Belgian GP: Controversy at Spa as Hamilton is penalized, handing Massa the win!

From F1-Live.com

t was a most dramatic day in the Ardennes once again and this time the action extended beyond the chequered flag. Rain ahead of the 44-lap Belgian Grand Prix and then in the final stages of the race turned the 13th round of the world championship on its head and effectively ended Kimi Raikkonen’s championship hopes. Lewis Hamilton slithered across the line to record what was to be his ninth victory of his career. However, this being Formula One, there would be a few more twists and turns before nightfall at Spa Francorchamps and Felipe Massa was later handed the race win by the race stewards.

It was Raikkonen who made the best of the tricky conditions on the first lap to move from fourth position on the grid to take the race lead at the start of the second lap as pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton spun his McLaren Mercedes at La Source.

Raikkonen took control of the race but was unable to shake Hamilton with the gap fluctuating between two seconds and six seconds throughout the bulk of the race. The turning point - in terms of racing - came three laps from home as light rain began to fall and immediately Raikkonen was forced to back off allowing Hamilton to close right in and challenge for the lead into the final turn with just over two laps remaining.

Hamilton attempted the pass around the outside of the right-left turn – formerly the ‘bus stop’ - but with no room as Raikkonen took his normal racing line, Hamilton was forced off track before rejoining on the main straight. Not deterred, Hamilton pounced and made a clean pass on the Ferrari driver into La Source.

This is the move that would later cost the McLaren driver the race victory as it was determined that he had in fact gained an advantage over his Ferrari rival on the run to the first turn.

With the rains now falling harder and the race just a lap and a half from its conclusion, Hamilton and Raikkonen pushed as hard as they dared in the conditions but both were forced to take avoiding action as Nico Rosberg’s Williams Toyota spun and rejoined in front of them. Hamilton took to the grass and rejoined while Raikkonen had a quick spin before resuming.

Seconds later Raikkonen lost the Ferrari for a second and final time and spun into the retaining wall on the approach to the final turn. Hamilton slithered around the final lap to take the chequered flag ahead of Felipe Massa . It was a sensational final few laps of the race only soured by the post race penalties.

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080907153323.shtml


FINAL RESULTS:

1) Felipe Massa - Ferrari

2) Nick Heidfeld - BMW

3) Lewis Hamilton - McLaren - Mercedes

4) Fernando Alonso - Renault

5) Sebastien Vettel - Scuderia Toro Rosso - Ferrari

6) Robert Kubica - BMW

7) Sebastien Bourdais - Scuderia Toro Rosso - Ferrari

8) Mark Webber - Red Bull - Renault

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP:

1) Lewis Hamilton - 76

2) Felipe Massa - 74

CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP:

1) Ferrari - 131

2) McLaren - 119

3) BMW - 107