-wheel battle for the lead with Kimi Raikkonen.

    But great news for Ferrari and Felipe Massa. The Brazilian is now TWO points behind Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ standings.

  3. McLaren have lodged an appeal against Lewis Hamilton’s demotion to third place in the Belgian Grand Prix, the FIA confirmed on Sunday night.

    Hamilton was handed a 25-second penalty for gaining an advantage against then race leader Kimi Raikkonen after cutting the chicane two laps from home at Spa-Francorchamps.

    McLaren spent some time on Sunday night evaluating whether they could appeal the penalty, but an FIA statement said that the team had indeed notified the stewards of their intention to appeal.

    It means the result of the Belgian Grand Prix will now be decided at a hearing of the FIA’s International Court of Appeal.

    Ferrari did not hide their criticism of the way Hamilton behaved after cutting the chicane, with their team principal Stefano Domenicali saying he had no doubt the way Hamilton retook the lead was the result of the benefit he had in cutting the chicane.

    “Personally, I think it was a little bit extreme,” he explained. “It’s normal that when you attack that you are racing, but the problem is (of) the advantage that may take by doing a manoeuvre and this is the key point of it, so I think that that’s the focus that has to be considered.

    “What is really the advantage that you are taking in such conditions that can be used in the second situation at the first corner? That, in my view, is the most important thing. But this is racing.”

    Domenicali did not wish to make any comments on the decision to impose a 25-second penalty, however.

    “As I said to your Italian colleagues, we are not used to commenting on decisions. The only thing I would say is that as soon as we had been summoned by the stewards, we gave our position to the stewards and that was it.

    “Then the stewards for sure listened to the Hamilton discussion on that, and that is the decision. On that we don’t want to take any further comment.”

    Ferrari have insisted that they did not lodge any official protest with the race stewards about the matter.

    SOURCE: Autosport.com

    It’s good that McLaren has resort to appeal over this ridiculous decision. After an exciting race, this penalty makes the sport a total farce. Let’s see if Lewis Hamilton gets back his well deserved victory…

  4. I was watching this race, and it came up with rain in 20 mins. I thought yeh yeh, the race will be over by then. Boy was I wrong. What an amazing ending to the race. But the fireworks didn’t end there, specially when we heard Hamilton has been stripped off of his race win. What a crazy race and what a crazy season.

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