The Official Formula One Fantasy League

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The United States Grand Preview

Coming so soon after the Canadian round, this weekend’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has given the teams precious little time in which to regroup. It is safe to say that it will again be a fight between McLaren and Ferrari, possibly with BMW Sauber once again getting in on the act.

Lewis Hamilton is highly motivated after scoring his maiden victory in Montreal, and opening up an eight-point lead in the drivers’ championship, and says: “I come to Indy with great confidence. We have to try and continue with the performance that we have, and I have no doubt we can do that.â€

Though he has never raced on the Formula One circuit here before, he has some knowledge of it. “I actually haven’t run it on the simulator,†he said, referring to McLaren’s sophisticated driving aid back at Technical Centre in Woking, “but I’ve seen it on computer games. I don’t really know what to expect. I’ve watched the previous races and onboard footage and looked at data. But I’ll be going there with an open mind and having to do the same sort of job as I did in Canada.â€

Team mate Fernando Alonso is keen to reverse the result here, after his disappointing run last week. “Canada was a tough and frustrating race for me, but at least I left Montreal with some points and am in a strong second position in the championship, which is not won or lost in one race. I am in a good situation in the table, the car is great, it is definitely capable of winning races, and I am looking forward to getting back out on track in America and hopefully having no safety cars. I have not had very good results in this race in the previous years; it was better last year than in 2005, so I am hoping it will improve again this year.â€

Ferrari are also desperate to reverse current trends, after two recent defeats. “I would really like to win in Indianapolis,†says Kimi Raikkonen. “The last three races have not been what I expected. We will do our best to get back to the level of the first three. I really want to win, because that would help us a lot. It’s difficult to say what we expect from IMS. I enjoy the circuit, and it has always been a good circuit for Ferrari. There is a very long straight, where you need to have a good speed, but at the same moment the infield section is very tight and there are some corners you have to take with the lowest gears. Fortunately, you are able to overtake at the end of the straight.â€

Nick Heidfeld, meanwhile, hopes BMW can repeat their Canadian result. “First of all, I’m stunned about how quick we were in race conditions there,†he said. “I think I could have finished second anyway, beaten probably one of the McLarens and both of the Ferraris.

“The downforce level in Indy is similar to Canada, probably a bit more - obviously there are a lot more corners. But Indianapolis is one of the circuits where I’ve always done well. Apart from last year, when I was flying a bit! I hope I will have better luck this year.â€

BMW hope that Robert Kubica will be allowed to race when he is examined today by FIA medical delegate Dr Gary Hartstein, following his violent accident in Montreal. Kubica spent last Sunday night in the Hospital du Sacre Coeur in Montreal where he underwent intensive CT scans and other checks. He was released Monday, and drove himself from the hospital.

“I have no pain and feel well,†he said. “I want to thank everyone for the medical attention I received and for all the good wishes. Mario Theissen and other team members came to visit me, and also thanks to Jarno Trulli who came, as well. I am happy that I have been able to leave the hospital so quickly and will now prepare for the race in Indianapolis.â€

The chassis set-up requirements for Montreal and Indianapolis are similar, but there are some key differences. At the former drivers had the choice between Bridgestone’s super-soft and soft compound tyres. Here the choice is between the soft and medium compounds. That will entail some set-up changes as the grip levels will differ, while the temperature and friction level is higher than in Montreal. The kerbs are different, too, so teams will make changes to factors such as traction control and the differential to cater for this. “The details count, and even if it is a similar set-up, it’s a completely different story,†says Williams driver Alex Wurz.

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2007 United States Grand Prix

Pos No Driver Team Time

1 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:12.331

2 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 1:12.500

3 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:12.703

4 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:12.839

5 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:12.847

6 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 1:13.308

7 10 Sebastian Vettel BMW 1:13.513

8 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:13.789

9 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:13.871

10 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:13.953

11 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:12.873

12 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota1:12.920

13 7 Jenson Button Honda 1:12.998

14 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:13.060

15 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:13.201

16 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:13.259

17 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 1:13.441

18 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:13.477

19 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 1:13.484

20 19 Scott Speed STR-Ferrari 1:13.712

21 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 1:14.122

22 21 Christijan Albers Spyker-Ferrari 1:14.597

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United States Grand Prix (result*)

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points

1 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 73 Winner 1 10

2 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 73 +1.5 secs 2 8

3 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 73 +12.8 secs 3 6

4 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 73 +15.4 secs 4 5

5 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 73 +41.4 secs 6 4

6 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 73 +66.7 secs 8 3

7 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 73 +67.3 secs 9 2

8 10 Sebastian Vettel BMW 73 +67.7 secs 7 1

9 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 72 +1 Lap 10

10 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 72 +1 Lap 17

11 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 72 +1 Lap 16

12 7 Jenson Button Honda 72 +1 Lap 13

13 19 Scott Speed STR-Ferrari 71 +2 Lap 20

14 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 71 +2 Lap 21

15 21 Christijan Albers Spyker-Ferrari 70 +3 Lap 22

16 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 68 +5 Lap 14

17 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 68 +5 Lap 19

Ret 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 55 +18 Lap 5

Ret 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 13 +60 Laps 16

Ret 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 0 +73 Laps 11

Ret 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 0 +73 Laps 15

Ret 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 0 Accident 12

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French Grand Preview

Can McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton keep his world championship aspirations rolling with a third consecutive victory, in what may be the last French Grand Prix for at least a couple of years?

Or will his team mate Fernando Alonso make good on his promise to start winning as the title campaign moves to the first of four tracks he claims as his favourite hunting grounds? Or will Ferrari get back on a par with McLaren as the series moves back to Europe?

There is no shortage of key questions as the championship approaches its mid-point and a spate of three races in four weeks.

