Belgian GP 2013 News & team quotes

[Jas]

our silver lining then if we have a horrific qualifying above haha

[Rob]

Belgian GP – Alonso: “motivation 10, determination 10”

Spa- Francorchamps, 22 August – The Twittersphere can sometimes seem to have taken over as the main form of media communication and so, after Fernando recently tweeted about a true warrior not drawing a sword when insulted, the press went into a frenzy of speculation regarding whom this verbal sword was aimed at. Turns out it was no one: “I read a lot, sometimes novels, sometimes books about the Samurai and when I see a phrase that might be relevant to everyday life, I sometimes tweet it,” was Fernando’s explanation to the assembled press at this afternoon’s conference in the Spa paddock.” “But it was not a comment about anyone!”

On to the more serious matters and the Spanish double champion admitted that the Belgian circuit had not so far delivered much for him. “After many years in Formula 1 I have never had a great Sunday here and I would like to finally get a good result,” he said. “I think our expectations can be good ones as this circuit requires different levels of aero downforce and a very specific set-up and our preparation for this race has been excellent. Physically right now, I’d give myself a 10, motivation 10, determination 10, the team has also worked well on our weak points that we saw mainly in Silverstone, so everything is in place for us to do well here. Whether or not we can win the championship, we will have to wait and see until Brazil, but if we don’t it won’t be for the lack of trying. The current situation is that we must find the parts that give us those missing three or four tenths, as we, Felipe and I and Domenicali, have said before. I believe one hundred percent that sooner or later we will manage it. July was not the best for us, but this situation can change immediately if we find something that makes the car work in a better way. We will try right to the very end, just as we have done in the past, fighting for the championship to the very last lap of the last race. I don’t see why we cannot do that again this year.”

Asked if he feared that the rumours regarding Raikkonen returning to Maranello would make for a difficult situation within the team with two “number one drivers” as the journalist put it, the Spaniard explained the concept did not exist in the Scuderia. “When me and Felipe go to Australia for the first race, we are both equal, both with the same car,” he said. “Only towards the very end of the year, if new parts are available for just one car, then they go to the driver who has the most points. I have been fortunate that in recent years it has been me.” Alonso also pointed out that when Felipe was teamed with the Finn, it was the Brazilian who had the upper hand going into the final part of the 2008 season. “So, whoever drives for Ferrari next year, above all, we need to improve the car, because the two drivers who have the fastest car have the best chances and I have no fear about who is in the team as long as they work as hard as possible to get Ferrari into the number one position.

“The summer break is a time when the rumours start and I don’t like it when there is talk of possible future team-mates, first and foremost because it shows a lack of respect for Felipe if I comment on this,” continued Fernando. “We have done four years together, with great teamwork. With all my team-mates, there has been this sense of good teamwork, even at McLaren, there wasn’t a problem with my team-mate, but with the way the situation was managed. So what happens next year, whether it be with Felipe or without Felipe, we will do our best to all work together.”

[hudson77]

“So, whoever drives for Ferrari next year, above all, we need to improve the car, because the two drivers who have the fastest car have the best chances and I have no fear about who is in the team as long as they work as hard as possible to get Ferrari into the number one position.

This bit

[Rob]

Belgian GP – Massa: “It’s the results that count”

Spa-Francorchamps, 22 August – A succinct two word answer was Felipe’s opening comment in today’s regular meeting with the press, as the F1 world reassembled after the break in a warm and sunny Spa paddock, when he was asked if he could look forward to a good second half of the year. “Why not?” he fired back. “Last year’s second part was good and this year, in the first half, the pace wasn’t bad, much better than last year in general. However, in some races, I didn’t get the points I should have done, but I’m confident for what is to come.”

The Brazilian was next asked if all the gossip about his future after the end of this year was unsettling, the question itself adding to the gossip! “It goes in here and goes out here,” he replied, pointing first at one ear and then at the next. “My situation last year was worse than this year and much more complicated,” he elaborated. “Whereas this year, the performance was there in almost all races, even if, for various reasons – exploding tyres, spinning in qualifying and starting last – the expected final result didn’t come. Without those incidents and others, the championship situation would be different now. Now I just need to put everything together and be more consistent and not have any of these problems. If I do that, then I think I have a good chance of staying here at Ferrari.” However, ever the realist, the Brazilian did not hide the fact that his desire to stay with the Prancing Horse did not rule out looking at other options. “You always have to be aware of what is going on and what might happen in the future. I have always said that I would be happy to race for a team that wants me to be part of it and I will always do my best to find a team that wants me. In the end though, it’s always the results that count.”

