F1 Spa Quali

After the 3 week holiday break it is time to go back to the hustle and bustle of the F1 circus.

Before going into the quali session I would like to send a special welcome to Dick Bennets from West Surrey Racing and his partner and my great friend Teri Dickens who have gone to Spa this weekend for a break away from BTCC. West Surrey run Rob Collard and Andy Neate in the BTCC having won the champiosnhip last year in the hands of Colin Turkingon.

WSR are running Colin and a BMW this year in certain rounds of the World Touring Car Championship and I wish Colin all success along iwth the whole West Surrey Racing Team for the rest of this season and many more to come.

Back to F1 and this weekends race at the fantastic Spa Francochamps circuit in the Ardenne Forest where the weather can play a huge part in the outcome of the race going in and out of the forest. The first news is the ten place grid drop penalty to Michael for his very dangerous move to try and stop Rubens passing him in Hungary.

Who will beat the Red Bull's for the rest of the season as up to now it has only been mechanical gremlins that have kept the championship alive. Lewis suggests the weekend will be damage limitation for Mclaren but Ferrari seem to be making huge moves towards the front.

The 4.3 mile circuit is certainly a challenge as the circuit can be dry at one side of the circuit and wet on the other making life very difficult race. Mark is of course leading the championship but it is very close at the sharp end and the likes of Mclaren and Ferrari need to take points away from Red Bull or Red Bull will go away.

So into Quali one and all cars were ready to go at the Green light to try and get a banker lap in before the weather closed in. The sky looked very overcast and the clouds are closing in all the while. The weather affected things almost immediately as Vitaly lost it at the top of the circuit and the session was Black flagged whilst they recovered his car.

The teams lost time obviously in the Red flag period and then all cars piled into the pit lane ready to go as the weather could drastically affect the outcome of Q1. All teams went out on slicks but then the rain came down in Rivage and the drivers must have been driving on the very edge of adhesion.

As there were so many cars out at the same time there was real drama whilst Lewis and Jenson set the initial pace. The rain still came down in buckets at the top end of the circuit and times were all over the place. Nigel Mansell is the driver on the steward panel for this race and for certain he will have a busy weekend.

The circuit changed from wet to dry and back again mixing up the grid as both Sauber's went out at the top of the circuit. The White lines at the edge of the track are critical as plumes of water come off them as they put their tyres across them.

The winners out of the changeable conditions Heikki and Timo as we lost Jarno, Kamui, Bruno, Sakun, Pedro, Lucas and Vitaly who went out on lap one as the teams move into Q2. Through the top fifteen the Q1 times were really irrelevant and into Q2 all were out on slicks.

Lewis seems to be much faster than Jenson as Lewis slotted in a 1.46 and the frist driver to do it. He was followed by Sebastian, Robert, Jenson and Fernando and Mark seems to be struggling and under pressure.

After Q2 we lost Michael and with his ten place grid drop he will start on twenty first followed by Nico R, Jaime, Vitantonio, Sebastien B, Heikki and Timo. The track is now dry again as we get ready for Q1 and the pole shoot out.

Lewis looks masterful which wasn't expected and the Red Bull's are the one's really not doing what was expected. Out they went immediately into Q1 as the lights went Green and the pole shoot out started in earnest. Rain is still a threat and all drivers wanted to ensure they get the times in before the risk of the wet stuff.

With only ten minutes in Q1 everything is critical and Lewis was first out of the box and lighting things up albeit a little wild. Watching Lewis through Au Rouge on full chat without the slightest thought of lifting lifts the hair on the back of your neck. Mark came to the front with seven minutes to go and the gladiators are locked in combat. Robert and his Renault are well in the mix and running second at one point.

Both Rubens and Nico H were also running well in the Williams and it is wonderful to see both cars in the top ten. At the flag Mark took pole followed by Lewis who through in a mighty lap at the end, Robert took third followed Sebastian, Jenson, Felipe, Rubens, Adrian, Nico H and a miserable tenth for Fernando.

As usual Spa mixed things up and a very exciting quali session. I feel sure we have a great race in prospect tomorrow and I personally cannot wait.