Jenson Button will look at today and think that it could have been a lot worse. Taken out by Renault rookie Romain Grosjean on the first lap, Jenson could then only watch on from the pit wall, with his fingers crossed.
Being unable to scroe points, Jenson was lucky that his teammate, and championship rival, Rubens Barrichello only managed to take two points out of him overall, and that even though Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel finsihed third, Button is still in the champs lead by a comfyish 16 points.
But this has to be the last race that Jenson can risk finding luck on his side – he can’t afford to rely on it in two weeks time at the Italian GP in Monza.
Button needs to get his mojo back.
Someone who wasn’t lacking in mojo today was Force India’s Giancarlo Fisichella, who drove a faultless race to end the day in second for FI’s first podium and first ever points.
But he just didn’t have enough to get by a very on-form Kimi Raikkonen in his Ferrari, who’s shown the doubters – BBC pundit Eddie Jordan we’re looking at you – that he really does still have the pace and mettle to win in F1. And a very useful KERS button, that kept the Force India behind him.
Overall it was a cracking race, and the championship battle is getting enticingly tight at the top.
But the day belongs to Fisi and Force India, who had a truly fast pace and are confident they’ll be fighting at the sharp end in Monza.
F1’s coolest man, Force India team boss Vijay Mallya, will no doubt be enjoying a good party later tonight. Hats off to them.
Let us know what you thought, and check BBC Sport’s site for full race results and championship standings.
Ultimately, KERS won the race today. It would’ve been nice for Fisi to win, but 2nd is still amazing for a team you still expect to be much further down.
I wonder if now is really a good time for him to get a phone call from Ferrari? Perhaps going into this GP, but now? The decision would be much harder, plus racing alongside the man he was against today just two weeks later would be a little awkward…
It really sucks that the two rookies took out the two Brits on lap 1. But, then, Spa’s not the easiest, smoothest track in the calendar. That’s why it rocks, though. Love Eau Rouge!
Most memorable race in ages. Although for Vijay and Giancarlo, probably not going to be the easiest Sunday evening to remember!
Btw TopGear, that “Driver’s Championship” box on the right of the comments could do with updating a little.
Fisi looked so much faster than kimi, for me a strategy error from Force India, they should have put him 2 more laps of fuel at his first pitstop, then he could maybe have jumped Kimi if he could stick to him.
Fisi did braillant job for Fi
and rubens did will to finsh 7th considing his car was on fire!
overall a good result for the championship battle
Fisichella should have won, he was so much faster the the ferrari. How can Ferrari considder replacing Raikkonen, third podium in a row and a win.
Yay Kimi is back!!!!
Funny how the two drivers that usually comment on how badly everyone else drives (Alonso and Webber) were the two people causing four drivers to crash out on the first lap.
I hope they smash into each other next race. They deserve it.
I wouldn’t say Force India was ’so much faster’ than the Ferrari, but they were a bit quicker. In regard to KERS, its easy to say Ferrari won because of KERS, but at the same time Ferrari and McLaren pay the price for its capability with the extra 20 odd kilo’s they have had to carry each race. And from this only being the second race a KERS car has won, I’d almost say that Ferrari won in spite of KERS, not because.
Anyway, brilliant effort by Fisichella, supreme speed all weekend. After this result I’m not sure he’ll go to Ferrari, he might decide to stick with Force India given its current pace.
Kimi, the man is a legend, 4 wins now at Spa, and the first win for Ferrari this season. And I think its a bit rich having a dig at Eddie Jordan for not believing Ferrari could win anything, Jamie you yourself haven’t exactly been Kimi’s most supportive commentator.
kimi is soooooooo cool lol…. he makes f1
Ash, you must of been watching some repeat or something, because it was Grosjean that caused all the first lap carnage, when he wacked into the rear of Button and spun him, not Alonso and Webber.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ES!
