Reverend
September 16th, 2007, 21:52 PM
Fernando Alonso cut McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton's world championship lead to two points as Kimi Raikkonen took a dominant win at the Belgian GP.
Raikkonen led from start to finish to head Felipe Massa in a Ferrari one-two.
Alonso and Hamilton briefly disputed third place on the opening lap before the world champion edged ahead to leave the Englishman to finish in fourth.
Raikkonen is now 13 points behind Hamilton with a maximum of 30 available leaving the title race finely poised.
It was the Finn's third straight win at the demanding Spa-Francorchamps track, widely regarded as the finest racing circuit in the world.
After converting his pole position into a lead at the first corner, Raikkonen was never under pressure from Massa.
"We knew we would be stronger here than in Monza," said Raikkonen. "It was the perfect race for the team.
"We're still in the championship and we'll keep pushing and see what we can do."
The McLaren drivers could do nothing about the Ferraris on a track that was always expected to favour the Italian cars.
Hamilton, who has been slightly off his team-mate's pace all weekend, made a brave attempt to pass Alonso at the start but was firmly rebuffed.
The two men went into the first corner side by side, and as Alonso legitimately used all the track on the exit of the corner Hamilton was pushed wide onto the tarmac run-off area.
It was a hard but fair move from Alonso, but Hamilton was not finished.
He did not back off, and instead pulled alongside Alonso as they headed down the steep hill into Eau Rouge, one of F1's most demanding corners.
The two headed into the left-right-left rollercoaster side by side, but Alonso sat it out with Hamilton around the first part, forcing him to the outside for the right-hander, at which point the novice had to concede.
"We arrived wheel by wheel into turn three or four but I was lucky to be on the inside and took the position from him," explained Alonso.
"Between third and fourth it's only one point in the championship and it doesn't change anything. The championship is very open, as it was before."
Belgian Grand Prix result:
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari
2. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
3. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren-Mercedes
4. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
5. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber
6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams - Toyota
7. Mark Webber (Aust) RedBull - Renault
8. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault
Championship standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 97 pts
2. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren-Mercedes 95
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 84
4. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 77
5. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 56
6. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 33
7. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault 22
8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 17
Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 161 pts
2. BMW Sauber 90
3. Renault 39
4. Williams-Toyota 28
5. Red Bull-Renault 18
Full story: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6997551.stm)
Raikkonen led from start to finish to head Felipe Massa in a Ferrari one-two.
Alonso and Hamilton briefly disputed third place on the opening lap before the world champion edged ahead to leave the Englishman to finish in fourth.
Raikkonen is now 13 points behind Hamilton with a maximum of 30 available leaving the title race finely poised.
It was the Finn's third straight win at the demanding Spa-Francorchamps track, widely regarded as the finest racing circuit in the world.
After converting his pole position into a lead at the first corner, Raikkonen was never under pressure from Massa.
"We knew we would be stronger here than in Monza," said Raikkonen. "It was the perfect race for the team.
"We're still in the championship and we'll keep pushing and see what we can do."
The McLaren drivers could do nothing about the Ferraris on a track that was always expected to favour the Italian cars.
Hamilton, who has been slightly off his team-mate's pace all weekend, made a brave attempt to pass Alonso at the start but was firmly rebuffed.
The two men went into the first corner side by side, and as Alonso legitimately used all the track on the exit of the corner Hamilton was pushed wide onto the tarmac run-off area.
It was a hard but fair move from Alonso, but Hamilton was not finished.
He did not back off, and instead pulled alongside Alonso as they headed down the steep hill into Eau Rouge, one of F1's most demanding corners.
The two headed into the left-right-left rollercoaster side by side, but Alonso sat it out with Hamilton around the first part, forcing him to the outside for the right-hander, at which point the novice had to concede.
"We arrived wheel by wheel into turn three or four but I was lucky to be on the inside and took the position from him," explained Alonso.
"Between third and fourth it's only one point in the championship and it doesn't change anything. The championship is very open, as it was before."
Belgian Grand Prix result:
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari
2. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
3. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren-Mercedes
4. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
5. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber
6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams - Toyota
7. Mark Webber (Aust) RedBull - Renault
8. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault
Championship standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 97 pts
2. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren-Mercedes 95
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 84
4. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 77
5. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 56
6. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 33
7. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault 22
8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 17
Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 161 pts
2. BMW Sauber 90
3. Renault 39
4. Williams-Toyota 28
5. Red Bull-Renault 18
Full story: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6997551.stm)