2009 Belgian Grand Prix (Spa Francorchamps, Aug 30)

[Dino Scuderia]

Crikey...Force India on pole!

Qualifying results:

Pos Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3
1. Fisichella Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:45.102 1:44.667 1:46.308
2. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:45.140 1:44.503 1:46.395
3. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1:45.566 1:44.709 1:46.500
4. Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:45.237 1:44.834 1:46.513
5. Kubica BMW-Sauber (B) 1:45.655 1:44.557 1:46.586
6. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:45.579 1:44.953 1:46.633
7. Glock Toyota (B) 1:45.450 1:44.877 1:46.677
8. Vettel Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:45.372 1:44.592 1:46.761
9. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:45.350 1:44.924 1:46.788
10. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:45.486 1:45.047 1:47.362
11. Sutil Force India-Mercedes (B) 1:45.486 1:45.119
12. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:45.239 1:45.122
13. Alonso Renault (B) 1:45.767 1:45.136
14. Button Brawn-Mercedes (B) 1:45.707 1:45.251
15. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:45.761 1:45.259
16. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:45.705
17. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:45.951
18. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:46.032
19. Grosjean Renault (B) 1:46.307
20. Badoer Ferrari (B) 1:46.359

[lightweight]

Fuel corrected or not, this is gobsmacking...

I think that Barichello has a very good chance of winning tomorrow's race. The Red Bulls will have a tough job trying to make up a bad qualifying...

What happened to Button?

[Matra et Alpine]

Jenson Button (14th) on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra: "I didn't it make because I wasn't fast enough. It's going to make tomorrow very difficult. I didn't have any pace on the soft tyres and every time I hit the brakes, the rear would move. I did not have any confidence in the rear end. It's strange to be four or five tenths off Rubens - our cars are different, but they are not that different. It makes tomorrow very difficult but if you're not quick enough, you're not quick enough and I didn't have any pace on the soft tyre. Hopefully we can get some points, because not getting any points tomorrow is pretty disastrous compared to Rubens but more so the Red Bulls ."

[ringle]

What happened to Button?

Button is toast...the smoke & mirrors he has been living since the start of the season is finally clearing to show his true potential, which is what he showed at BAR.

[lightweight]

Button is toast...the smoke & mirrors he has been living since the start of the season is finally clearing to show his true potential, which is what he showed at BAR.

It is true that he had the best car on the grid for the first part of the season, but he consistently outperformed his teammate and opponents.

Given the right car, Button will rise to the challenge. Just like in 2004 when he was topped only by the two Ferraris.

I don't think that he just forgot to drive in a month. An F1 car's performance isn't solely dependent on the driver.

[W.R.]

Hoorah, a real circuit!!! Not the usual shite we have to put up with.

[blackcat77]

IMHO, Button doesn't react well to pressure. When he had a completely superior car, he was okay, but when everybody else caught up, he seemed to tighten up and lose form. Now he's in a downward spiral and I really doubt if he wins the title. Go Rubinho -- after all he's had to deal with over the years, he really deserves it.

[lightweight]

Go Rubinho -- after all he's had to deal with over the years, he really deserves it.

I would really like to see Barrichello win the championship. He is such a character

[Black Edition]

Crikey...Force India on pole!

whoa. didn't see this one coming

[Wouter Melissen]

The weights:

1. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India, 648kg
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 656.5
3. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 655
4. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 644.5
5. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 649
6. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 655
7. Timo Glock, Toyota, 648.5
8. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 662.5
9. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 658
10. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 670
11. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 678.5
12. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 693.5
13. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 684.4
14. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 694.2
15. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 697
16. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 685
17. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, 704.5
18. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 706.1
19. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 704.7
20. Luca Badoer, Ferrari, 691.5

It looks like Trulli is in the best position to take this one. That would be quite something and might be essential to retain Toyota for F1.

[Dino Scuderia]

Ridiculous start shuntfest.

[pimento]

Another bad pitstop stuffup for Webber..

[pimento]

... And Alonso. They're not not having much luck with wheels at Renault..

[faksta]

Alonso has got damage on his left wheel during the start - he had a contact with Sutil.

[pimento]

Yea, the spinner was whizzing about again.. they're banned for next year apparently. Seems a good idea, I guess they're nice when they're working but a pain in the arse otherwise.