@David, they can’t just “put in a couple more laps of fuel” as a matter of race strategy the fuel load is decided by the remaining fuel after the end of Q3. Even if they could it wouldn’t be a strategy error because Kimi would not have been able to catch up to Fisi had there not been a safety car, that much is clear as the FI had the faster race pace all through the race AND was on a much lighter fuel load than Kimi in the first stint. Without clairvoyance FI could never plan a strategy that incorporates forecasting a major collision on the first lap.
Kimi took advantage of the safety car to catch up to Fisi and deployed his KERS to his advantage to take the lead, and used KERS to ensure he didn’t lose the lead while reducing the pace to his own pace. Both Ferrari and FI had flawless strategy (the exact same strategy) and they both executed it perfectly in terms of pitstops. The only mistake made was by Fisi allowing Kimi to overtake, if you can call that a mistake.
FI got into their position entirely on merit and fate conspired against them unfortunately. It was a fantastic race though.
@Tom, they pay no weight price, all the cars have to weigh the same, all cars are underweight and make up that weight with ballast, so that’s bollocks frankly.
its about time, Kimi!
so has this proved to everyone that KERS is useful? I’m sure Lewis didn’t expected this when he said, “the advantage (of KERS) isn’t as much as you think” or something like that…
Still, the team Ferrari was running perfect despite of the fuel strategy. And that goes for Force India too…
Anyway, it was good to hear the Italian anthem once again.
Punishment for bad qualifying for the championship contenders.
Great job by Kimi and Fisico!!!! Awesome.
The best race of the season this year, loads of drama and overtaking!!!! Today was great for watching.
Button? Sad performance – punished
Hamilton? – punished
Alonso was just great again – unrewarded
Vettel – also qualified not good enough but clearly dominating Webber again
WHAT ABOUT MONZA any predicitions?
Really exciting race. I run out of finger nails to chew. This is how it should be always done. Fisi only .8 seconds the whole race behind Kimi. Great job.
Although it still must have been quite frustrating for Kimi that Ferrari can’t even shake off a Force India from behind.
From Fisi’s point of view, it must have felt the best second place for him – ever. I know he has won in the past, but given the car he’s now driving he has every reason to be chuffed. Brilliant drive for him.
Vettel was blazing fast especially on the last stint.
Alonso must be now having nightmares about the wheel nuts.
Barichello’s finish was probably the most nerve racking to watch, thankfully he managed to finish even with the engine on fire.
BAD day for the for the Brits.
Brilliant day for force india and ferrari.
barrichello’s brawn blown its way to 7th.
this is the best(craziest) race throughout the season.
We can carry on this discussion about how Kers won the race for ages but the fact is that the whole package was the one that gave the W to Kimi. Kers is one factor in that package but it didn’t seem to help BAD alot.. Anyway, great job Fisi, Force India, Ferrari and Kimi. This was a great race.
Ferrari should keep Raikkonen he is in great form now if Massa is fit keep him with raikkonen if not get Alonso great race well done kimi fisi would bite ferraris hand of at opportunity of a drive there and at monza
Lewis and Jenson were unlucky 2 be taken out by some noobs who cant even go round corners properly.
Button went off to a flying start and would have almost certainly ended up with points, Hamilton would have moved up the field using KERS and made it a more interesting race. (It was gr8 anyway)
Well done to Fisi he deserves his place on the podium and i think should have been the top step.
Agree with you, JC; however, I don’t think that if Ferrari had also put a wind/solar/tyre burnout/excess-gatorade/p oint-zero Energy Recovery System apart from the KERS on Badoer’s car it would have helped him much either. So Bad’s not doing anything good with a KERS does not necessary mean KERS was not the most important advantage the italians had over Force India…
good job!
Since ferrari already signed Alonso for the next 5 seasons, where should Kimi go? Oh dear..
I think grogean needs to learn to take about it easy at the start that second time he rammed in to someone at the start
It would have been a good race for Button, but on the first lap he was hit by a rookie driver, forcing him on the gravel.