As for the more immediate future and the Belgian Grand Prix, Felipe was keen for the track action to get underway. “I am confident for this weekend, because for me and I think for many drivers, Spa is a favourite track,” he concluded. “I have had good races here, almost always in fact and so I hope I can have another competitive weekend, with the car working well at this track.”

[SilverSpeed]

Well the weather for tomorrow is Sunny and dry with few clouds at a temparature of 23°C.
Saturday will begin with sun and few clouds but during the day the temp will drop to 21°C and will bring rainclouds + lighting.
Sunday will be 18°C and will start how saturday ends with rain and lightingclouds. Then during the day it will go away and give us sunny periodes with clouds.

[stefa]

Well the weather for tomorrow is Sunny and dry with few clouds at a temparature of 23°C.
Saturday will begin with sun and few clouds but during the day the temp will drop to 21°C and will bring rainclouds + lighting.
Sunday will be 18°C and will start how saturday ends with rain and lightingclouds. Then during the day it will go away and give us sunny periodes with clouds.

Which will make our life very difficult, knowing how god man on the pit wall are in making fast decisions...

[Rob]

Belgian GP – Fry: “The big challenge”

Pat Fry: “The race at Spa has always been a great challenge for the drivers and also for us engineers and this year, that seems to be very much the case, partly because of the uncertainty of the weather, which today was inclement enough to affect the running of our programme. Having a track that is only partially wet is the worst possible condition to start working on car set-up, because it limits the time available to test the balance and driveability with different aerodynamic loads. In the afternoon, we only partly made up for the time lost because of the rain as we evaluated all the possible scenarios on a track that requires an aerodynamic compromise that is one of a kind. Here, the rain is the big unknown and it certainly won’t help anyone”.

Alonso: “Equal opportunity”

Fernando Alonso: “This was a good day, even if in the morning we, and in fact everyone, lost time because of the rain and so in the afternoon we found ourselves facing double the workload. Before drawing any conclusions, we need to wait for the analysis of the data acquired this afternoon from both cars. Felipe and I tried different aero configurations, with more and less downforce, which will be the real key to this race, along with the weather. In terms of today’s times, we have got closer to the favourites, but I’m not sure which weather forecast I would prefer. It’s true that in the rain, the cards on the table can be shuffled up, but in the wet there are as many chances to benefit as there are to lose. It will be important to have a good understanding of how the tyres are behaving in the dry, as well as finding out what happened to the Caterham, to Vettel and also to me on my in-lap. I don’t think it’s a similar problem to what we saw in Silverstone, maybe more of a random set of circumstances, but all the same, it needs careful analysis”.

Massa: “A glass half full”

Felipe Massa: “Today, the changeable weather had a big effect on the way free practice was run, with minimal running in the first session. But if we want to look at things in terms of a glass half full, then at least the few laps we managed in the morning were important, to give us an idea of the behaviour of the car in the wet, which is always useful here in Spa. In the afternoon, in the dry, we managed to get through our programme, testing some new parts and both types of Pirelli tyre. The outcome of the race simulation tells us that we have what we need to be on the pace and we will definitely do all we can to fight with the leaders of the classification”.

[Rob]

[Rob]

[Rob]

heres the bit about the picture above...

Belgian GP – A step back in time.

Spa-Francorchamps, 22 August – The first day at work at Spa-Francorchamps ended with a Fifties-style evening. On the eve of one of the most eagerly anticipated rounds of the Formula 1 championship, following on from the long summer break, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa took part in a Shell event aimed at the media, which took the Ferrari men and others back in time, to the early days of the sport, thanks to a perfect evocation of the period. The main part of the event was a screening of a restored Shell film which the long-time Scuderia technical partner organised in an old cinema in Malmedy. The town gives its name to one of the corners of the circuit, which first saw the light of day in the Twenties, when it used public roads linking Malmedy, Stavelot and Francorchamps. The subject of the film was the 1955 Belgian Grand Prix: driving for Ferrari were the Italian Giuseppe Farina, Belgium’s Paul Frere and the Frenchman Maurice Trintignant.

- See more at: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/bel....b4jCwXv8.dpuf

[Rob]

Belgian GP – Fifth row for the Scuderia in the rain
Spa-Francorchamps, 24 August – Scuderia Ferrari ended qualifying in ninth and tenth place courtesy of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa respectively.