Testing at Silverstone last week indicated that Ferrari and Toyota were fully on song, while McLaren described the test as ‘the most intensive’ of their season. Testing results are not always reflected at races, however, and it is likely that the fight in France will be between McLaren and Ferrari as usual, with BMW Sauber close at hand and Renault desperate to do well on their home turf.

“The French round of the GP2 championship last year was not my best weekend,†Hamilton admits. “I had a coming together in the first race and therefore started race two in 19th. I did make my way up through the field to fifth to score some points, so it is possible to overtake here.â€

Meanwhile, Alonso says: “I have always liked racing at this track, when you hear people talk about circuits that are technical, Magny-Cours is definitely one of them. It is important to have good speed in the slow corners as they tend to lead on to long straights. You have to have good mechanical set-up for the corners and the same with traction for the exits. My favourite sections of the track are the two high-speed chicanes at the back of the circuit. We go through them at speeds of up to 200 km/h, which is very fast for a chicane; very special to drive through and unique in Formula One.â€

Over at Ferrari, Chairman Luca di Montezemolo has made subtle hints to Kimi Raikkonen that he expects him to be the man others fear, while Felipe Massa is his usual bubbly self. “I’m not sure what to expect at Magny-Cours, to be honest,†the Brazilian said, “but we will be pushing hard, if not for the win, then certainly to score good points again.â€

BMW Sauber and Renault are now fully engaged in battle for third place overall, and both will bring aerodynamic improvements to France. Renault believe they are making strong progress, and that they are now on a par with their immediate rival.

Elsewhere, Honda signed off on some new mechanical and aero parts during their recent test in Jerez and hope for a ‘small improvement’ here. Toro Rosso will finally have the new seamless transmission already used by Red Bull Racing, and it showed well in last week’s test at Silverstone. “It is worth up to four-tenths of a second a lap, so we are very keen to see how it goes in qualifying,†Tonio Liuzzi says. And Spyker hope to have a significant aero revision ready for both cars.

Magny-Cours has a very smooth surface and places a heavy premium on aerodynamic performance with its mix of very high-speed corners, fast chicanes and frequent sharp changes of direction. It also requires good brake performance and stability going into the chicane, and can be hard on tyres because the track temperature is often high. Bridgestone will be bringing its medium and soft compounds, and making the latter last each race stint will require a good chassis set-up. In general, the rear tyres take a beating accelerating out of the slower turns, while the fronts work hard during the directional changes.

Overall, given the general similarity between Monaco and Magny-Cours - both are medium to high downforce tracks with some tight corners - it will be fascinating to see if McLaren have it all their own way this weekend, or whether Ferrari can fight back.

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Drivers participated in a qualifying session earlier this afternoon.

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps

1 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:15.303 1:14.822 1:15.034

2 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:14.805 1:14.795 1:15.104

3 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:14.872 1:14.828 1:15.257

4 10 Robert Kubica BMW 1:15.778 1:15.066 1:15.493

5 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:16.047 1:15.227 1:15.674

6 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 1:15.524 1:15.272 1:15.826

7 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:15.783 1:15.149 1:15.900

8 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:16.118 1:15.379 1:15.935

9 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:16.092 1:15.331 1:16.328

10 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.322 1:15.084

11 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:15.760 1:15.534

12 7 Jenson Button Honda 1:16.113 1:15.584

13 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:16.140 1:15.761

14 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:15.746 1:15.806

15 19 Scott Speed STR-Ferrari 1:15.980 1:16.049

16 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:15.915

17 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 1:16.142

18 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 1:16.241

19 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:16.244

20 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:16.366

21 21 Christijan Albers Spyker-Ferrari 1:17.826

22 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 1:17.915

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French Grand Prix Result

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari Winner

2 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari +2.4 secs

3 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes +32.1 secs

4 10 Robert Kubica BMW +41.7 secs

5 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW +48.8 secs

6 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault +52.2 secs

7 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes +56.5 secs

8 7 Jenson Button Honda +58.8 secs

9 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota +68.5 secs

10 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota +1 Lap

11 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda +1 Lap

12 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault +1 Lap

13 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault +1 Lap

14 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota +1 Lap

15 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault +1 Lap

16 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda +2 Lap

17 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari +2 Lap

Ret 19 Scott Speed STR-Ferrari +15 Lap

Ret 21 Christijan Albers Spyker-Ferrari +42 Laps

Ret 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda +69 Laps

Ret 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota +69 Laps

Ret 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari + secs

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British Grand Preview

cLaren's Lewis Hamilton firmly believes that he can win this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone - the first time he will ever race a Formula One car in front of his fellow countrymen.

That is despite Ferrari’s speed here in recent testing and sudden return to form in Magny-Cours - and in spite of all the scandal that has blown up following allegations that a senior McLaren engineer received stolen intellectual property from Ferrari and the ensuing suspension of that engineer.

Both of these factors will add to any pressure Hamilton feels racing at home, but he is convinced that he can join a long list of Britons who have won the British Grand Prix: Sir Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks, Peter Collins, Jim Clark, David Coulthard, Sir Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, John Watson, Damon Hill, Johnny Herbert.

“You can’t win every race, and the most important thing is to be consistent, which I think we are,†he said after finishing third at Magny-Cours. “Both the Ferrari drivers said they made a good step forward, but when you are behind people, as we were in Magny-Cours, it’s a lot harder to show your true pace. I don’t think they were as quick, as much faster than us, as it looked today. Traffic and strategy had a lot to do with that, so I still think we can bounce back at Silverstone, without a doubt.

“I don’t think Ferrari’s sudden speed is worrying. It just shows they’ve made a great step forward and had a slightly better strategy than us. We were always on a three-stop strategy but what happened at the start affected that. After I had made my third pit stop I was a long way behind Felipe so there was no point in me wrenching the neck out of the engine trying to catch him. Throughout the race we were quite consistent on speed, but we need a little more. I am sure that we will make another improvement before Silverstone.