It would have also been a good race for our other Brit,Hamilton, if he hadn’t suffered the same fate. Hit by a Torro Rosso rookie driver, causing him to spin off into the barrier.
Well said tom. It was definately Grosjeans fault, not Alonso and webber. looks like Button gained a couple of places before chicken goujan (sorry grosjean) ruined it for Button, so Button could have got a decent couple of points.
Barrichello was lucky, he could have also done a lot better had he not stalled on the grid. Really thought he was going to go out when i saw the smoke coming out of the car, he did well to keep it in 7th.
forgot to mention, it really is time to change that helmet jenson, it is bringing you all this bad luck.
Go India!!!haha!i just want to know who bet on fisi before the race, and more importantly how much they WON?
o and i’ve noticed that the brawn drivers do best only when their helmets have the brawn colours,namely the white and yellow, on them..maybe it is time that button changed his helmet..
amazing performance from kimi, since he started the race in 6th, (KERS rule)
If this doesn’t perusade Jenson to change his bloddy helmet I don’t know what will. It is bad luck I tell you, bad luck.
if the Force India car had KERS fisi would have ANNHIALATED everyone else
1ns again hamiltons bad luck strikes how boring to see the two brits out on lap 1 because of a couple of amateurs,o well front line nxt time lewis pull it together
Nice race by Kimi, but Fissi was awesome, how quick is that car? Would you move to Ferrari with a car like that?
RUBENS GAP IS GETTING SMALLER!!!! COME ON BARRICHELLO!!!! well done 2 force india! unlucky hamilton
kers make all te drivers ho are not that good (no offence kimi) but the cars that dont have it are left behind shame
that crash was spectacular!
wot happend was: Grosjean whacks Buttons rear, his brawn spis round and smashes in2 the back of the Renault.
Hamilton brakes to avoid ploughing into them, moves over but is smashed along the side by a red bull (i dunno which driver) causing both of them 2 go off the track.
i blame Grosjean.
oh and not all the retiremet were from crashing. Trulli also retired of causes unknown (to me)!
Grosjean wasn’t Renaults only problem, Alonso spent 35 seconds stationary in the pit wile engineers tried to attach a rear wheel. he retired on the next lap due to a problen with the right front. i bet he has nightmares about those wheel nuts.
i think if not for mclarens pit cock up in valencia & Hamiltons unfortunate crash Lewis could have been clawing back some points. Maybe hes cursed.Button certainly is, maybe its that helmet…
Am i mad or am i the only one to notice KIMI cheated on the first corner. Drivers that leave the track should not gain an advantage which KIMI clearly did. He did not even try to make the corner and gained a place from it! This is normally punished really heavily
Actually that’s a fair point, MiniSider, I rewatched the race start an he did. I think it was Button who was penilised in Valencia last week, so why wasn’t Kimi given a penalty. No offense t him, but double standards and stuff…
what is that with Jenson´s helmet?
Did I miss something? Ok anything helps …
He lost his race already yesterday with his bad qualifying.
If you are so far in the back its very likely that you get hit, if it not would have been Grosjean, somebody else. Too many cars, too tight in Spa. But that´s part of the show!!!!
good race, shame about the brits though.
Trulli retired because he was involved in a bump early on and had to pit after the first lap for a new wing or something and left him in last place, later on he had a pitstop which went badly, (think the fuel hose wouldn’t disconnect if I remember correctly), and after that I think he just didn’t see the point in going on since there was no way he’d score any points so decided to retire and save his engine.
BTW Ferrari is back!! yes yes I know we still have to deal with Badoer and whatever but ferrari is now third and Raikkonen just won his third podium in three races. Just sorry Massa isn’t around… It would have been a complete comeback.
Whooohoooo! Super race, brilliant drive and exciting to watch. I hope Ferrari understands the value of the Fin now..
