So that wasn’t what I was expecting to happen. I assumed that Kimi Raikkonen would qualify on pole for tomorrow’s Belgian Grad Prix, but he isn’t there, and Britain’s Lewis Hamilton sits atop the pile instead, 0.3 seconds ahead of second place man Felipe Massa.
That huge gap would seem to suggest that Hamilton’s McLaren is lighter on fuel than the Ferrari of Massa, but Lewis’ supreme confidence in the press conference would seem to suggest otherwise. He seemed very pleased with himself – after that lap, who wouldn’t? – where usually he saves his smiles for after the actual race itself.
So the Ferraris look to be on the back foot this weekend, and Spa could prove to be the undoing of Raikkonen’s championship title hopes. It would certainly be a strange event for Kimi not to be right at the front tomorrow on a track where he’s run so well in the past, and he certainly needs a good result or Ferrari are going to chuck everything behind Massa for the rest of the season, but things really don’t look to be going his way.
So what do you think, is this the end of Kimi’s challenge? Will Lewis win out tomorrow?
Let us know.
I believe that Raikonen isnt enjoying himself anymore so that is why he is not as fast. I think that next year he is not running anymore, thats what he said.
unlike last year, kimi may not be mathematically eliminated, but he checked out mentally a while ago. when a driver is consistantly outperformed by his teammate, that driver is all done.
this should be a great race. i certainly intend on staying awake for it! no promises, though.
kimi doesnt really love raceing anymore, hes bored of it so he doesnt try at his full potenshal any more. hamilton will need to be strong and then he can make it
Ferrari still have the race pace advantage, and Massa has been pulling magnificent starts all year. So say, Massa takes the win, with Kimi still in 4th, that would give Massa a 12 points advantage. Who do you thinks the safer bet for ferrari.
Kimi has been known to be the Iceman and along with that, he is also unpredictable. With his cool nature, it’s hard to guess what he’s at. I don’t think Kimi is to be counted out of the running until the before the last race. His win last year being down by 17 points with two races to go says it all. He is still Kimi and he may just be looking for that magical push to catapult him to winning once again. If that happens, it’s gonna be dramatic!
For a reason or another, Massa and Hamilton have been fuelled lighter than their team mates almost all season. There are “fuel-corrected estimates” for qualifying, which paint a rather different picture to Massa’s and Hamilton’s “domination” in qualifying.
Another note, as a fellow finn I can assure that Kimi does not lack motivation. The fact that his team mate appears to have an upper hand currently is the best motivation you could possibly imagine. The fact that he does not like to use his energy to endless assurances of his speed and determination is just his finnish way of working. I think that the fact that he does not rate media much shows also in the way media jumps on any chance to downplay his chances in this year’s chanpionsip.
That may not be what you expected Jamie but I couldn’t see Kimi coming first in a Kimi look-a-like competition at the moment. You don’t just turn up at a Grand Prix and put it on pole because you’ve won there the last few years. Barring Lewis and Felipe non-scoring tomorrow Kimi has shot his season in the foot with too many lacklustre Saturdays.
Maybe he’s suffering from global warming…
kimi just hasn’t had a good season so far and i dont thinkthat he has any chance of catching up with hamilton or his own team mate, massa because thay are doing so well this season. but are they doing too well will something go drastically wrong and put their seasons in jeopardy? who knows?
I love the belgian GP. it’s the fastest and most dangerous. I mean Kimi and Fernando crashed during practice.
Your all saying that because kimi qualified in 4th and because of this he had a ’shocked’ but as i recalled golden boy hamilton qualified in a similar position at silverstone but still went on to win the GP so i wouldn’t count kmi out just considering his record at spa.
Nice Tak…
Maybe if Kimi would even try or give a change to race qualify equaly light car as Massa top 3 would be lot tighter.
Kovalainen also suffers for heavy car. after all, he did have fastest lap from all drivers, but it was on 2nd period. 3rd again tank full, doesnt help Lewis much as he could. ideal situation for maclaren would be that Heikki “Niceman” Has only 1 or 2 laps more petrol, He could beat Lewis on qualify, but he also haves ball’s to let Hamilton go when it would be better for team. so, it would be tight top 4! Hyrrrrr… that would be racing!
And last; Who you think will be replaced by Alonso after this race? Spannish media idiots are stuffing that Alonso on Ferrari 1 and 2 plus Maclaren 23 and 24 (or what was the numbers *sigh*), they have to realize that there is only 1 Fernando…
They have this contracts you know. contract says that driver stays on team for agreed Time.
With fuel and so on for both Kimi and heikki it will be affected by what decisions are made by the team and who they r going to back until the end of the season so it may be that their just gonna run their own race and if that means a comprimise in quali so be it.
I think Hamilton is fueled a lot lighter as they have not had a good time with more fuel of late. I think Massa will take him up Eau Rouge and will eventually win and I think Kovy will have the job of keeping Kimi away from lewis and distracting massa at the start.
0.3 isn’t actually as big as on other circuits, as the track is so long, will be an intriguing race tomorow.
I would put money on another Barrichello podium if it rains, just a feeling I have.
Kimi deserves to win- Lewis always wins but better Lewis than Massaa or Alosno
Raikkonen aint as good as Massa or Hamilton. He is third best and him faultering on his backyard shows that.
gp2 race was great. pity bruno senna got his penalty. Just shows ferrari are the FIA’s favourite team. It is just inconsistency as Senna did the same as Massa.
Kimi Raikkonen has won Spa from 9th in 2004 so he can win but he will need a lot of luck and a few timely safety cars.
All the best of luck to Lewis tomorrow. I could drive faster than him, though.
come on lewis beat the rest because your better than the rest and TOP GEAR RULZ
Lewis isnt running heavier than massa cos he was faster in Q1&2 as well.
I hope Massa’s engine has a set of those dodgy con-rods.
The boring finnish, kimi, do not deserve to win the title this year. I think he should let the way for Massa to get his first title. Personally I support Hamilton, it is time for Mclearn drivers to win the title. The battle clearly is between Massa and Hamilton. kimi’s bad attitude is what makes people hates him. The problem is every Ferrari driver thinks he is a driving god, while the real heros are drivers with cars with limited abilities like Vettle.
massa will have p1 before first lap is complete, he will follow him up ea rouge and take him, then pull away then its his race to lose, kimi was down points last yaer but he still wun title, but i still think massa or hamilton for title, heikki and kimi are in the same machine but slower??? shows who knows what they want, massa for champion his shit hot…….
There will be two finns in the podium after the race.
I do not believe that Kimi has a motivation problem. My bet is that he just has difficulties to tune his car to perform as he pleases. This shows as problems in he qualifying. In the long run Kimi is a solid performer and he is almost always fastest in the race when he has a clear track.
And todays F1 – no overtaking because of the aerodynamics making it so difficult / impossible. Witch is making the sport boring as Hamilton pointed out last week.
I suspect this year’s Belgian GP is gonna be a complete Maclaren-Hamilton show…They did literally outpace Ferraris yesterday in qualifying…The fact that Raikkonen has done well in the past does not give him any sort of advantage at all..he seems to be completely out of source this season…I think there is nothing much Ferrari can do other putting all their best resource on the wheels of in-form Flying Felippe for the rest of the season..I expect a challenging race today evening only if Massa gets on to a flier around the first set of corners….
lewis ftw. dunno whats happened to raikkonen this year.
where is the fair side of Hamilton?