Belgian GP Friday and Saturday Practice Sessions Thread

[m schumy]

F1`s back

Fingers crossed for a great weekend, should be a good race for Ferrari I really like Spa, it`s one of my fave tracks

[Sempre_Ferrari]

Buon giorno cari Tifosi.....Came into work early this morning to get everything done so I don't get disturbed during FP1

BRING IT ON !!! and fingers crossed that all our updates work as they should...

[m schumy]

I missed F1, it`s been like ages since the last race

[Sempre_Ferrari]

I know what you mean, I'm already starting to dread the end of season. Need my FIX on a regular basis and there are no rehab facilities for F1 addicts

But we wont dwell on that now, still 7 races to win before worrying about withdrawals

[Grillo]

Spa is such a great great track... It was never a message for Tilke but I heard he will have to find his inspiration from some good tracks to build the new track in Austin. A couple of corners from Spa, another one from Turkey, one more from Suzuka... Wow, it will be a long lap.

[voiko]

anyone know current weather?

[Sempre_Ferrari]

anyone know current weather?

http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/259

[voiko]

http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/259

ty forgot about that.. still at work :(

[Naeem]

We'll be hearing a lot of Kimi Raikkonen so I thought I'd introduce him to this thread, perhaps the top step of the podium be left empty this year.

Does anyone know anything about these reported fuel improvements by shell? is it just a rumour? or have shell/ferrari confirmed said improvements?

[Mitra]

it has been one month TOOOOOOOOOOO long

7 minutes to go

[Greig]

We'll be hearing a lot of Kimi Raikkonen so I thought I'd introduce him to this thread, perhaps the top step of the podium be left empty this year.

Why?

The king of Spa is racing this weekend.......

[mad_ani]

EPLSite.com has no live feeds...any other sources???

[m schumy]

Live streaming: http://www.firstrow.net/watch/24954/...tice1-%29.html

[mad_ani]

awesome!!! cheers

[Mitra]

http://www.firstrow.net/watch/24954/...actice1-).html

stream 1 on elp is up now as well

[m schumy]

awesome!!! cheers

Welcome

[m schumy]

BBC Sport's Sarah Holt in Spa: "It wouldn't be a British Bank Holiday without rain and it wouldn't be Spa without, well, buckets of the wet stuff. It has been absolutely tipping down this morning and BBC HQ has at times been shaken by thunder and bathed in a dusky gloom. The F1 cars haven't been on track for 25 days and wet conditions could put a dampener on their return in first practice. The main protagonists were all eager to push on after their summer holidays. Mark Webber, who heads the title race by four points from Lewis Hamilton, said: 'I didn't really need a break. I missed the driving.' Workaholic Fernando Alonso, who is 20 points off Webber, spent some of his time off working with Ferrari's engineers on the simulators and says he really wants to get back on the track. Let's see how much running Spa's fickle skies allow this morning."

[m schumy]

0900 And we are off for 90 minutes of first practice. Glock is the first man to take to the track. It really is grim out there. How many spins are we going to get today?

[Ste]

Great to have F1 back, it's been far too long.

Come on Ferrari, let's have a brilliant weekend.

[Naeem]

It's so great to see that front wing of ours flexing.

[mad_ani]

5 min: Massa has continued on a second tour, with a huge plume of spray hanging in the air behind his Ferrari as he charges down to Les Combes.

[Naeem]

BBC commentator- "Adrian Newey has a great design on a BBQ, its flexes as you put the sausages on"

[m schumy]

BBC pit-lane reporter Lee McKenzie: "I met up with Rubens Barrichello in the paddock in Spa to interview the Brazilian, who is celebrating his 300th grand prix race this weekend. Always honest, always emotional, the 38-year-old spoke openly about changes to Formula 1 over his 18-year career, the death of his mentor Ayrton Senna in 1994 and how he would not change anything in his career - not even playing second fiddle to Michael Schumacher for all those years at Ferrari. Last night many of the drivers on the grid gathered at the Williams motorhome for a champagne reception in Barrichello's honour, showing how widely respected he is. My interview with Barrichello will be shown during Sunday's race programme on BBC One."

BBC pit-lane reporter Holly Samos: "Most of the teams have come to Spa with upgrades, Force India being one of them and Vitantonio Liuzzi will test their new blown diffuser this morning but Adrian Sutil will not. Both drivers will test it this afternoon, though, and the team hope to run it for race. Williams, meanwhile, have a new front and rear wing, plus some mechanical changes. Renault have a huge upgrade, it is the first time the 'F-duct' has featured."

[m schumy]

BBC Sport's Sarah Holt in Spa: "No-nonsense Australian Mark Webber wasn't getting carried about by regaining the championship lead at the last race in Hungary. But would celebrating his 34th birthday in Spa today give him more to smile about? 'It goes quick huh?' Webber straight-batted back to the media throng. 'A few grey hairs too. Oh well.' Well, maybe a surprise present from his team-mate Sebastian Vettel will cheer him up. 'I have brought nothing with me,' confessed Vettel. 'I don't know. I think they have these free shampoos and this kind of stuff in the hotel, a last-minute present.' I have a feeling that getting back in the car and pressing on with his title push will be enough of a birthday present for Webber this weekend."

[Ste]

This is going to be an extremely wet weekend! Fantastic. Hope our boys can hold it together.

[Suzie]

Morning everyone
It is SO good to have F1 back - and at a wet Spa too! YUM.

[Sempre_Ferrari]

Alonso on track

[brava]

Alonso P1

[vcs316]

Alonso is quickly on the pace with his fresh, full wet tyres. 2m02.582s is the fastest time of the day so far from the Spaniard.

Top 5
1. Alonso
2. Sutil
3. Button
4. Webber
5. Hamilton

[m schumy]

BBC pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz: "McLaren have done a lot of work on this rear blown diffuser as the drivers have said the balance of the car has not been the same since the upgrade went on. The handling changed fundamentally and there has been a lot of work to try to make the car more predictable to allow Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton to push harder."