“To be honest, in France I was not disappointed. I don’t like to be overtaken, but that’s the same for everyone. But I was on the podium again and we are the most consistent team and I think we are doing a better job. I have extended my lead in the World Championship, so I couldn’t be happier.

“It is a great feeling to go to Silverstone as the World Championship leader. To do so certainly seemed unimaginable at the start of the season. I’m very, very happy with the job I’ve done and the team have done and I go into my first British GP with the team I always wanted to drive for, and that’s one of the greatest feelings a driver can have.â€

After scoring his (and Honda’s) first point of the season, Jenson Button is also feeling a little more upbeat ahead of his home race. “Silverstone will be fun because I have a lot of friends and family coming and the fans treat you the same way even when things are tough. The fans at Silverstone have always been fantastic and there are four Brits to cheer on, so the lead-up will be hectic.â€

David Coulthard and Anthony Davidson (in his first British Grand Prix) are both seeking points finishes for Red Bull and Super Aguri respectively, while BMW Sauber and Renault will re-engage their battle for third place overall as Williams look to do well on home ground, Toyota hope to reproduce the speed Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher displaced in the test here in June, and Toro Rosso hope their seamless shift gearbox will translate into Red Bull-matching lap times. With their factory just over the road from the circuit, Spyker would also like to take something good home from this one.

On paper, however, Ferrari are looking very strong. “We are back where we expect to be. You could feel the improvement in the car everywhere, really. In every corner,†Raikkonen said after his second win of the season, which brought the score to two apiece for the four leading contenders.

One thing that may well bring in a degree of uncertainty to the overall equation is the weather, with rain forecast for each day.

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2007 FORMULA 1â„¢ Santander British Grand Prix

1 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.885 1:19.400 1:19.997

2 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:19.753 1:19.252 1:20.099

3 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.330 1:19.152 1:20.147

4 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:19.790 1:19.421 1:20.265

5 10 Robert Kubica BMW 1:20.294 1:20.054 1:20.401

6 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:20.513 1:19.860 1:20.516

7 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 1:20.570 1:20.077 1:20.721

8 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:20.842 1:20.042 1:20.775

9 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:20.534 1:20.178 1:20.894

10 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:21.150 1:20.133 1:21.240

11 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:20.583 1:20.235

12 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:21.154 1:20.329

13 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 1:20.830 1:20.350

14 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:21.169 1:20.364

15 19 Scott Speed STR-Ferrari 1:20.834 1:20.515

16 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 1:21.160 1:20.823

17 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:21.219

18 7 Jenson Button Honda 1:21.335

19 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:21.448

20 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 1:22.019

21 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:22.045

22 21 Christijan Albers Spyker-Ferrari 1:22.589

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British Grand Prix Result:

os No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 59 Winner 2 10

2 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 59 +2.4 secs 3 8

3 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 59 +39.3 secs 1 6

4 10 Robert Kubica BMW 59 +53.3 secs 5 5

5 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 59 +54.0 secs 4 4

6 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 59 +56.3 secs 9 3

7 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 58 +1 Lap 7 2

8 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 58 +1 Lap 8 1

9 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 58 +1 Lap 14

10 7 Jenson Button Honda 58 +1 Lap 18

11 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 58 +1 Lap 12

12 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 58 +1 Lap 17

13 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 58 +1 Lap 13

14 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 57 +2 Laps 21

15 21 Christijan Albers Spyker-Ferrari 57 +2 Laps 22

16 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 53 +6 Laps 16

Ret 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 43 +16 Laps 10

Ret 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 35 +24 Laps 19

Ret 19 Scott Speed STR-Ferrari 29 +30 Laps 15

Ret 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 22 +37 Laps 6

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 16 +43 Laps 20

Ret 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 8 +51 Laps 11

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The European Grand Preview

Following two excellent victories, Kimi Raikkonen and Ferrari start as clear favourites for this weekend’s European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

Since Silverstone, Ferrari have tested strongly at Spa-Francorchamps and come to Germany with their tail up and on the hunt for more points to reduce the gap to McLaren. The latter, however, believe that they made improvements to their MP4-22 at Spa, where Lewis Hamilton was fastest on the only day that he ran.

“Despite having a mixed weekend at Silverstone, we still came away from the track with a good haul of points and I am now really looking forward to getting back to the Nurburgring,†Hamilton said. “I had a great weekend there last year, taking my first double win of the year, and I enjoy driving the track. In 2005, I also won one race there in F3; my team ASM was powered by Mercedes-Benz, and as a result the support from the crowd was fantastic.

“It will be great to race in front of them again, this time in the McLaren. I am sure the grandstands are going to be packed. The track has a very mixed layout, probably with more slow corners than anything else, so you need good traction for the acceleration on the exit. Through the first sector of the track you can really make up time, the corners are very slow so with good balance and under braking you can find the time.â€

The new Nurburgring is a relatively high downforce track, and there is plenty of grip from the surface itself. As a result, Bridgestone are bringing medium and soft compound tyres for the weekend.

Besides being their home race, Mercedes-Benz also have another reason to celebrate here, as it is the 80th anniversary of their first win at Nurburgring.

Considerations of racing at home also make this an important weekend for both BMW Sauber, fighting hard with Renault to stay clear in third place overall in the constructors’ world championship, and Toyota, who are based in Cologne.

It is also going to be crucial to the career of young German Markus Winkelhock, who will be bringing a famous name back to Formula One racing this weekend as he joins fellow countryman Adrian Sutil at Spyker. The son of former Formula One and sportscar racer, the late Manfred, Winkelhock replaces the departed Christijan Albers in the team.

