Belgian GP Spa-Francorchamps 2004

For the race, I repeat, well done Sauber!

 

>ferrari is just too dominate these days...

Ferrari cars finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th in the race in Belgium 2004 GP.

For the remaining four races this year, Ferrari cars will be allowed to drive on the track in reverse gear only.

Next year Ferrari cars will have to use V12 engines and diesel fuel.

Two years from now, Ferrari will have to use 12V engines (I mean battery powered).

In the third year, Ferrari cars will have to be two-seater pedal cars, MS drives while Armstrong powers the vehicle.

In the fourth year, a Ferrari car will have to tow a Minardi for the whole lenght of the races as a handicap method.

In the fifth year, MS and RB will have to carry their Ferrari cars on their backs , running merry-go-round the track for a full 300km, all this while towing Minardis with a rope wrapped around their waists.

 

SHHHHHHHHHH Dont give Berni and Max any ideas.

 

I laughed when I saw the JPM bashing begin in this thread. It's inevitable, itsn't it? His move on Schumi was great. The one on Trulli was a bad decision, but it also needs to be mentioned that Trulli was experiencing problems with his car, and was in fact holding Montoya up significantly. You know he was frustrated, and if the move worked on the World Champion, why not on Trulli?

 

I agree that Montoya made a great move against Schumacher but misjudged Trulli's line. Also it's really hard to see what's behind you and how far is he in these cars so Trulli might not have seen Montoya doing his move, even though knowing Montoya, Trulli should have anticipated the pass. He should have just let him get by becuase Trulli had a few problems with the car anyway.

 

i want to see this guy from britian who said if Mercedes won he would run around a track naked, the press should have fun with that.

Im happy that Mercedes won a race, they had to put up with alot of fecal matter this year and this should really help the team. (go ahead bash me all u want).

 

Just posted in the European section some pictures.

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29577

Bel360

 

I agree with you. Montoya had all four wheels on the kerbs/grass when Trulli steered right and kept steering right. JPM had nowhere to go. I don't know whose fault it is, but it certainly wasn't JPM's.

 

I heard that Ferrari were working on a prototype 3 seater for MS so he could drive his kids around at the races. It shall be kind of like the Arrows, except red and also the kids will have the controls and MS will have a nice newspaper to read.
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Best race I'v seen in a while!!!!

I'm happy that MS is world champion again. If KR hadn't passed MS at the beginning it could have been a different scenario. Well done Kimi!
JPM's move on MS was BRILLIANT put on JT it wasn't. Did you guys saw when JPM was returning to the track after his 1st pit stop, he was side by side with Massa. It was dangerous but I'm glad that Massa challenged him.

I was very upset when Fisi went into the grass at midway (he lost some pieces of his car). After that he wasn't running fast and I'm sure that cost him 3rd or 4th place.

 

Great pics Bert! And it was an exiting race indeed!

Congrats on the World Championship title 2004 to MS and the whole team... they didn't win the race but both drivers and the rest of the team did a great job!

Now let's hope it wasn't the last Belgian Grand Prix at this wonderful track in our little Belgium! Formula One really needs Spa-Francorchamps IMO!

 

Yes, I know it's confirmed but like I said before; you never know in Belgium/Francorchamps... it's the same as with rain in this country, things can change very soon and you're often have no idea what you're gonna get...

But let's hope Formula One will return to Belgium many times in the future!

 

Sorry, but those 6 runners were never going to challenge Kimi. Kimi was on fire all weekend and atleast his McLaren held together to give him a very deserving weekend. The 6 cars that went out were also rans ... even RB who had to pit to get a new rear wing (Webers silly mistake!)

Kimi did not hold MS up at any time and simply drove away from him ... and even after 2 (or 3) safety car periods allowed MS (and RB) to close up again on Kimi ... Kimi again drove away, and broke the lap record on the 2nd to last lap!

The guy is awesome and definitely will piss all over RB once MS retires!

Now if only Mercedes and McLaren and also Michelin can pull their heads right out of their arses and build a decent car that can actually stay together next year will be fantastic and we will have some challenge to Ferrari again ... . Please note: I am not saying I want Ferrari beaten next year, just want a really HARD challenge and may the best driver/team combination win!

I must say if I was JT I would be talking real hard to Kimi and looking to replace RB.

Interestingly did you hear Brundle talk about Ross Brawns interview regarding who will replace MS. Basically he stated that RB was worthy, but they really had their eye on Kimi and Alonso. So even the Ferrari team believe as I do (and many others) that RB does not really have it in him. If they really believed RB was WC material, Ross would not even have discussed Kimi and Alonso.

Anyway great race and Ferrari beaten fair and square for the first time this year! ... but I guess MS was driving for points more than a win (?).

Pete

 

Initiating the pass on both Schumi and Trulli were good decisions. In both cases, he had a reasonable shot. In both cases, he took a great line through the first corner (the left-hander). In one case, he managed to get up even with the car he was passing before the turn-in point for the second corner (the right-hander). In that case, the corner was his and it would be the OTHER guy's fault (Schumi's fault) if there was a collision... the OTHER guy needed to brake, and abort the turn-in.

HOWEVER, in the second case, he did NOT get even with the other car prior to turn-in... in fact, his front wheels were not even up to the driver. In that case, the corner was not his, and he should EXPECT the other driver to take his normal line... meaning, he should BRAKE and ABORT the pass. But JPM just kept coming and turned through the grass... as if he'd be able to hold his line with no pavement... at that point, its too late for him to do anything but barrel through the corner and T-bone Trulli.

JPM's trying to pass there was NOT a mistake... that was great! His mistake was not aborting the pass when he got to the turn-in and had not gotten up even with the car he was passing... or at least his front tires in front of the driver... at that point, he should have braked (while still on pavement and in control of his car). That's Racing 101... and that's why he gets so much flack here... he never yields when he fails to make a clean pass... once he decides to TRY a pass he just goes and goes... has no clue that real drivers sometimes ABORT passes.

 

The time it took those Bridgestones to get up to speed really hurt Schumi in the end. During one of the safety car sessions, the pressure was so low that it looked like the left front tyre was going to fall off the rim!

It was amusing watching Kimi trying to stuff up Michael's restart after the SC; at one point he must have been going at about 30kmph.

And what about Coulthard's performance? First his tyre explodes, then he struggles back to the pits, coming out onto the track in last place. Then his front wing shatters, flies up into the air, removes the camera and smacks against the rear wing. The car goes out of control onto the grass at 180mph, misses the wall by a few centimetres, he regains control, pits and continues the race into the points! Amazing!