Thank goodness for Smokin' Rob Kubica! As the rest held station in true modern F1 style, the Pole was burning rubber in his efforts to get by anyone who dared to be ahead of him. He is no respecter of reputations, this rookie, and disposed of Button, Trulli, Coulthard, Ralfie and Kovalainen in his drive from fourteenth to sixth. The fact that the pit stops put him behind Kovalainen again did not discourage him and he spent the rest of the race badgering the Finn mercilessly. His final ninth position was less than he deserved for providing all the racing entertainment of the day.
Much is being made of the way Alonso forced Hamilton wide at the first corner but I agree with Ron Dennis on that one: it was a racing move and Lewis would have done the same if he'd been on the inside. Full credit to him for hanging in there all the way to Eau Rouge, however. I suppose it was a pity that the front four were thereafter separated into their correct positions as regards speed and the invitable procession followed. At least Kimi wasn't bored this time out, however, although his mischievous doughnut at the end was perhaps indication that even winning is not sufficient entertainment for him.
About the only other item of note was Adrian Sutil's excellent showing in the 'B' spec Spyker. Although his challenge faded with time, it was good to see an orange car snapping at the heels of David Coulthard's Red Bull and the final result, fourteenth and ahead of the Super Aguris, shows how much the Spyker is improving. If they can continue that, there might be no need to make a fuss about customer cars after all.
Otherwise, it was not about the race. Spa delivered uncharacteristically good weather but the storm cloud of the WMSC hearing and verdict hung over everything, refusing to go away. As hard as we try to forget the political madness, it must affect our view of the season, giving suspicions of tainted or undeserved titles, half-hearted celebrations of victories won in places other than the track, and a new mood of distrust where there was hard competition but respect before.
It will not go away. Whichever side we're on, we will remember this year as the one in which F1 was revealed as a battleground for warring egos and unimagineable pride, selfishness that staggers the imagination and monumental foolishness. Never again can we look on the sport as the height of human endeavor, the peak of technical excellence, for we know that there lurks within it the love of power and money, the will to win at all costs, and a disregard for fair competition that negates the concept of sport. It is a business now and follows the business pattern.
In the end, this may be a good thing. When the full extent of the damage is realized, there is just a chance that those with the true interests of F1 at heart will insist on change, perhaps a re-structuring of the organization to prevent any one man having the power to decide so much. If we believe in democracy, it must happen.
Much is being made of the way Alonso forced Hamilton wide at the first corner but I agree with Ron Dennis on that one: it was a racing move and Lewis would have done the same if he'd been on the inside. Full credit to him for hanging in there all the way to Eau Rouge, however. I suppose it was a pity that the front four were thereafter separated into their correct positions as regards speed and the invitable procession followed. At least Kimi wasn't bored this time out, however, although his mischievous doughnut at the end was perhaps indication that even winning is not sufficient entertainment for him.
About the only other item of note was Adrian Sutil's excellent showing in the 'B' spec Spyker. Although his challenge faded with time, it was good to see an orange car snapping at the heels of David Coulthard's Red Bull and the final result, fourteenth and ahead of the Super Aguris, shows how much the Spyker is improving. If they can continue that, there might be no need to make a fuss about customer cars after all.
Otherwise, it was not about the race. Spa delivered uncharacteristically good weather but the storm cloud of the WMSC hearing and verdict hung over everything, refusing to go away. As hard as we try to forget the political madness, it must affect our view of the season, giving suspicions of tainted or undeserved titles, half-hearted celebrations of victories won in places other than the track, and a new mood of distrust where there was hard competition but respect before.
It will not go away. Whichever side we're on, we will remember this year as the one in which F1 was revealed as a battleground for warring egos and unimagineable pride, selfishness that staggers the imagination and monumental foolishness. Never again can we look on the sport as the height of human endeavor, the peak of technical excellence, for we know that there lurks within it the love of power and money, the will to win at all costs, and a disregard for fair competition that negates the concept of sport. It is a business now and follows the business pattern.
In the end, this may be a good thing. When the full extent of the damage is realized, there is just a chance that those with the true interests of F1 at heart will insist on change, perhaps a re-structuring of the organization to prevent any one man having the power to decide so much. If we believe in democracy, it must happen.