“Obviously it's a dream come true,†the 27-year-old from Stuttgart said. “I haven't had much time in the car this year but I'm physically and mentally prepared. It's a one-off opportunity at the moment and I will make the most of it.â€

Team principal Colin Kolles said: “I am pleased to be able to reward Markus for his patience and loyalty to the team over the last 18 months with his F1 debut at the Nurburgring. It's very much a one-off race at the moment as we need some more time to decide who will be Adrian's partner for the rest of the year.â€

Though the race is taking place two months later than usual, it is unlikely that it will experience better weather than is the norm in May; the weather forecast suggests there will be showers in the region each day.

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2007 FORMULA 1â„¢ Grand Prix of Europe

1 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:31.522 1:31.237 1:31.450

2 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 1:31.074 1:30.983 1:31.741

3 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:31.447 1:30.912 1:31.778

4 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:31.889 1:31.652 1:31.840

5 10 Robert Kubica BMW 1:31.961 1:31.444 1:32.123

6 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:32.629 1:31.661 1:32.476

7 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 1:32.594 1:31.783 1:32.478

8 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:32.381 1:31.859 1:32.501

9 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:32.446 1:31.843 1:32.570

10 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:31.587 1:31.185 1:33.833

11 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:32.117 1:31.978

12 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 1:32.173 1:31.996

13 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:32.378 1:32.010

14 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:32.674 1:32.221

15 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:32.793 1:32.451

16 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:32.678 1:32.838

17 7 Jenson Button Honda 1:32.983

18 19 Scott Speed STR-Ferrari 1:33.038

19 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 1:33.148

20 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:33.151

21 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 1:34.500

22 21 Markus Winkelhock Spyker-Ferrari 1:35.940

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European Grand Prix Result

1 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 60 2:06:26.358 2 10

2 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 60 +8.1 secs 3 8

3 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 60 +65.6 secs 6 6

4 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 60 +65.9 secs 12 5

5 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 60 +73.6 secs 20 4

6 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 60 +80.2 secs 4 3

7 10 Robert Kubica BMW 60 +82.4 secs 5 2

8 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 59 +1 Lap 7 1

9 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 59 +1 Lap 10

10 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 59 +1 Lap 13

11 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 59 +1 Lap 14

12 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 59 +1 Lap 15

13 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 59 +1 Lap 8

Ret 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 34 Hydraulics 1

Ret 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 19 Hydraulics 16

Ret 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 18 Accident 9

Ret 21 Markus Winkelhock Spyker-Ferrari 13 Hydraulics 22

Ret 7 Jenson Button Honda 2 Spin 17

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 2 Spin 21

Ret 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 2 Spin 11

Ret 19 Scott Speed STR-Ferrari 2 Spin 18

Ret 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 2 Spin 19

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New driver for Sergio

So your drivers are:

DANDANNIELDANOK - Toro Rosso (Driver 1) Driver still to be announced

BIGNEVILLE - Adrian Sutil

Joe. - Toro Rosso (Driver 2) Driver still to be announced

WALKERS - Heikki Kovaleinen

SERGIO - Christijan Albers Sakon Yamamoto

CALLGLOMBARDDIRECT - Alex Wurz

TURTLES-HEAD - Felipe Massa

CITY_4_LIFE - Mark Webber

FLYNNY - David Coulthard

ISLE OF WIGHT FOX - Anthony Davidson

POTTER3 - Lewis Hamilton

TOMMEH - Fernando Alonso

STANDUPANDSING - Giancarlo Fisichella

MANWELL_PABLO - Rubens Barrichello

BRUMMIE-FOX - Jenson Button

SPARKY - Robert Kubica

ISAIDNO - Jarno Trulli

JOEB - Ralf Schumacher

MAT_J101 - Nico Rosberg

BERT - Takuma Sato

LILDAVE3 - Nick Heidfeld

MAYBES - Kimi Raikkonen

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The Hungarian Grand Preview

Don’t expect a happy atmosphere between Ferrari and McLaren in Hungary this weekend as the two top teams go head-to-head again on the track after doing so recently in official hearings.

As Formula One racing returns to a high-downforce circuit, McLaren are hoping that they will be able to enjoy the performance advantage they had in Monaco; Ferrari, however, believe they have made significant improvements to their F2007 since then.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is confident that he can defend his world championship lead this weekend. “We had a productive test in Jerez,†he reported. “I was there for a day and spent the time focusing on set-up and development work for Hungary, in the hot and dusty conditions. Following a mistake on my out lap in qualifying, I started at the back of the grid in GP2 here last year.

“It was not a great start to the weekend, but I managed to work my way back up through the field, which was a good learning experience of the track - how to drive it and where it is possible to pass, which is notoriously difficult. I quite like the circuit; it is quite quick considering how tight it is. You have gradient changes, some high and low speed corners and a good chicane up the back. There is one bump right at the back, which is so easy to catch you out, that is what happened to me in qualifying last year.

“We have as good a chance as anyone at the race. We have a great car and it is important that I go with a clear mind and the same approach as normal, but there is no reason why we can’t go there and win.â€

Since there is really only one overtaking place at the Hungaroring - the entry to the first corner - qualifying is always very important here, even at the expense of ideal race strategy, so expect even more of a shoot-out in all three sessions. Ferrari and McLaren will vie for the first two rows barring problems, with BMW Sauber again challenged by Renault and, on recent form, possibly Toyota and Williams, for row three.

Renault in particular are still smarting after some self-confessed mistakes early in the race at Nurburgring, which they feel cost them strong points finishes, and further work at Jerez is believed to have honed the car around the new front wing with which they were very pleased in Germany.

Red Bull have their tail up after strong performances from Mark Webber and David Coulthard at the European race, so it will be very tough in the midfield. Over at Honda, Jenson Button’s best chance of repeating his 2006 breakthrough victory is if race conditions are affected by the weather.