Hamilton was unlucky aswell as Button, stupid Grosjean…
Firstly, you can say KERS won the race, but all teams had the option to use it and everybody opted not to or dropped it because they had trouble packaging it properly, not to mention the problems with the car balancing with the extra weight. Ferrari and McLaren are the only two teams to have stuck with it and kers is just part of their package, which suffers in other areas because of it. Specifically, they both still suffer from lack of downforce and it showed in sector 2 at Spa where they both got absolutely trounced all weekend.
Secondly, Kimi did not “cheat” by going off the road. He was already in third going into La Source, so he didn’t gain any places directly and when you watch the on-board footage, you can see he had no traction at all. He slithers for half the off-track run he had and only just managed to hang on to third. Where was the advantage in any of that?
In all, both Kimi and Fisi just did an awesome job with their respective equipment. Force India obviously did an amazing job developing that car as well recently. So congratulations to all and let’s hope the rest of the races will be a bit more like this and a bit less like Valencia.
Let’s face it – after his perfect 1st half of the season, Jenson has done just about all he needs to, to secure the championship – he can afford to lose 3 points to Rubens in every forthcoming race…and with seemingly half the grid being potential winners, the points will be continue to be spread out, so no single driver will be dominant and score enough points to overhaul Button (hope i’m wrong because I want the excitement like everyone else).
Anyway, well done Kimi and Fisi…and also a great drive from Vettel and Alonso (until his DNF).
Travelgeek – Button was doing really well in the 1st 7 races (as we all know). Then, he changed his helmet at Silverstone and he has not been in the podium since then. so I (and other people) have decided it is his helmet.
*on
@45 – totally agree re. Kimi: there is no advantage to be had where he went off track ( unless you see going really wide and getting dirty tyres an advantage
!), he was taking avoiding action…just as Button did a couple of seconds later (although he still ended up getting hit elsewhere!). Kimi won. For the fourth time there. Enough said!
Congratulation Giancarlo and Force India……Great to see a new team on the podium…..
Force India is going to take the championship away from Brawn. Wait and see.
Hamilton was unlucky as well as Button ??
Let’s see, who decided to put the extra 45 Kilos of fuel in, and than go out and qualify the bl**dy thing well in the mid-field ?!?
Every F1-noob knows that if you want a clean run from the start, you have to stay away from the amateur midfield. A point which is beautifully proven by Fisichella, who probably would have won if the safety-car had not been deployed…
Theit gamble, their loss.
FFFFFFEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRI IIII!!
finally we won a race this season
gotta give it to Fisichella, he did amazing and was only held back from first by the KERS button, how ever Raikkonen and Ferrari needed a win i think. lucky as it was i am a happy happy happy man
forza Ferrari good luck for Monza.
Did you spot that all champs were out of race Hamilton(title holder), Button(pretender), Alonso. Only Raikonen ended race, but he cheated in first corner he was not on track and overtake Trulli and Haidfeld! White line is there for som
ething!
@54 the race director stated in the driver brief that the run-off area could be used by drivers if required to avoid a crash, he also was 4th going into the corner and at the point he entered the track again he was 4th still, however he got past Kubica before the 4th corner. This despite the run-off area being very low grip and him taking the long way around.
Button also used the run off area and gained position, should he get penalised? Watch the first lap on youtube if you don’t believe it.
Correction, got past Heinfeld, not Kubica
sutil was unlucky if alonso hadn’t hit his wing he would of been up with Fisichella
The BBC should get a better pundit than Eddie Jordan who hates everyone in F1. Vettel should win at Monza
@58: Eddie Jordon makes me cringe with his oozing insincerity on the one hand and his hateful bitter comments on the other.
I’m so tired of watching him gloat every time a team or driver which he has some vague association with in the past does well – he thinks that he has the golden touch.
I’m pleased for Force India/Fisi finishing 2nd BUT i’m so glad that they got beaten by Kimi – that really must have got to EJ, who has been slagging-off Kimi all year. Get rid of the obnoxious little gnome
the rookies do not have enough experience, would not have happened with any of the other drivers in the field, did not happen, the new toro rosso driver is too new, too green, and this proves it
but a shame fisi couldnt get past kimi, still great race, shows that kers is useful
and am getting more and more livid about no refueling next year.