Light rain started to fall ten minutes before the start of Q1 and everyone went out on Intermediate tyres. The track dried gradually, making for two very hectic final laps. Both Ferrari men fitted a fresh set of Intermediates with Fernando setting the fastest time of 2.00.190. Massa was seventh with a 2.01.462.

For Q2, the racing line was completely dry and both F138s were fitted with Hard slicks, with everyone switching to the Mediums in the final three minutes. Alonso was second in this session, lapping in 1.48.309, while Massa, doing just a single flying lap on the Mediums was ninth in 1.49.020.

In the ten minutes of Q3, the rain returned to the third sector of the track to complicate matters. After just one run on the Mediums, all the drivers pitted for Intermediates. The rain increased and then backed off again in the last two minutes, by which time Alonso and Massa had already taken the chequered flag. Fernando thus had to settle for ninth place with a 2.03.482, just ahead of Felipe who did a 2.04.059. Pole went to Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes.



- See more at: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/bel....4skuWit3.dpuf

[Rob]

Belgian GP – A bitter cocktail of bad luck and rain

Spa-Francorchamps, 24 August – Both Prancing Horse drivers had good reason to be disappointed at the outcome of qualifying. In the case of Fernando, despite his two world championship crowns, he has never won a Formula 1 race in Belgium and was therefore hoping to do better this year and for Felipe, the opposite is true, as the Brazilian has often shone in the Ardennes, even winning once and so he could have aspired to another good performance. However, the weather, the usual source of consternation at this venue again played its part and, for a variety of circumstances, Fernando and Felipe ended up securing the bottom two places in the top ten shoot-out this afternoon. They will thus start the Belgian Grand Prix, the eleventh race of the year, alongside one another on row 5.

From Friday morning onwards, the F138 had looked more competitive than it had done immediately prior to the summer break and in fact, right up to the start of Q3, there was every reason to be optimistic about grid positions for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. Updates the team have been working on, particularly relating to the aero package of the car, seemed to have cut the performance gap to those who were the front runners leading up to the summer break. The gaps in free practice were smaller than before and gave cause for optimism. However, having got through the first two sections of qualifying with relative ease, Q3 was a different matter. A damp Q1 was followed by a dry Q2, but then, as if an unseen hand was directing the show, trying to add to the spectacle, some clouds reappeared with their cargo of rain, before yet again leaving the stage for the track to start drying. This turned the session into a case of last person to cross the line takes the pole. Fernando and Felipe took the chequered flag when the track was still quite wet, but as it improved yet again, those who came across the stripe later finished ahead of them.

At the top of the time sheet, Lewis Hamilton timed everything to perfection in the Mercedes to secure his fourth consecutive pole position, knocking first Mark Webber and then the other Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel off the top spot. The German starts alongside the Englishman, while the Australian starts on the inside of the second row, with the other Mercedes of Nico Rosberg alongside him in fourth spot.

What can the Ferrari duo expect tomorrow? Much will depend on the weather, but if one assumes that some of the cars ahead of them on the grid do not have quite the pace of the F138 in “normal” conditions, then that fact combined with Fernando and Felipe’s usual aggressive approach to race starts, could see them move up the order to secure a good result, come the end of the 44 laps

- See more at: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/bel....kxRfmatF.dpuf

[Rob]

Pat Fry: “Turn the page”
Pat Fry: “The result of this qualifying is certainly no reward for the efforts of the team and drivers, but rather it leaves a great sense of regret, especially due to the fact that today, everything was in place for us to aim for a front row slot. Yesterday’s and today’s practice produced encouraging signs; the car was quick in all conditions and on all the compounds we used, proving to be very competitive. An analysis of the data overlaying Fernando’s and Felipe’s performance had allowed us to find the right aerodynamic compromise for this track, both in the dry and the wet and for that reason, we were aspiring to a result we didn’t get, which was also partly down to bad luck. Now however, we must only turn the page and get ready to tackle a long and demanding race, when once again the weather will play a big part”.