Among the smaller teams, BMW Sauber have released their reserve and test driver Sebastian Vettel, and he now replaces Toro Rosso’s Scott Speed alongside Tonio Liuzzi. Vettel is contracted in the long-term to Red Bull. BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen said: “As our test and reserve driver, Sebastian has carried out sterling work for us. When he stood in for Robert Kubica in the US Grand Prix he made history by becoming the youngest debutant to earn a world championship point. However, the current testing rules mean that he barely gets a chance to drive for us. Now he has been offered the opportunity to get inside a Toro Rosso cockpit. We have sponsored and coached Sebastian over a number of years. To place obstacles in his career path now would go against our concept of talent promotion.â€

Meanwhile, at Spyker, Markus Winkelhock’s tenure of Christijan Albers’s old seat is over as former Jordan and Super Aguri driver Sakon Yamamoto will be back in harness.

Team principal Colin Kolles said: “Sakon is a very good all-round package. We were very clear that the driver we chose needed to bring a certain financial benefit, but needed to have good, relevant experience too. Sakon has both covered. He has driven on all of the circuits we are going to in the second half of the season, except for Spa, which will be an advantage to the team as we move forward.â€

Besides the fact that overtaking is so difficult, the Hungaroring poses other problems for the teams. The track is usually very ‘green’ on Friday, and won’t really have rubbered-in fully until Saturday afternoon. Thus, they will have to be very precise with their set-ups to avoid graining problems with Bridgestone’s softer tyre in the low-grip conditions. The Japanese company will be bringing the same soft and super-soft compounds that were used in Monaco and Canada.

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Drivers participated in a qualifying session earlier this afternoon.

1 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 1:20.425 1:19.661 1:19.674 17

2 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.570 1:19.301 1:19.781 17

3 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:20.751 1:20.322 1:20.259 22

4 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:20.435 1:20.107 1:20.410 19

5 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:20.547 1:20.188 1:20.632 22

6 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:20.449 1:20.455 1:20.714 24

7 10 Robert Kubica BMW 1:20.366 1:20.703 1:20.876 23

8 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:21.645 1:20.590 1:21.079 25

9 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:20.481 1:19.951 1:21.206 20

10 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:20.794 1:20.439 1:21.256 22

11 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:21.291 1:20.718 12

12 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 1:20.285 1:20.779 12

13 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 1:21.243 1:20.865 18

14 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:20.408 1:21.021 9

15 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:21.018 1:21.127 12

16 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 1:21.730 1:21.993 16

17 7 Jenson Button Honda 1:21.737 6

18 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:21.877 6

19 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:22.143 6

20 19 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:22.177 7

21 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 1:22.737 9

22 21 Sakon Yamamoto Spyker-Ferrari 1:23.774 7

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Hamilton inherits pole as Alonso and McLaren penalized

Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix from first on the grid after original polesitter, McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso, was deemed to have impeded the Englishman during qualifying.

Alonso has been demoted to sixth by the stewards, who decided he had unnecessarily delayed Hamilton during their final Q3 pitstops. McLaren were also punished for the incident and will not be eligible for constructors’ points in the race, though the team are to appeal this decision.

Hamilton missed out on the chance of a final flying lap in qualifying after he was forced to wait for Alonso to leave his pit. McLaren told stewards that they had ordered the champion to hold for 20 seconds to gain track position. However, he then remained stationary for a further 10 seconds.

Alonso claimed the additional delay was because he was asking whether the correct set of tyres had been fitted to his car. He said he was unable to ask this in the prior 20 seconds, as radio communication was impossible due to his engineer giving him the countdown to leave.

“The explanation given by Alonso as to why at the expiration of the 20 second period he remained in his pit stop position for a further 10 seconds is not accepted,†said officials. “The Stewards find that he unnecessarily impeded another driver, Hamilton, and as a result he will be penalised by a loss of 5 grid positions.â€

Neither did the stewards accept McLaren’s explanation concerning the original 20-second delay: “Reference to the circuit map shows that at the time Alonso was told he would be held for 20 seconds there were but 4 cars on the circuit, his own and those of Fisichella, Hamilton and Raikkonen. All but Raikkonen entered the pits such that there can have been no necessity to keep Alonso in the pits for 20 seconds waiting for a convenient gap in traffic in which to leave.â€

The stewards’ statement continued: “The actions of the team in the final minutes of Qualifying are considered prejudicial to the interests of the competition and to the interests of motor sport generally. The penalty to be applied is that such points (if any) in the 2007 Formula One Constructors Championship as accrue to the team as a result of their participation in the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix will be withdrawn.â€

McLaren will now race under appeal, with any constructors’ points they score in Hungary remaining provisional until that appeal is heard at a later date. Alonso has no right of appeal over his penalty.

In a separate incident, Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella was also demoted five places on the grid after he was deemed to have impeded Spyker's Sakon Yamamoto on track during Q1. Fisichella drops from eighth to 13th in the starting order.

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Hungarian Grand Prix Result:

1 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 70 Winner 1 10

2 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 70 +0.7 secs 3 8

3 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 70 +43.1 secs 2 6

4 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 70 +44.8 secs 6 5

5 10 Robert Kubica BMW 70 +47.6 secs 7 4

6 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 70 +50.6 secs 5 3

7 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 70 +59.1 secs 4 2

8 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 70 +68.1 secs 11 1

9 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 70 +76.3 secs 9

10 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 69 +1 Lap 8

11 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 69 +1 Lap 10

12 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 69 +1 Lap 13

13 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 69 +1 Lap 14

14 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 69 +1 Lap 12

15 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 69 +1 Lap 19

16 19 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 69 +1 Lap 20

17 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 68 +2 Laps 21

18 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 68 +2 Laps 18

Ret 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 42 +28 Laps 16

Ret 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 41 +29 Laps 15

Ret 7 Jenson Button Honda 35 +35 Laps 17

Ret 21 Sakon Yamamoto Spyker-Ferrari 4 +66 Laps 22

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Dans new driver,

Bourdais secures 2008 Toro Rosso seat

Toro Rosso have confirmed that three-time Champ Car series champion Sebastien Bourdais will race for the team in 2008 as Sebastian Vettel’s team mate. Bourdais replaces Italian incumbent Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Frenchman Bourdais, who has tested on three occasions for Toro Rosso this year, will be free to join the team after the final round of this year's Champ Car campaign on December 2.

