Belgian GP 2008 predictions

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My tip for Spa - Felipe Massa to win a second Grand Prix in a row

Who to back for the Belgian Grand Prix? Felipe Massa’s the form man at the moment but Kimi Raikkonen is superb around Spa.

Ferrari reckon the harder tyres being used at Spa this year could hand an advantage to McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen. The BMW pair will be poised to capitalise on any mistake by the top four – especially if it rains…

Predicting the top three for this race may be harder than usual. Two readers managed to get the prediction right for the top three at Valencia – find out who below.

Kimi Raikkonen’s record at Spa is formidable – three wins in the last three races at the circuit. It’s tempting to say if he can’t win here, he will not be able to defend his championship. Raikkonen has been struggling in qualifying recently and that has in turn compromised his race pace.

He will start the Belgian Grand Prix with a fresh Ferrari V8 engine following his failure at Valencia. But what about Massa? He will be on his second race with the unit – and Ferrari have had a con rod-related engine failure in the last two races.

Massa can change his engine without penalty (under the new-for-2008 ‘one free change’ rule) but it’s not an easy decision for Ferrari: the next two races are the toughest for the engines with the highest percentage of flat-out running. And Ferrari simply cannot afford another failure, especially with McLaren closing in on them in the constructors’ championship.

Engine concerns aside Massa, who is shrugging off almost every concern about different aspects of his performance this year, must be favourite for victory. I say ‘almost’ because I’m still not convinced of his wet-weather credentials after his awful drive at Silverstone. And Spa-Francorchamps, deep in the Belgian Ardennes, often sees mixed weather conditions.

In wet weather, my first choice for victory would be Hamilton, closely followed by Robert Kubica. In dry conditions Hamilton will likely run Massa very close but, even given Ferrari’s suspicion that the harder tyres will favour McLaren, I think Ferrari’s apparent power advantage should tip the balance in their favour.

So, based on the assumption that the weather will stay dry and the Ferraris will finish, my prediction is:

1. Felipe Massa
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Kimi Raikkonen

Two readers correctly predicted the Valencia podium of Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica. Toncho and Becken, stand up and take a bow!

Can they get it right two weeks in a row? Post your podium predictions below. And if you can’t decide who to go for, copy Toncho and Becken…

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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77 comments on “Belgian GP 2008 predictions”

  1. I’ll go with Raikkonen, Massa, Hamilton.

    Spa was designed for Kimi Raikkonen.

  2. Hey, I´m famous now! 

    …So I will use my crystal ball again to predict the next race:

    1º – Lewis
    2º – Kimi
    3º – Bob Kubitza

  3. 1. Kimi Raikkonen
    2. Sebastian Vettal
    3. Fernando Alonso

  4. Considering it will be shower race: 1.Kubica; 2. Raikkonen; 3. Massa.

    Remember me! :D

  5. I almost agree with you chaostheory.Although i don’t believe Massa will be 3rd.Just a feeling :)

  6. 1. Kimi Raikkonen
    2. Lewis Hamilton
    3. Felipe Massa

  7. @ Rui: yeah i know – Silverstone; but i hope he got better by now… BTW. if he will do one spin at Spa – then i’ll stop considering him a ’08 World Champ candidate.

  8. A rainy race looks like a probability, rather than a possibility, but as always, I’ll do two predictions. (Wet and dry)

    Dry Race
    1. Raikkonen
    2. Massa
    3. Hamilton

    Wet Race
    1. Form book (Kubica)
    2. Thrown out (Hamilton)
    3. The Window (Heidfeld)

  9. If it’s dry….
    1. Massa
    2. Hamilton
    3. Raikkonen

    If it’s wet….
    1. Hamilton
    2. Alonso
    3. Raikkonen

  10. Raikkonen
    Massa
    Hamilton

    Is to be considered by dry prediction. My wet prediction is

    Raikkonen
    Hamilton
    Kubica

    People forget just how bloody good Raikkonen is in the wet, particularly in mixed weather conditions. He’s already owned Spa twice in these conditions, and I see no reason why he wouldn’t do it again.

    This is Raikkonen’s weekend.

  11. 1.Hamilton
    2.Kimi
    3.Kovalainen

  12. Kimi
    Massa
    Alonso

    Spa & Kimi..made for each other! Massa in the list because of apparent advantage of Ferrari engines(of course if it lasts!) and Alonso needs to be there simply because he is the best driver in the grid and he should be on podium even with a less competitive car!

