Hamilton’s loss is Massa’s gain

Rain plays havoc at Spa-Francorchamps and presents Ferrari’s Felipe Massa with unexpected glory, writes Maurice Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton continues to lead the drivers’ world championship but his advantage was slashed from eight points to two after a controversial decision by the race stewards at Spa-Francorchamps.

The Englishman appeared to have won the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of a tense race-long duel with Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen but was later judged to have gained an unfair advantage as his McLaren-Mercedes and the Ferrari came close to colliding at the start of the penultimate lap.

Raikkonen later spun off, leaving Hamilton to finish 14 seconds ahead of his closest championship rival, Brazil’s Felipe Massa, and a further seven seconds in front of Nick Heidfeld’s BMW. But a 25-second penalty dropped Hamilton to third place.

The weekend until then had been too good to be true. After the poisonous atmosphere at Spa 12 months ago when motor sport’s governing body, the FIA, had fined McLaren £50m for their part in a spy scandal involving Ferrari technical information, this year’s event had been epitomised by the sheer drama of the racing as Spa, the longest circuit in Formula One, delivered its traditional spectacle. The captivating action would last for an hour and 23 minutes as Hamilton took what appeared to be his fifth win of the season in superb style. Then the FIA stewards stepped in.

There had been action from the start as Hamilton took advantage of pole position and led through the first corner, a tight hairpin where, as has become a habit at Spa, several cars either collided or had near misses. The track, difficult at the best of times, was made even more treacherous by the remnants of a light sprinkling of rain which had left the circuit damp in places but not bad enough to warrant wet-weather tyres.

Massa, holding second place, was more careful than most as the field swept into the dip at Eau Rouge and began the long climb to the top of the circuit.

Seeing his team-mate’s caution, Raikkonen seized his chance as the Ferraris ran side by side at 180mph, the Finn then easing Massa towards the grass, much to the Brazilian’s surprise.

“I made a mistake by thinking Eau Rouge was wetter than it was,” said Massa. “Kimi then passed me on the hill. He was going to pass me anyway. For some reason he closed the line (cut across). I don’t know why he did that.”

Raikkonen set off after Hamilton and then found himself in the lead when the McLaren driver locked his brakes at the end of the lap and spun. Hamilton was fortunate to recover and lose only one place. “That mistake was quite costly,” he said. “It put us on the back foot.

We switched to a shorter middle stint in the race. I rejoined in traffic and used a lot of the life of that set of tyres early on. But, after the second (and final) stop, it was really good. I took a chunk out of Raikkonen’s lead. I was really going for it.”

The next 15 laps of the race were mesmerising as Raikkonen and Hamilton, separated by no more than five seconds, traded fastest laps. “I was on every limit, and even beyond,” said Hamilton. “I was pushing as hard as I could but I couldn’t get too close without the handling of my car being upset behind the Ferrari.

“It was one of the most exciting races for a long time — and I wanted it to rain. I was praying: ‘Rain, rain, rain.’ I wanted the rain to come. Just a few droplets would make it a little bit easier for me and then we could have a good battle towards the end. That’s exactly what happened.”

When a light shower arrived with three laps to go, Hamilton closed on Raikkonen and made a try for the lead as they arrived side by side at the chicane. “I had nowhere to go,” said Hamilton. “So, rather than hit Kimi and maybe take us both out, I went on to the escape road and rejoined in front of him.

“The team told me straight away that I had to let him back in front — and that’s what I did.

“My heart was racing more than it ever has before,” he added. “I am a racing driver. This is what I do best — you race down to the last minute. You don’t turn the engine down and back off and just take the points in that situation.”

The stewards later decided that Hamilton had not backed off enough as the Ferrari went past. Hamilton’s attempt to dive inside, under braking for the next corner, was blocked by Raikkonen. Hamilton then ran round the outside and took the lead and Raikkonen hit the back of the McLaren in the process.

The drama was not yet over on the track. Halfway round the next lap, the leaders came across the spinning Williams of Nico Rosberg and almost hit the German. Hamilton took to the grass and Raikkonen regained the lead — only to spin not long afterwards. Hamilton was back in front again and Raikkonen then spun off for good a few corners later.

“The final lap was so slippery,” said Hamilton. “I had no temperature in the tyres after driving in the wet for a lap and half. I was braking very, very early and still arriving at each corner knowing the car could step out of line and there would be nothing I could do about it. You have to turn on your senses to full power and react as best you can to any moment you may have. I was looking in the mirrors and saw Felipe was going even slower.

“It was a long lap and a long way home and I didn’t want to throw it away.”