Bourdais, 28, is currently leading the series with the Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing team and has won the title for the past three years. Prior to building his career in the United States, he was crowned Formula 3000 champion in 2002.

"It has been a long time coming, but here we are!" said Bourdais. "I would like to thank everyone at Red Bull for believing in me and giving me this long-awaited opportunity to race in Formula One. I must also thank Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing for letting me pursue my dream and allowing me to test for Scuderia Toro Rosso a few times this year."

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The Turkish Grand Preview

The third Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul Park marks Fernando Alonso’s 100th grand prix start since he made his debut for Minardi in the 2001 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, and he will be looking for his 19th career victory. Currently he has 73 points, to series leader and McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton’s 80.

"It is always great to have a break and re-charge the batteries, but it is fantastic to be getting back out on track in Turkey,†the double world champion says. “I have a solid points total in the drivers’ world championship and I am aiming to build on that considerably in Istanbul. We are in a strong position in both championships and there are a lot of points to be won in the final six races. However, we are looking at the races one by one, and my focus is on this grand prix and getting the best result possible in Turkey. I have come second in the two years we have raced here previously and I will be aiming to improve on that this time.â€

Hamilton will be looking for win number four, coming off his latest success in Hungary, and loves the challenging track. "I have great memories of the Istanbul Park. Last year this was a defining race in the GP2 championship for me and I am really looking forward to getting out there with the MP4-22. It is an amazing track to drive, with so many different challenges, and overtaking is possible. The circuit is pretty wide, which always helps when you are trying to pass. Having dropped down to the back of the field after spinning on the second lap last year, I spent the race working my way back up to second. It felt like a win and it would be great to get on the top step this year!

“It is a very physically demanding circuit; all the fast corners, such as Turn Eight which is awesome and flat out, and the heat place a big demand on the drivers. During the short summer break I have been keeping up with my training to ensure I am fully prepared for it. Along with the team, I am very motivated right now."

So, too, however, are the Ferrari duo Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa. The Finn won the inaugural race here in 2005, and the Brazilian scored his maiden win here last year. “I love this place, and I am very confident that we will be in a strong shape this weekend,†Massa said.

In common with all of the other teams, McLaren and Ferrari have been honing their packages in the wind tunnels and computational fluid dynamics programmes available to them, since track testing was banned during the summer break. So everyone will come here with revised cars and the hopes that changes encourage. BMW Sauber drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica were recently both confirmed for 2008, and are confident that they can maintain the team’s third place overall in the constructors’ championship, while Renault believe that they can get Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen closer to the front.

Istanbul is one of the best tracks on the calendar, and Turn Eight has rapidly become a drivers’ favourite together with Spa’s Eau Rouge and Suzuka’s 130R.

“It is probably the most difficult corner in the whole championship,†suggests Fisichella. “A long-left hander, with an apex speed of around 250 km/h (155 mph), for about 6.5 seconds. There are some high g-forces to contend with, on your body but especially on the neck, and it can be very difficult, especially at the end of the race. It is demanding for the drivers, but that is the attraction for us!â€

Then there is the heat; the ambient temperature on race day is expected to be around 30 degrees C, which means that the track and cockpit temperatures will be commensurately higher.

It is a medium downforce track because there is one very long straight after Turn 10 where teams daren’t sacrifice too much top speed for better grip in the high- and medium-speed corners. Against that, however, is the fact that the surface is smooth and the kerbs quite low, so it is possible to run relatively stiff suspension settings and low ride heights to optimise aerodynamic performance.

Some 67 per cent of the lap is run at full throttle, which is well above average, and the circuit also includes a long period of around 16 seconds spent at full throttle, between Turns 10 and 12. That, together with the ambient temperature, places a premium on engine performance and reliability.

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Drivers participated in a qualifying session (earlier than I fooking expected )

2007 FORMULA 1â„¢ Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix

1 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:27.488 1:27.039 1:27.329 18

2 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:27.513 1:26.936 1:27.373 17

3 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:27.294 1:26.902 1:27.546 18

4 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 1:27.328 1:26.841 1:27.574 17

5 10 Robert Kubica BMW 1:27.997 1:27.253 1:27.722 17

6 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:28.099 1:27.253 1:28.037 17

7 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 1:28.127 1:27.784 1:28.491 24

8 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:28.275 1:27.750 1:28.501 20

9 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:28.318 1:27.801 1:28.740 24

10 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:28.313 1:27.880 1:29.322 24

11 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:28.304 1:28.002 12

12 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:28.500 1:28.013 12

13 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:28.395 1:28.100 12

14 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:28.792 1:28.188 12

15 7 Jenson Button Honda 1:28.373 1:28.220 12

16 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 1:28.360 1:28.390 14

17 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 1:28.798 9

18 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:28.809 7

19 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:28.953 8

20 19 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:29.408 6

21 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 1:29.861 9

22 21 Sakon Yamamoto Spyker-Ferrari 1:31.479 7

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2007 FORMULA 1â„¢ Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix

Provisional Results Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 58 Winner 1 10

