Belgian GP's Hero's and Zero's

[Andy B]

Hero's

Hamilton - nearly a faultless race.
Webber - A good recovery from a bad start although assisted by Vettel.
Kubica - for driving a solid race.
The Weather for once again spicing things up.


Zero's

Vettel for still driving like he is in Formula Ford.
Barrichello - for failing to be 300 GP class driver.
The Stewards - for the lenient punishment of Vettel and so lacking consistency.

[cosworth151]

Heroes: (Two that I seldom have here)

Alonso - He recovered well from a very hard hit from Barrichello

Schumacher - Good run from deep in the field.

Also, Kubica - Another good, solid race.

Zeroes:

Vettel - For thinking he was in NASCAR

And I hate to say this, but, my man Mark: What was up with that start?

I'll withhold judgement on the stewards until I see if they take any post-race actions against Vettel.

[Jericoke]

Hero's

Hamilton - nearly a faultless race.
Webber - A good recovery from a bad start although assisted by Vettel.
Kubica - for driving a solid race.
The Weather for once again spicing things up.


Zero's

Vettel for still driving like he is in Formula Ford.
Barrichello - for failing to be 300 GP class driver.
The Stewards - for the lenient punishment of Vettel and so lacking consistency.

I certainly agree with your heroes.

Throw in Kubica's pit crew for making sure he only lost one place after running a few of his boys over!

From what I saw, Vettel's mistake was more that of an overzealous rookie... so yes to driving like he's in Formula Ford, but I don't think the stewards need to look any closer.  We don't want to legislate risky moves out of the sport.  He hit a puddle during a pass and crashed.

I'd also add the race director as a 'zero'.  Watching Liuzzi battle for 11th in the closing stages might have been more interesting than watching Hamilton lead Webber by 1.5 seconds... but 6 through 10 were pretty close, surely there was something to watch there.

[Scott]

Heroes:

Hamilton - good race, no mistakes.  Deserved win.

Webber - same thing, deserved 2nd, even if he was gifted a couple of spots by his teammate.

Kubica - I had him pegged for around 6th figuring that this late in the season the Renault had no right to be up there with the big boys, but he showed he could put it up there where it didn't belong.

Stewards - The speed of their decision-making was unprecedented this race.  I don't think Vettel's penalty was too much for a couple of reasons (unlike Schumi's move on Rubens):  For one, it was unintentional.  Secondly the incident itself already cost him a top 5 finish, and the drive-through turned his race into a testing session (i.e. no points possible).  Karma came in to play as well as he cut his tire running over Liuzzi and put him in the teens.

Honourable mention to Alonso and Schumi, even if they both screwed up my picks.

Zeroes:

Vettel for showing how to lose a championship that should be his (it's the sequel to Button's failed attempt at losing a championship last year).

Rubens for showing that even after 300 races, his brain doesn't work in traffic.

[Andy B]

From what I saw, Vettel's mistake was more that of an overzealous rookie... so yes to driving like he's in Formula Ford, but I don't think the stewards need to look any closer.  We don't want to legislate risky moves out of the sport.  He hit a puddle during a pass and crashed.

Was that the same puddle Jenson had just gone over without a problem Jeri?

[Williamsfan]

Heroes:

Hamilton- A very mature drive, he is becoming much more consistent and a better driver.

Webber- A shocking start but he did very well to make his way back up through the field and showed a very calm head.

Kubica- I agree with the commentary remarks that he is becoming one of the best out there.  Has that aura to raise a team beyond where it should be.

Force India- For another great race at Spa!

Zeros:

Vettel- Looking more of a rookie than he did in his rookie seasons!  He needs to calm down a lot.

Rubens- I think he was over excited and misjudged the track, disappointing though for Williams.