Don’t see anything wrong in Kimi taking the classic Mansell-line through La Source hairpin. No position gained or lost, despite covering some extra distance. Loved his furious first lap!
come on Micheal s get back in f1 and motorbikes:(
Fisi in a Ferrari would have easily seen off Kimi at Spa.
Fisi to win at Monza in red please.
Lewis hamilton, you dopy, why aren’t you winning anymore
In a contest to see who has the least talent, who would win the trophy, Stewart Lee or Luca Badoa?
Stewart Lee of course, the talentless waste of words.
Next year, with KERS banned, Fisi should start winning races. Overall, KERS is just rubbish. It is supposed to promote overtaking, but itdoesn’t! It lessens the overtaking if a KERS car is up front.
I was at Silverstone yesterday watching the Touring Cars, and I just didn’t want F1 to leave, because Silverstone has great access roads, and is a very good track for overtaking. However, Donnington is holding the next British GP, and the access roads are crap. I went to a touring car event thare, and we couldn’t get in! the motorway was jammed up with cars!
While I was walking back to the car, I remembered that Donnington Park has only held 1 GP event, and I thought why wasn’t it held there again?
Additionally, I was browsing the BBC website, and I found that the owner of Donnington Park said that there was a music download event at Donnington Park, and they can cope with 150K people coming threr. But, at a Formula1 race meetein, there are double that amount of people arriving!
Then, I hear that their contract to host the British round of the Formula 1 cricuit to a stupid seventeen years!
Please, Bernie Ecclestone, give Silverstone the British GP!
Force India gained a Podium.
Fisi lost a win.
The restart behind the saftey car was poor. In the end that allowed Kimi past.
I have had a good idea, lets have a kick Stewart Lee in the balls day!
force india is unlucky to have kimi on the track, he has been depriving them of vicories since they started, knocking down sutil in monaco, and in another incident, and now taking away their well earned victory…
it is a great achievement never the less
hard luck lewis
this season was upside down and inside out from the very first second in melbourne with circa 6 different drivers to win a race, but spa anno 2009 with kimi winning and fisico finishing 2nd after hitting the pole on saturday. that outdoes everything so far.
congrats to fisico and the force india crew.
kudos to kimi for beeing capable of overtaking a force india instead of crashing into it though.
@aunty fusker, Stewart Lee is an incredibly funny man, probably not if your cup of tea is Bernard Manning or Jim Davidson though.
I say KERS won, only really because on the back straight after Eau Rouge he just pressed it and overtook/ pulled away whenever he needed to. Oh well, it’s going to be abolished next year anyway, so this situation will no longer arise.
6 different winners in the last 6 races!
The last time that happened in a season was 1985.
(Although you could say the last 5 races of 1999 & the first of 2000)
I am Pedant
Good stuff Force India.
Alot of fools have commented here. . .
Michael
Do you read the news?
Do you agree with Stewart Lee that Richard Hammond should have been decapitated in front of his wife?
If you do, then lets all kick Micheal in the balls as well.
This is what I am on about:
http://www.dailymail.co.u k/tvshowbiz/article-12099 21/What-prompted-comedian s-tirade-old-schoolmate-R ichard-Hammond.html
great finish for fisi and FI, but the results could have been much more better, just think 0.8 seconds. such action packed F1 i’ve missed since the era of schumi and mika.0.8. also people talk about kers playing a part in Kimi’s win , kers did play a role, insignificant to me, the major factor to take kimi to a victory was his talent coming down from 6th grid position. just imagine james may driving a 1500 bhp/tonne F1 car with kers, rocket proplled engine and 1ounce in weight, surly he would not win it, coz F1 is all about having balls larger then your rivals.
I was sooooo hoping that Barrichello wouldn’t make it.