Fernando Alonso: “Competitive again”

Fernando Alonso: “When you end up ninth and tenth, clearly something has gone wrong and only analysing the data will be able to tell you what exactly, especially as the car was more competitive than in recent races. That’s partly down to the updates introduced here, which we had been working on since mid-July, when it was clear we had problems. Bad luck definitely played its part, because if the cloud that appeared in Q3 had not moved just before the end of the session, then maybe those who were last at that time would not have improved. In the final part, I spun on my first lap, a mistake which definitely cost me, even if by my next lap at the same point, at Turn 14, I had already made up three seconds. I feel reasonably confident for the race, especially as the variable weather conditions mean anything can happen and it’s not a given that one finishes where one starts. Of course, we must make up a lot of places, but at least we have the knowledge that we have closed the gap to the favourites and that we can be competitive in the dry. We saw that in Q2 and in the mixed conditions in Q1. Only the rain is the big question mark, because so far this weekend, we have never run on a track that is wet for its entire length”.

Felipe Massa: “It didn’t work out”

Felipe Massa: “I am very disappointed with the result of this qualifying, even if I am well aware how difficult it is to make the right decision at the right time when the weather is very changeable. On my first run in Q3, I went out on the Mediums and, at the moment it began to rain, I had two options: return to the pits to refuel and fit a new set of intermediates, or try and only change tyres. I went for the second of these choices, hoping to benefit from the track being at its best, knowing I would only have one lap left to try and do a good time. Unfortunately, this choice did not pay off, because just then the rain eased off and the other cars encountered better track conditions at the end of the session. A real shame, as the car’s been very competitive all weekend, but definitely today, we were a bit out of luck. Even if we are not starting from a good position tomorrow, the race is long and anything can happen. My pace is good and I hope to pull off some nice passing moves to bring home a good number of points”.

[Rob]

Belgian GP – Alonso back on the podium, Massa seventh
Spa-Francorchamps, 25 August – Scuderia Ferrari finished the Belgian Grand Prix with a second place for Fernando Alonso and a seventh for Felipe Massa. The Spaniard is back to second in the Drivers’ classification on 151 points and after eleven races the Brazilian lies seventh. The team has consolidated its third place in the Constructors’ championship, with 218 points.

Both F138s started on the Medium tyres and Alonso managed a great getaway, taking the inside line up to La Source to go fifth and then pushed hard to be second before his first pit stop on lap 13, when he again fitted Mediums. He kept the gap to leader Vettel under 10 seconds before his second and final pit stop which was on lap 28, after which he ensured the runner-up slot, crossing the finish line with a comfortable lead over third placed Lewis Hamilton.

Massa was also on a two-stop strategy, gradually moving up the order and with just 4 laps remaining, he managed to pass Grosjean to take seventh place, while out in front Sebastian Vettel won the race for Red Bull.

- See more at: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/bel....UFYTu1Ht.dpuf

[vcs316]

Alonso: It was a little bit boring

Fernando Alonso was happy to walk away with second place at the Belgian GP, but he admits the race was not really worth writing home about.

After a disappointing qualifying session saw him start ninth on the grid, Alonso more than made up for it on race day as he was up to fifth place after the first lap.

He continued to push hard and eventually finished second behind Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel and ahead of pole sitter Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes.

However, despite Spa-Francorchamps being one of the best circuits in F1, the race didn't really deliver as Vettel finished nearly 17s ahead of Alonso with Hamilton another 10.8s behind the Spaniard.

"We had to recover some places, we were not okay yesterday," said Alonso. "But today it was a little bit boring, we get second place but no threat to Sebastian Vettel and had no threat from behind."

Having finished fifth at the Hungarian GP before the summer break, it was great comeback from Ferrari and Alonso knows they need to improve even further ahead of the Italian GP.

"It is important weekend for us and the team and we arrived full motivated and in Monza we would like to give some smiles to our fans," the double World Champion said.

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali was delighted with the way the team bounced back after their struggles in Hungary.

"It was a great start by Fernando, he was very close to everyone but he managed to use his driver's skill," the Italian said.

"We have just come from a difficult month where we did not improve the car. We had to react to the situation. The qualifying of yesterday was not the real performance and today we saw the car improve. Last year in Monza we were strong so the speed is there and we need to keep the gap.

"I want to see the reaction of my people, inside all is very clear. I'm totally focused and the drivers known what they have to do. If they don't, they know where the door is. I will be the happiest man if we're able to win and I push my people so we can do it."

[shamim179]

"I'm totally focused and the drivers known what they have to do. If they don't, they know where the door is. I will be the happiest man if we're able to win and I push my people so we can do it."

Is Stefano referring to Massa here? Is this a hint of what's to come?