[Ian]

A BIG zero..........ME for once again forgetting the 1am deadline for grid changes 

[lkjohnson1950]

Hamilton drove a very good race, but he wasn't faultless. He very nearly crashed at Les Coombes during the final rainfall after failing to pit for inters when the rain first began to fall. I don't think you can blame Rubens for his crash, he lost it the exact same way almost everyone in front of him did, Alonso just happened to be in the way. As for Vettel, whether he hit a bump, or a wet spot, he was caught out by conditions. If he had made it we would all be saying what a brilliant pass he made. I cannot blame him for trying and I don't think he deserved a penalty. I think Petrov deserves a nod for a great run up through field from the last row into the points, showing the Renault continues to improve along with Petrov himself.

Lonny

[Canada Darrell™]

Heroes:

- Hammy for keeping from getting bogged into the trap

- Webber for not losing his cool

- Ferrari for designing some kinda indestructible rear-end!

- Schumacher for the race he needed after Hungary

- F1 for finally not looking like asses steward-wise

- 1/2 marks to Kubica for 3rd...see below

Zeros:

- Vettel...no sh*t. Dude, ya can't jerk that wheel in the rain like you're 13 all over again looking at pictures of Herr Schumacher hanging on your bedroom wall!

- The race director. What a total doofus. Said it before and I'll say it again..I could do a better job than most.

- Sorry, but I need to include Kubica for over-shooting his pit area. Nobody else did Kubica so stop making excuses and just say it was a mistake plain and simple.

- Rubens for reminding me why I never missed the "other" Schumacher.

[Andy B]

Just to emphisise the point that the ramming of Button by Vettel was bad driving alone and conditions had nothing to do with it Jenson has said that the circuit at that point was completely dry.
I thought Vettel was going to be good but he has to grow up this is happening all too often.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8953498.stm

[Jericoke]

Just to emphisise the point that the ramming of Button by Vettel was bad driving alone and conditions had nothing to do with it Jenson has said that the circuit at that point was completely dry.
I thought Vettel was going to be good but he has to grow up this is happening all too often.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8953498.stm

Jenson was on the racing line, which is always the last part of the track to degrade.

Vettel was off the racing line, trying to pass, which will get wet quicker.  Button can't speak to the track where Vettel was driving.  (I guess it wasn't wet though, but a bump in the surface... again, off the racing line, Vettel and Button probably never drove that spot.)

I'm not saying that Vettel's move was well planned, just saying that to me it seemed within the normal amount of risktaking for an F1 driver.  There is no way anyone could anticipate an F1 car spinning that fast.  When was the last time you saw a T-Bone crash while passing on a straight?

[John S]

Heros;- All mine are the drivers who made it through from the back of the grid.

Petrov, starting on the last row he did a superb job of picking his way up the points, a better drive in my opinion than his team leader. 

Schumi, a great run through the field from 21st, I know he was helped by others getting tangled up with each other but still a good run.

Kobayashi, without to many of his usual erratic Vettel type lunges he managed to get that Sauber in the points from 17th. Kamui did some genuine overtaking in the race, he's a star in the making!

Brawn for getting the strategy spot on of running the cars right until the rain forced the tyre changes.

Zeros:-

Alonso for setting his car up for the wet, so costing him grid position, but then not being able to keep it on track in the wet.

Kubica for chucking away a hard fought for 2nd by overshooting his pit box, that's more of a rookie error than Seb's shunt on Jens.

Hulkenberg, his car was good enough to be in the mix for points - so where was he? 

[lkjohnson1950]

Nico was in the mix, running in the points until he made a mistake, hit a wet spot or whatever and spun.

Lonny

[Williamsfan]

These are Williams' race notes take on Hulkenberg:

Sam Michael, Technical Director: Today was not a good day with Rubens out on the first lap and Nico had a control system problem that compromised the driveability and caused the engine to cut in his pitstop. So looking forward, our pace is improving and we will perform better in the forthcoming races.

[stealthhaggis]

These are Williams' race notes take on Hulkenberg:

Sam Michael, Technical Director: Today was not a good day with Rubens out on the first lap and Nico had a control system problem that compromised the driveability and caused the engine to cut in his pitstop. So looking forward, our pace is improving and we will perform better in the forthcoming races.

Nothing defensive at all about that WF!! Yeah John S, back off WF's boy!