2 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 58 +2.2 secs 3 8

3 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 58 +26.1 secs 4 6

4 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 58 +39.6 secs 6 5

5 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 58 +45.0 secs 2 4

6 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 58 +46.1 secs 7 3

7 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 58 +55.7 secs 8 2

8 10 Robert Kubica BMW 58 +56.7 secs 5 1

9 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 58 +59.4 secs 10

10 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 58 +71.0 secs 13

11 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 58 +79.6 secs 14

12 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 57 +1 Lap 16

13 7 Jenson Button Honda 57 +1 Lap 21

14 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 57 +1 Lap 11

15 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 57 +1 Lap 15

16 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 57 +1 Lap 9

17 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 57 +1 Lap 22

18 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 57 +1 Lap 17

19 19 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 57 +1 Lap 18

20 21 Sakon Yamamoto Spyker-Ferrari 56 +2 Laps 20

21 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 53 +5 Laps 19

Ret 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 9 +49 Laps 12

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The Italian Grand Prix Preview

Will it prove to be meaningful for somebody that the Italian Grand Prix at Monza is the 13th round of the increasingly hard-fought 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship?

Following their superb one-two result in Turkey, Ferrari come to their home ground determined to take more points from rivals McLaren and their drivers, and to push on with their sudden resurgence in the title fight.

“Racing at Monza is always a delight because the tifosi are so totally on your side,†says Turkish Grand Prix victor Felipe Massa, who is confident that the reds can win again. “Our car is very fast and we had a good test here last week. We are in good shape.â€

The Brazilian’s recent success put him back into third place in the drivers’ battle, on 69 points, compared to leader Lewis Hamilton’s 84, Fernando Alonso’s 79, and team mate Kimi Raikkonen’s 68. Given that anything can happen on this ultra-high-speed track, which puts huge strain on the engine and the brakes, the title fight is far from over.

In the recent Monza test McLaren set the pace, however, and they are quietly confident that the way in which their MP4-22 can ride the kerbs in the numerous chicanes will be one of the keys to success this weekend.

“Monza is not like any other track we race on, it is all about high speeds,†says Alonso, who has unhappy memories of last year’s race after being accused of (inadvertently) impeding Massa’s Ferrari during the final stages of qualifying. “The cars always feel so different, very light and not always under control, to be honest! That is because of the low downforce we use to get the high speeds. The wings are the thinnest we run and there will be a lot of Monza-specific parts on the car.

“With this small amount of downforce, you then have to adapt areas such as braking stability and mechanical balance to get good grip in the corners, because the lack of downforce means the car has very little. We spent time testing these on the track last week, and we had some good feedback so I feel positive going into the race. Last year did not give me any good memories, but it is a track that I would really like to win at, so hopefully we can make that happen.â€

McLaren team mate Hamilton harbours happier memories of 2006 after clinching his GP2 championship success here, and is determined to extend his lead in the 2007 points table.

“I remember it is not an easy track to get a good set-up at, so the test last week was very useful. It is really tough on the cars, and you have to use the kerbs a lot to get quick lap times. Because of this we have a softer suspension package to make the car ride over them better so we can use them more, and in a bid to avoid any damage. Slowing the cars down with the incredibly low downforce is not easy, and the balance under braking is key. This was another area we worked on in the test.â€

Teams use their lowest downforce settings here, and you can get some idea of the punishment the engine gets from the fact that the pit straight demands more than 16 seconds of full-throttle running. Every lap the cars ran under full throttle in four sections, reaching speeds of around 340 km/h. Inevitably, that is followed by very heavy braking for the chicanes, which have high kerbs that mete out further punishment to the machinery.

Last year BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica took third place on merit, and the Swiss-German team is definitely the dark horse this weekend after some very fast lappery in the test last week. If they have a real shot at winning a race in 2007, it will be here. The Pole’s team-mate Nick Heidfeld, in particular, is on a roll at present.

“I think we'll put in a good performance at Monza,†the German says. “It's a circuit where a good low-downforce package is important, and we're normally pretty strong in that area. The other thing you need is bags of engine power, and I think we'll be okay in that department as well. We were right up there at Monza in 2006. I was 'only' third in qualifying, but that was with a heavy fuel load. If we had all been carrying the same amount of fuel, I would most likely have been on pole.â€

Everyone hopes for a fresh roll of the dice here, because of the way in which the low-downforce set-ups can make things a bit of a lottery, but none more so this time around than Spyker, whose B-specification F8-VII will race for the first time having now passed its mandatory FIA rear-end crash test. Failure in that test, due to a batch of faulty materials, forced postponement of the planned debut in Turkey.

“There are two new main areas where the B-spec car differs to the A-spec,†explains chief technical officer, Mike Gascoyne. “The first is mechanical, the second is aerodynamic. Mechanically, we have revised the rear suspension geometry, specifically replacing the rotary dampers with linear ones. The gearbox is also a new design targeted at complying with the new 2008 gearbox rules where each box must be used for four races. Although we won't be running it for four races this year, it does ensure that we can get lots of data for next year when the rules come into play.

“The engine installation has also been reviewed to make cooling resources lighter, more compact and much more efficient. The other major update is the aero package. Apart from the chassis and nosebox, every other area has been revised. The front wing flap, endplate, barge boards, sidepod inlets, radiator outlets, rear wings, floor and diffuser are all new and the bodywork has been modified.â€

Bridgestone will bring the same medium and soft compound Potenzas to Monza that they will use at Spa-Francorchamps and Fuji, and since a pit stop here requires 25 seconds, the Italian Grand Prix is often a single-stop race. Thanks to the nature of the circuit, and the way in which some cars are faster in a straight-line and more stable than others under heavy braking, there are several overtaking opportunities around the lap

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Drivers participated in a qualifying session earlier this afternoon.

