Posted on 08/20/2015 3:58:55 PM PDT by Chode
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
First Grand Prix 1950
Number of Laps 44
Circuit Length 7.004KM
Race Distance 308.052KM
Lap Record 1:47.263 by Sebastian Vettel (2009)
for live streaming one of these links should work...
vipbox-F1...or...rojadirecta,tv
Raikkonen to stay with Ferrari in 2016
Ferrari Kimi Raikkonen
19 Aug 2015
Ferrari have announced that Kimi Raikkonen will stay with the team for the 2016 season, ending speculation about the Finn’s future.
In a brief statement the Italian team confirmed that they have renewed their technical and racing agreement with the 2007 world champion, who will remain as Sebastian Vettels team mate.
“What can I say For me, to be able to stay another year at Ferrari means that the dream goes on,” said Raikkonen, 35.
“The Scuderia is my family, as I always said, it’s here I want to end my career.
“I am more committed than ever and I want to say thank you to the people who gave me this chance. Also, a big thank you goes to all my Ferrari fans, for their continuous support.”
Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene added: “We believe that extending Kimi’s contract into the next season will provide further stability to the team.
“This has been our guideline, also considering the very good relationship between Kimi and Seb. On our side, this shows our great confidence in him, and I expect this confidence to be well rewarded.”
Raikkonen captured nine of his 20 Grand Prix victories during his first stint with Ferrari between 2007 and 2009, but has only recorded one podium finish - in Bahrain this year - since rejoining the Scuderia in 2014. He currently trails Vettel by 84 points in the drivers’ standings - a deficit that had fuelled rumours that he might be replaced in 2016.
However, Raikkonen’s new deal, which comes ahead of this weekend’s 2015 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix, ensures that he will spend a second successive season in red. It is also expected to trigger a number of other moves in the driver market.
Belgium preview - new start procedures under the spotlight at Spa
Belgium
20 Aug 2015
After a well-earned summer break, the 2015 season swings back into life this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps where there is an added frisson of excitement and uncertainty surrounding the FIAs changes to the rules governing start procedures.
The basic premise is that the teams will be limited in the information they can give their drivers over the radio as they prepare for the off. Primarily, the clutch bite point will now be fixed by the time the cars leave the pits for the grid prior to the start of the race. In the past drivers could experiment with the bite point and make adjustments with help from their team during the formation laps.
With the twin clutches employed on an F1 car, drivers would set one lever at the chosen bite point and have the other fully disengaged just before the start. Theyd then release the second lever at the start and begin the juggling act with power, torque, engine mapping and wheelspin to make the best start they can.
Whats different now is that the teams cant help them find the crucial bite point; now each driver has to do that himself in the old-fashioned, seat-of-the-pants way.
Of course, much attention will be on the two Mercedes drivers, who are likely to be on the front row of the grid again. Lewis Hamilton has made poor starts in Austria, Britain and Hungary, Rosberg in the latter two. The Silver Arrows duo managed to get back in front at Silverstone, but lost in Budapest as a direct result of poor getaways. So the reigning champions are going to be on red alert to make sure it doesnt happen again and that they get the new technique right from the off.
YES!!!!!
Spa is maybe my favorite track of the season.
Spa is one of those historic places where they found some awesome geography and built a race track. Sort of like Mid-Ohio and Road Atlanta.
The boys will be doin some real racin at Bristol this weekend.
YES!!!! Spa......Best circuit in FI bar none!
fails utterly to support "(now) the teams cant help them find the crucial bite point; now each driver has to do that himself in the old-fashioned, seat-of-the-pants way."
Soooo, Now they'll be all old fashioned (apparently there's a waiver for twin clutches, twin levers, and optional engagement) right up until they begin the juggling act with power, torque, engine mapping and wheelspin and all the other magical things that will hopefully get them 'round the track.
Irony aside, I’ll still be watching the race.
Button had better watch out his car doesn’t get stolen...
Thanks, no.
All are on NBCS(HD) Channel 220:
Sat. 8/22 01:30AM Practice
Sat. 8/22 12:30PM Qualifying
Sun. 8/23 07:30AM Race Live
Jenson Button: Burglary ordeal ‘behind us now’
By Andrew Benson Chief F1 writer at Spa-Francorchamps
Jenson Button has spoken for the first time about what he described as the “ordeal” of being burgled while asleep on holiday earlier this month.
Button was robbed while holidaying in France with friends and wife Jessica, whose engagement ring was stolen.
“You never want anyone in your house that you haven’t invited when you’re there. And asleep as well,” he said.
The McLaren driver said he hoped the publicity surrounding the incident had raised awareness of the issue.
“It is what it is,” the 2009 world champion said. “I am sure it is not the last time it is going to happen to someone.
“But with all the reports hopefully it will make people aware and that’s the most important thing so it doesn’t happen as often in the future.”
The whole party slept through the incident, which Button’s spokesman claimed may have involved the use of anaesthetic gas.
Button, who is racing at the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, said that following the end of his holiday in France he and Jessica had travelled to her home country of Japan.
“I’ve been in Japan the last week, which has been lovely, with Jessie’s family and enjoying Tokyo with some friends,” he said.
“It has been a lot of fun after the ordeal of the week before. But it’s behind us now. We’re healthy, well and both looking forward to this weekend.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.