The Official Not606 Belgian GP Chat & Predictions

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Who will win at Spa?

  • Sebastian Vettel 234 Pts

  • Mark Webber 149 Pts

  • Lewis Hamilton 146 Pts

  • Fernando Alonso 145 Pts

  • Jenson Button 134 Pts

  • Felipe Massa 70 Pts

  • Nico Rosberg 48 Pts

  • Nick Heidfeld 34 Pts

  • Vitaly Petrov 32 Pts

  • Other (please specify)


Results are only viewable after voting.
According to Truzonef1, Ferrari and Red Bull were the only ones able to use DRS through the whole of sector 3 (including Blanchimont)

If true, it doesn't look good for McLaren (but perhaps they were heavier?)
 
Feeling a lot more for Red Bull now. I'm pleased they've gone for lower downforce and longer gearing and I think they're sandbagging a lot - Vettel very fast in sector one, Webber fast in sector two and they're both running the same aero package. Ferrari look quick again. McLaren hardly got any laps in (nine laps each in practice 2, even less in P1) so they're a bit of an unknown. Will all go out the window when it rains tomorrow of course.
 
Well after a day of a constantly changing track we still aren't much the wiser for who the fastest is. The lap times where still a good few seconds off full dry times and in these damp conditions teams will be looking at how far they can push it, and with which tyre.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a interesting qualifying.

Finally a good point from a certain L Hamilton:

Lewis Hamilton said:
"Even before the weekend we knew it was going to be difficult because the DRS makes such a difference [to the way the car's downforce levels are set]," he added.

"You get past sixth gear and into seventh and in some cases, when DRS isn't engaged, you don't then get out of sixth. Also, with the fuel loads much heavier [at the start of the race] then it's going to make a massive difference.

"Setting up the car for qualifying is one thing, but making sure you don't lose too much time in race conditions without DRS is a big thing."
 
Lewis Hamilton said:
You get past sixth gear and into seventh and in some cases, when DRS isn't engaged, you don't then get out of sixth.

You could see this on board, a lot of cars were trawling down Kemmel in sixth gear.

Looks like Toro Rosso are going for a Jordanesque full wet setup. Risky of McLaren and Ferrari to do so little running in practice, setup being so crucial. Hopefully quali will be wet, but if it keeps getting red flagged I'll be very annoyed.
 
You could see this on board, a lot of cars were trawling down Kemmel in sixth gear.

Looks like Toro Rosso are going for a Jordanesque full wet setup. Risky of McLaren and Ferrari to do so little running in practice, setup being so crucial. Hopefully quali will be wet, but if it keeps getting red flagged I'll be very annoyed.

Is it me or is Vettel really struggling around sector 2. It may be higher fuel but for 2nd session running he seems to be really struggling in these conditions. If that was his genuine pace I think he could be the big name driver dropping out of Q2.
 
Is it me or is Vettel really struggling around sector 2. It may be higher fuel but for 2nd session running he seems to be really struggling in these conditions. If that was his genuine pace I think he could be the big name driver dropping out of Q2.

Something not really adding up at Red Bull, they've seemed massively apart in different sectors but they're running the same front and rear wing as far as I can tell. Either way I think they've got more pace in the car than they're showing, and I agree with 2manylotuses about Webber's form, he looks really up for it, just like Silverstone. He's not afraid of taking risks in wet quali sessions either, he's my tip for pole. I reckon Hamilton or Vettel for the race.
 
Something not really adding up at Red Bull, they've seemed massively apart in different sectors but they're running the same front and rear wing as far as I can tell. Either way I think they've got more pace in the car than they're showing, and I agree with 2manylotuses about Webber's form, he looks really up for it, just like Silverstone. He's not afraid of taking risks in wet quali sessions either, he's my tip for pole. I reckon Hamilton or Vettel for the race.

I also that feel if Webber is on pole then the 2nd placed driver will lead the 1st lap. Webber is such a poor starter and whether it is a Toro Rosso or Mclaren I will always believe he will get jumped which is a shame.
 
The Red Bulls have a dry setup as dry-forecast is expected tomorrow but when it comes to Spa, forecast doesn't help much. What is interesting is they're still up there despite it pouring down.
 
With the weather as notoriously unpredictable as it is at Spa, why risk it? It's always said that you should be on the right tyres at the right time, surely set-up is similar? If you qualify well outside the top 10 today predicting for tomorrow, you're either screwed if it then rains in the race, or screwed anyway because you're stuck behind everyone else, where's the advantage?