1 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.718 1:21.356 1:21.997 17

2 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.956 1:21.746 1:22.034 17

3 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:22.309 1:21.993 1:22.549 17

4 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:23.107 1:22.466 1:23.174 18

5 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:22.673 1:22.369 1:23.183 21

6 10 Robert Kubica BMW 1:23.088 1:22.400 1:23.446 18

7 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 1:23.505 1:23.134 1:24.102 24

8 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:23.333 1:22.748 1:24.382 24

9 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:23.724 1:23.107 1:24.555 24

10 7 Jenson Button Honda 1:23.639 1:23.021 1:25.165 23

11 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:23.575 1:23.166 13

12 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:23.474 1:23.176 13

13 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 1:23.739 1:23.209 11

14 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:23.646 1:23.274 12

15 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:23.559 1:23.325 13

16 19 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:23.578 1:23.351 15

17 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:23.749 5

18 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:23.787 7

19 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 1:23.886 6

20 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:24.019 6

21 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 1:24.699 10

22 21 Sakon Yamamoto Spyker-Ferrari 1:25.084 8

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Italian Grand Prix Result

1 1 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes 53 Winner 1 10

2 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 53 +6.0 secs 2 8

3 6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 53 +27.3 secs 5 6

4 9 Nick Heidfeld BMW 53 +56.5 secs 4 5

5 10 Robert Kubica BMW 53 +60.5 secs 6 4

6 16 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 53 +65.8 secs 8 3

7 4 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 53 +66.7 secs 7 2

8 7 Jenson Button Honda 53 +72.1 secs 10 1

9 15 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 53 +75.8 secs 11

10 8 Rubens Barrichello Honda 53 +76.9 secs 12

11 12 Jarno Trulli Toyota 53 +77.7 secs 9

12 3 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 52 +1 Lap 15

13 17 Alexander Wurz Williams-Toyota 52 +1 Lap 13

14 23 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 52 +1 Lap 14

15 11 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 52 +1 Lap 18

16 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 52 +1 Lap 17

17 18 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Ferrari 52 +1 Lap 19

18 19 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 52 +1 Lap 16

19 20 Adrian Sutil Spyker-Ferrari 52 +1 Lap 21

20 21 Sakon Yamamoto Spyker-Ferrari 52 +1 Lap 22

Ret 5 Felipe Massa Ferrari 10 +43 Laps 3

Ret 14 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1 +52 Laps 20

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The Belgian Grand Preview

Regardless of what might happen in Paris on Thursday as the World Motor Sport Council reconvenes to discuss the McLaren-Ferrari espionage case, the two teams will clearly be locking horns again on the track this weekend at one of the greatest race tracks on the calendar.

After a year rebuilding and creating a new look, Spa-Francorchamps is back, and nobody in the paddock is anything but delighted about that.

“This is what I would call an old-style circuit,†says Renault driver Heikki Kovalainen as he tries to put into words why the drivers love Spa so much. “Not in terms of the facilities, which have been improved a lot this year, but in terms of the track design.

“There are many demanding, high-speed corners and this is a real driver’s circuit, where we can make a big difference at the wheel. Even if the car does not have the perfect set-up, or if it is not the fastest on the grid, a very brave driver can go into the corners faster, accelerate earlier or not lift where others do. This is a circuit where you can really see who the good drivers are.â€

It is also a gruelling test of an Formula One car, with its 320 km/h straights, the 70 km/h La Source hairpin, and myriad sixth-gear sweeps. The highlight is, of course, the famed 300 km/h Eau Rouge, which still rewards commitment even if most said, after the test here in July, that it is ‘easy flat’ in the V8 cars. This, and the fast left-hander at Blanchimont, remain outstanding places to watch Grand Prix artistry in the cockpit, while corners such as Pouhon, taken blind in sixth gear, still allow the drivers to make the difference.

Only Monza, with 77 per cent, exceeds Spa’s full-throttle motoring figure of 73 per cent, and only six of the 19 corners are taken at less than 150 km/h. But while normally this might prompt teams into high downforce configurations, the need to minimise drag brings other factors into the equation. The two long straights make top-speed critical, which is why most teams will use the sort of medium- to low-downforce configurations they used at Montreal and Indianapolis. That in turn will make things very interesting for the men at the wheel.

Bridgestone will bring along their medium and soft compounds dry tyres, but given the notoriously fickle weather in the Hautes Fagnes region, wets may also come into play. So far, the weather forecast suggests light rain on Friday, with cloudy but clear conditions at other times. We’ll see.

McLaren remain hugely confident after their performance here in July, but Ferrari believe they will be back in the hunt. Both will be keeping a weather eye on BMW Sauber, who were also very fast back then.

McLaren’s Fernando Alonso says Spa is his favourite track (he scored his first and only F3000 victory here in 2000), but so does team mate Lewis Hamilton and the series leader is determined to open up his points advantage again, after Alonso reduced it to three in Monza.

“Spa is a track that everyone has always talked about and it is with good reason,†the British driver explained. “I love the circuit, it does require a compromise with the set-up to account for the fast straights and corners whilst also ensure you can have the right amount of traction through the slower sections, and it is all about being precise.

“Eau Rouge is just awesome, it is so quick and I look forward to it every single lap. It is definitely one of the pleasures of being a Formula One driver! You always try to go that bit quicker, and as it is flat out now with no lifting, the only way to do this is by steering as little as possible. The forces that are placed on your body feel a bit weird, but you don’t really think about that after the first lap.

“I raced here (in Formula Three) in 2005, race one was in the wet, race two in the dry, so I have some good experience and won race two. We tested here in July and completed some positive work with Bridgestone. Now I am just waiting to get out there and race in a Formula One car for the first time. The situation in both championships is very close, and people keep talking about pressure, but it just provides me with extra motivation, I certainly don’t feel any stress. There are four races to go, including Belgium, and I will take them all individually and do my best to try and win them.â€

After the Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen said: “Probably this is a bit more like Montreal so we knew McLaren would be very strong here. Soon as we go back to Spa it should level out a bit and we should be close again.â€

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