GO RED BULL!
would people stop saying that KERS won kimi the race. the bottom line is that KERS is what knocked Ferrari off the top of the pecking order! while Red bull and the rest were concentrating all their pre season efforts on making sure they had a car with good downforce, ferrari and mclaren were off wasting valuable time and resources on KERS.
in the end, they had a rubbish car with a KERS button that is only starting to give them some reward.
RAIKKONEN HAD THE EXACT SAME START AT SPA LAST YEAR GETTING AHEAD OF MASSA AND HAMILTON WITHOUT KERS!!!!!!!!!
and in the end, he won the 2009 belgian grand prix with like the 7th fastest car!! bit of luck in there but then he is owed it.
Lovers’ Tiff
Kimi sure hates Force India
Who’s read this crap about the F.I.A. trying to strip Alonso of his win in Singapore last year? What’s wrong with the F.I.A.? Why can’t they just let the drivers race? If they strip Alonso of his win; why don’t they just start choosing race winners? This is ridiculous and I think every member of the F.I.A. should be whipped (Max might enjoy it though) and Vatanen made president.
I didnt see that story about what Stewart lee said about Hammind (until i clicked on aunty fusker’s link).
Bullies?! James May couldnt bully!
One thing that no one brought up was Kimi’s swerve to get around Barrichello at the start. Just thinking about it, he would be concentrating so hard on getting a good start, the lights go out, he floors it, only to find the car dead in front of him is stationary. Lightning quick reflexes to swerve around it and keep on the throttle and barrel down the straight.
I hadn’t read that Daily Mail article, I’ve got to see Stewart next month as it happens, I’ll judge his jokes when I see them in person, but Stewart Lee is a natural enemy of the Daily Mail and they are sure to have painted it in the worst light possible cherry picking the routine. The man did a joke about vomiting into the gaping anus of Christ FFS I’m sure anyone who ACTUALLY WATCHED the routine would have a completely different opinion to what the Daily Mail choses to print, they are hardy non partisan.
na u only get penalised if u cut corners and get an advantage but kimi didnt cut the corner he went miles wide
Mikeado, that championship box was from last year you know Hamilton’s glory.
I know Lewis can’t win it this year but who cares, One of the best drivers ever.
Sedaer.. Hamilton has already won this year.
My bad, didin’t notice “it” between words :p
Kimi won becaouse of KERS and of option tyres he had at the restart after SC
Kimi won because none of today´s F1 drivers, except possibly Lewis, possibly in the rain, possibly not this year anyway, since Ferrari has developed their cars behaviour in the wet, can match his pace at Spa. It´s actually very simple.
button is going good to bad to badder his team mate is going to win the worldchampioship ferrari are going rubbish kimi rubbish massa rubbish luke baoder is rubbish mclearn is great fanstatic team
ficshella going to ferrari who going into force india lewis hamilton is the best driver out there speciacly with the KERS can’t wait till the last race in the dark ciao people can’t wait till next race can’t wait till top gear come back on ciao people xxx my msn addy if you want to talk to me or another thing it’s jsd97@hotmail.co.uk bye xxxxx
It amazes me how many people (including Mr.Hibbard) are all raving about Force India as if they won the race – I mean, they did brilliantly but they came 2ND – but hardly mention the actual winner: “Oh,so Kimi won..but it was really all down to the KERS.Fisi was faster blah blah blah..”.Yes,maybe but he came..2ND!!lol
Yes,KERS helped Kimi stay in front but there’s a little more to it than that – Spa is very fast track with places to overtake if you are fast and daring enough, it’s not like Monaco where’s it’s virtually impossible to overtake.KERS has it’s disadvantages too, otherwise all the other teams would be using it.Also,KERS aside,Fisi had the fastest car over the whole track and a better handling car.
The fact is, Kimi wasn’t in the best car and he still WON it..for the 4th time – surely that deserves a bit more of a mention instead of a begrudging 1 or 2 sentence mention?!Kimi beat everyone fair and square.
how did grojsean crash into button?