He had no need to worry. The FIA was about to do that for him.

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008* * *

McLaren have launched an appeal after Lewis Hamilton was stripped of victory in the Belgian Grand Prix. He believed he had extended his lead in the drivers’ championship to eight points after taking the chequered flag in first place at the end of a dramatic race but he was later penalised for the way he had overtaken Kimi Raikkonen, the world champion.

The Briton was demoted to third place for gaining an unfair advantage at the start of the penultimate lap and is now only two points ahead of Raikkonen’s Ferrari team-mate, Felipe Massa, who had been second on the road but was declared the winner.

Hamilton had been engaged in a race-long duel with Raikkonen when rain began to fall with three laps to go. The 23-year-old caught the Finn and drew alongside his Ferrari as they approached the Bus Stop chicane at the end of the lap but had to cut the first part of the corner. He rejoined in the lead, immediately let Raikkonen regain the position, then retook the lead, under braking for the next corner.

“I had taken a short cut and I knew I had to let him pass,” said Hamilton.

“That’s what I did. Then I got back in his slipstream and got through again at the next corner. He hit me up the back and nearly caused me to spin. It was a great fight and I don’t think there was anything wrong. This is motor racing. I think it was fair and square,” Hamilton said.

The officials disagreed. After reviewing video evidence and talking to witnesses the race stewards declared that Hamilton had “cut the chicane and gained an advantage” — that he had not slowed down enough as Raikkonen regained his lead and used the ensuing momentum to unfair advantage when repassing the Ferrari. “I didn’t want to wait until he flew past,” said Hamilton, speaking before the stewards had reached their verdict. “I couldn’t really see where he was. But eventually I could see him and I don’t think I was on full throttle when he came past. I don’t know how much more I could have done. I didn’t do anything wrong but if we get a penalty there’ll be something wrong. But we know what they’re like, so ...”

The punishment would have been a drive-through penalty in the pit lane but, because there was not enough time remaining in the race for the stewards to reach their decision, Hamilton had 25 seconds added to his elapsed race time, dropping him to third behind Massa and the BMW Sauber of Nick Heidfeld.

Ferrari later emphasised that they had not protested about Hamilton’s driving. The race director, Charlie Whiting, had reported Hamilton to the three stewards employed by the FIA.

Raikkonen crashed while giving chase to Hamilton on the penultimate lap, leaving Massa to cross the line in second place after closely shadowing the leaders throughout the 44 laps.

Maurice Hamilton/© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008

ITALIAN GP, MONZASeptember 14

The one circuit on the calendar that requires even more full-throttle running than Spa-Francorchamps, venue of the Belgian GP. Keep in mind that Ferrari will have the psychological benefit of competing on their home track and, more significantly, that Massa’s car will be fitted with a new engine for this first race of the next two-race cycle

Hamilton or Massa?

Massa likely to give the Prancing Horse a home victory.

SINGAPORE GP, MARINA BAYSeptember 28

On the face of it all bets are off for the first race on the new Singapore waterfront circuit which will also be the first Formula One race on the calendar to be held after dark under floodlights. Ultimately, it will all come down to which team has done the most accurate pre-event simulation work and which driver can best adapt to the challenge of an unknown environment.

Hamilton or Massa?

Hamilton. On balance his current momentum and unique flair will give him a slight edge.

JAPANESE GP, MOUNT FUJIOctober 12

Very much a circuit of two distinct parts, dominated by a long start/finish straight which is supplemented by a succession of twisty corners, which means that big compromises will be required when it comes to aerodynamic and suspension setups. Last year’s race was run in torrential rain and was dominated by Hamilton’s McLaren.

Hamilton or Massa?

Hamilton. Wet or dry he seemed to master this revised circuit last year.

CHINESE GP, SHANGHAIOctober 19

A challenging circuit with a wide range of tricky corners and, oddly, a venue at which the great Michael Schumacher never seemed much at home. Also the scene of one of Hamilton’s biggest failures last year when he slid into the gravel trap at the pit-lane entrance at what seemed little more than walking pace as he hurried in to change badly worn tyres.

Hamilton or Massa?

Hamilton. Before his mistake in last year’s race he had built a commanding lead.

BRAZILIAN GP, INTERLAGOSNovember 2

Bumpy, rutted and rather ramshackle circuit on the edge of Sao Paulo on which Massa won in 2006 and might well have repeated the success last year had not Raikkonen slipped by at the last round of refuelling stops to take the victory. A track simply steeped in Brazilian motor racing folklore.

Hamilton or Massa?

Massa, fuelled by nationalistic adrenaline as much as by his Ferrari’s Shell petrol.