Weight & Grid

[WSRfan82]

1. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India, 648kg <<--- looks light
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 656.5<<--- thats more like it mate :)
3. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 655
4. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 644.5 <<---but not as light as him (good drive fisi)
5. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber, 649
6. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 655
7. Timo Glock, Toyota, 648.5
8. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 662.5
9. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 658 <<---- should be down in 14th lol
10. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 670
11. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 678.5
12. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 693.5 <<----don't get
13. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 684.4
14. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 694.2<<---dont get this either(think the pressures geting to him now)
15. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 697
16. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 685
17. Jaime Alguersuari, Toro Rosso, 704.5 <<----goot drive i think with that on
18. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams, 706.1<<-----and he beat badoer with that
19. Romain Grosjean, Renault, 704.7
20. Luca Badoer, Ferrari, 691.5 <<-------why do Ferrari bother hes just messing up there championship...test driver for Ferrari test what go kart's?

[ratonmacias]

dude only from 1st to 10th qualify with the declared fuel loads. during q3

qualy 2 is full of light cars trying to go past to qualy 3.

so that means neither button or hamilton were heavy during qualifying.

[keysersoze]

This is interesting. I read on F1 Live an article that showed the cars (probably) filled to the brim with fuel will go to lap 41-43. Isn't the race only 44 laps?

Seems like anyone going that long needs to be on the blacks, but the car will perhaps handle terribly toward the end of the stint. Anyone stopping early will go with the options and then go longer on the second stint on the blacks.

Maybe tire wear isn't as much of an issue at Spa.

Then again, it could rain. :confused:

[ClarkFan]

Hmmm....could Hamilton's and Button's crews believe that having Trulli well up the grid will stack up the field, reducing the gap from second to 14th? They move up the field as people pit, then turn some hot laps after Trulli pits and gain places as a result. Looks like Kovalainen is on the same strategy. The regional forecast calls for coolish weather tomorrow, so tire wear may be less of an issue.

Barrichello needs to make a hero move at the start to see if he can grab the lead by the first turn and get away. If he gets stuck behind Trulli with that light load, he is pretty much doomed.

And who let BMW put 3.0 liter V10s in their cars? :confused:

ClarkFan

[ioan]

This is interesting. I read on F1 Live an article that showed the cars (probably) filled to the brim with fuel will go to lap 41-43. Isn't the race only 44 laps?

Probably they've got their maths wrong.

706 kgs -> 106 kgs of fuel.
Fuel consumption at Spa approx 3.15 kgs (more with a heavier car).
After installation + formation lap -> 100kgs of fuel -> 30-31 laps.

[ClarkFan]

Probably they've got their maths wrong.

706 kgs -> 106 kgs of fuel.
Fuel consumption at Spa approx 3.15 kgs (more with a heavier car).
After installation + formation lap -> 100kgs of fuel -> 30-31 laps.
That would defnitely indicate that Button and the McLarens are looking at a long first stint - 25 laps at least. They have to hope that the field doesn't gap out, so they can do some business in laps 17-25.

ClarkFan

[Hawkmoon]

Raikkonen looks pretty good. Could be Ferrari's best chance of a win if you consider the KERS advantage at the start.

[call_me_andrew]

This is interesting. I read on F1 Live an article that showed the cars (probably) filled to the brim with fuel will go to lap 41-43. Isn't the race only 44 laps?

Seems like anyone going that long needs to be on the blacks, but the car will perhaps handle terribly toward the end of the stint. Anyone stopping early will go with the options and then go longer on the second stint on the blacks.

Maybe tire wear isn't as much of an issue at Spa.

Then again, it could rain. :confused:

Perhaps someone important read my question about the tire regs...

[F1boat]

The estimations of James Allen:
Pos Driver Weight (kg) First stop lap
1. Fisichella Force India-Mercedes 648.0 11
2. Trulli Toyota 656.5 13/14
3. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber 655.0 13
4. Barrichello Brawn-Mercedes 644.5 10
5. Kubica BMW-Sauber 649.0 11
6. Raikkonen Ferrari 655.0 13
7. Glock Toyota 648.5 11
8. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 662.5 15
9. Webber Red Bull-Renault 658.0 14
10. Rosberg Williams-Toyota 670.0 17
11. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 678.5* 20
12. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 693.5* 24
13. Alonso Renault 684.4* 22
14. Button Brawn-Mercedes 694.2* 24
15. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 697.0* 25
16. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 685.0* 22
17. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 704.5* 28
18. Nakajima Williams-Toyota 706.1* 29
19. Grosjean Renault 704.7* 28
20. Badoer Ferrari 691.5* 23
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/08/thoughts-on-how-the-belgian-gp-may-unfold/

[ioan]

Just redone some of my calculations as previously I used 600kgs for the minimum car weight instead of 605kgs.

IMO Fisi will go 12 laps (same for Glock) and Jarno, Nick and Kimi 14 laps each.
Rubens should visit the pits first time after 11 laps one lap before Kubica does so in lap 12.
Vettel should pit first at the end of lap 17 maybe even 18 if he manages to save a bit of fuel during his installation and formation laps.