F1 » Raikkonen puts Ferrari back on top at Spa.

A-OK on the forum police. I am not the police, but we don't need insults. Period. Disagreeing is fine. Let's not turn this into a trash heap. A side thought: If the regs in 2010 make the cars 15kg heavier and there is no refueling, and KERS remains restricted, the GP2 times on any given track will be within 2 seconds of the F1 times. Unless they detune the GP2 formula...

F1 » Raikkonen wins Belgian GP at Spa

Ghost - Kimi took P1 on the Kammel straight, on the first lap after the SC left the course. He was not ahead of Fisichella until that point. Conspiracy theorists will note that the KERS system is most beneficial on the 1st lap from starting or restarting, and that Kimi got to use that advantage twice in the opening 4 laps at Spa. It is NOT clear that Kimi took a position via the escape road on lap 1. There was another incident on lap 7 where Sutil took a position from Badoer via the escape road. That was a little different. Badoer was inexplicably slow and Sutil had to veer to avoid contact, but he did pass him in the maneuver. So it's a judgment call I guess.

F1 » Raikkonen wins Belgian GP at Spa

Yank - I agree, those SpeedTV guys can be let loose with some ridiculous statements. I just watched lap 1 again. Raikonnen made no apparent attempt to stay on track for turn 1. From the car's speed and direction, he was always intending to use the escape road. It was Peter Windsor who blamed Raikonnen for the incident at Les Combes, and Hobbs eventually concurred with that view. Windsor went further and accused Raikonnen of causing the incident on purpose. Varsha deftly declined to endorse either theory. Windsor is connected and savvy, but a little too catty for me. I'll be glad to see him go, next year.

F1 » Raikkonen puts Ferrari back on top at Spa.

RacerX: Couple reasons I can think of: #1. The color of the car. #2. could argue that it was necessary to avoid incident #3. Lap 1 at La Source is the most dangerous turn in F1. Maybe Fia just tries to stay clear if there is no incident. Actually, the Hamilton penalty last year is not the closest comparable. If you recall last year, Kimi did THE SAME THING on lap 1 at La Source. I don't recall exactly, but I think at least one other driver also went on the escape road on lap 1 - maybe Alonso, maybe Hamilton. And no penalties were assessed for the lap 1 action then. This year, the same. Hamilton's penalty was for an incident that occurred much later in the race.

F1 » Briatore, Fisichella cool on Monza rumours.

Amazing. Ferrari spends at least 3 times, and maybe 8 times what Force India spends. And they are roughly competitive.

F1 » Briatore, Fisichella cool on Monza rumours.

Oh, hint of a scandal. I wonder if the source of this compelling new information could be the recently dispatched former Renault driver. . .

F1 » No action against Les Combes quartet.

Romain, your neck is not long. It's just that you have no shoulders.

F1 » Button frustrated by rookie error.

I was wondering the same. Is it the car or the driver? There is no launch control now, right? So what is happening with "anti stall". I don't know what it means. In an case it cost him a podium.

F1 » Provisional 2010 F1 calendar leaked

PhilW - it's just politics, just business. Melbourne were caught in the middle, and in the end, they suffered for it. That's the way it goes.

F1 » Raikkonen puts Ferrari back on top at Spa.

I'll say it again: FIA should unshackle KERS. 80bhp is not enough. I understand that originally for 2010 the KERS power output limit was to be raised, but now it is to remain at the 2009 level: 80bhp. This is wrongheaded. They need to raise the level and encourage continuing development of the technology. Did FIA limit the power output of turbos in 1983? Why should they limit power output of KERS? The formula should restrict inputs - widths of tires, height of the wing, weight of the car. The formula should not restrict outputs: power, grip, acceleration, steering response, aero drag. I'm very glad to see Williams committed to KERS in 2010. Odd that Ferrari was for a 2010 ban...