Belgium Grand Prix

Belgium Grand Prix

QUALIFYING

Position:	Driver:	Team:	Time:
1.	M Hakkinen	Mclaren	1min 48.682
2.	D Coulthard	Mclaren	1min 48.845
3.	D Hill	Jordan	1min 49.728
4.	M Schumacher	Ferrari	1min 49.797
5.	E Irvine	Ferrari	1min 50.189
6.	J.Villeneuve	Williams	1min 50.204
7.	G Fisichella	Benetton	1min 50.462
8.	R Schumacher	Jordan	1min 50.501
9.	HH Frentzen	Williams	1min 50.686
10.	J Alesi	Sauber	1min 51.189
11.	A Wurz	Benetton	1min 51.648
12.	J.Herbert	Sauber	1min 51.851
13.	J Trulli	Prost	1min 52.572
14.	R Barrichello	Stewart	1min 52.670
15.	O.Panis	Prost	1min 52.784
16.	P.Diniz	Arrows	1min 53.037
17.	J. Verstappen	Stewart	1min 53.149
18.	M Salo	Arrows	1min 53.207
19.	T Takagi	Tyrrell	1min 53.237
20.	R Rosset	Tyrrell	1min 54.850
21.	S.Nakano	Minardi	1min 55.084
22.	E Tuero	Minardi	1min 55.520

Qualifying

The McClarens once again dominated the qualifying by taking another one-two. Jordan continued there rejuvenation with Hill taking third. The two Ferrari's could only manage 4th and 5th due to the lack of power.

Ferrari however claim that there car is more suited for the race than Qualifying and believe they will be up there tomorrow.

Surprisingly the last car on the grid will not be the Tyrrell of Rosset, who Qualified in 20th.

THE RACE

Position:	Driver:	Team:	Time:/Cause:
1	D Hill	Ferrari	1hr 43m 47.407s
2	R Schumacher	Mclaren	+0.932s
3	J Alesi	Williams	+7.240s
4	H-H Frentzen	Jordan	+32.242s
5	P Diniz	Williams	+51.682s
6	J Trulli	Mclaren	2 Laps
7	D Coulthard	Sauber	5 Laps
8	S Nakano	Benetton	5 Laps
DNF	G Fisichella	Jordan	Contact with Nakano
DNF	E Irvine	Sauber	Spun
DNF	M Schumacher	Prost	Contact with Coulthard
DNF	E Tuero	Arrows	-
DNF	J.Villeneuve	Stewart	Spun
DNF	T Takagi	Minardi	-
DNF	J.Verstappen	Minardi	Engine
DNF	R Barrichello	Benetton	Crash
DNF	M Hakkinen	Tyrrell	Crash
DNF	J Herbert	Arrows	Crash
DNF	O Panis	Stewart	Crash
DNF	R Rosset	Ferrari	Crash
DNF	M Salo	Prost	Crash
DNS	A Wurz	Tyrrell	Crash

The Race

Irvine's Ferrari after impact from many cars

Panis's Prost with the right rear weel hanging off

The heavens opened just before the race began making this difficult track even more dangerous.The Flash point of this race is normally at the first corner. The short distance between the start and the corner often means the cars are tightly bunched thus can't help contact with others. However all the cars negotiated it safely. Coulthard, who's car had been reported by Hill to have lost a piece on the parade lap, was under pressure from Irvine. As he went to accelerate his car flew out of control and hit the pit wall before bouncing back across the track, causing a multiple car pile up behind him. Matters were made worse by Rosset, who was already a bit behind who due to the poor visibility ploughed into the back of the pack at almost full speed.

It took almost an hour for the marshals to clean the track up and the race to get started again. From the second start Schumacher got a good start and was challenging Hakkinen. Hakkinen got on the power too early causing his car to spin. Before he had time to recover he was clobbered by Herbert's Sauber.

Hill now lead but Schumacher was closing fast and it didn't take long for Schumacher to take him at the Bus stop. Schumacher pulled away while many of the top drivers found the conditions too tough. Everything was going okay for Ferrari until about half distance. Schumacher was closing in to lap Coulthard, who had early been off with Wurz, leaving him in last. Jean Todt went down to Mclaren to tell them to get David out of the way. As Schumacher got closer Coulthard started to slow on the racing line. Schumacher did his best to miss the collision but couldn't help hitting him. His right front suspension was ripped off leaving Schumacher limping back to the pits. It also seemed to be the end of Coulthard race.. Schumacher jumped out of his car an marched down to Coulthard garage and had to be restrained by Mclaren and Ferrari pit crew.

On the same lap Irvine who was closing in on Villneurve touched the curb sending him into a spin and out of the race.

Fisichella was going well until he was involved in an almost identical collision to that of Schumacher. He hit Nakano and his car carried out of control with fire pouring out the back. While in both incidents the leading car went out both Nakano and Coulthard were able to rejoin the track in the hope that more cars would retire letting them gain a few championship points. These accidents allowed Hill and Ralf Schumacher to coast home in first and second. It was Jordan's first F1 win and in was achieved in style.

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