  13. 1. Hamilton
    2. Heidfeld
    3. Kovalainen

  14. Dry
    Raikkonen
    Hamilton
    Massa

    Wet
    Hamilton
    Kubica
    Heidfeld

  15. Dry
    Hamilton
    Kimi
    Kovalainen

    Wet
    Hamilton
    Barrichello
    Heidfeld

  16. Alonso
    Heidfeld
    Piquet

    (Massa
    Bourdais
    Kubica
    Webber
    Vettel)

  17. Lewis
    Kubica
    Heikki

  18. Dry:
    1-Raikkonen
    2-Massa
    3-Hamilton

    Wet:
    1-Hamilton
    2-Heidfeld
    3-Kubica

  19. Dry:
    Kimi
    Massa
    Lewis

    Wet:
    Hamy
    Kub
    Kimi

  20. Webber
    Hamilton
    Vettel
    (Ah, what should have been at Fuji last year :))

  21. OK Serious

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Kovaleinen (Love isn’t always on time!)

  22. 1. Hamilton
    2. Kovalainen
    3. Räikkönen

  23. 1 Kubica
    2 Hamilton
    3 Kimi

  24. 1.Kimi
    2.Massa
    3.Lewis

  25. Robert
    Kimi
    Felipe

  26. 01. HAM
    02. MAS
    03. KOV

  27. kimi
    heiki
    kubica

  28. I can’t ever force myself to do the predictions. I will only say this time that if Santori’s guess comes true, I’ll pay the beer for the entire forum!

  29. Standard race:

    1. Hamilton
    2. Massa
    3. Raikkonen

    Wet or safety car:

    1. Hamilton
    2. Kubica
    3. Alonso

  30. 1. Robert Kubica
    2. Felipe Massa
    3. Lewis Hamilton

  31. Dry:
    1 Kimi
    2 Lewis
    3 Massa

    Wet:
    1 Lewis
    2 Kimi
    3 Bobby K

    I reluctantly put Massa to finish third simply because of the prancing horse sitting behind him. And that is a generous prediction based entirely on his car. I am not in any way convinced that Mr. Massa has what it takes to conquer a beast like Spa-Francorchamps. Especially in the rain.

  32. extreme wet

    glock-just because i like his name
    alonso
    button

    1998-think about it.

  33. 1. Ham
    2. Kov
    3. Rai

  34. @verasaki

    glock has been a really nice surprise at least for me (i didn’t follow gp2).I do hope he makes a nice race.
    Button on 3rd that’s a big stretch no?I’d bet more on Barrichelo.On Sylverstone he brought the Honda to the podium, even with those refueling problems.I’d love to see him winning again.

    extreme wet

    1 – Barrichelo
    2 – Glock
    3 – Heildfeld

    wet

    1 – Kubica
    2 – Raikkonen
    3 – Heiki

    sun

    1 – Hamilton
    2/3 – Raikkonnen/ Kubica

    I didn’t put Massa or Hamilton on the top if it rains..because i have a feeling if that happens they will both go out.

  35. Kimi
    Massa
    Kovalainen

  36. Qualifying
    1. Mas
    2. Ham
    3. Rai

    Race
    1. Mas
    2. Rai
    3. Ham

  37. Number of spins for Massa: 11

  38. Q:
    1. Hamilton
    2. Räikkonen
    3. Massa

    GP:
    1. Räikkönen
    2. Hamilton
    3. Heidfeld

  39. Benny must be from Finland cause Räikkönen is written like it should be=)

  40. Dry

    Kimi
    Felipe
    Lewis/Robert

    Wet
    Kimi
    Lewis
    Nick/Robert/Timo/……………………………Felipe

    Distant chance for Felipe…

  41. Dry weather:

    1 Ham
    2 Kov
    3 Rai

    Not an easy choice as I am a Kimi fan, but the change of tyres could be decisive.
    But I expect that Kimi will win in Monza. What they couldn’t do last year.

    Wet weather:

    1 Rai
    2 Kub
    3 Sut (wild card, liked his driving last year)

    In case of another monster crash as a few years ago, I’d go for

    Dry or Wet:

    1 Rai (he escapes because of his bad qualifying)
    2 Alo
    3 Vet

  42. 1. Massa
    2. Great Lewis/Kimmi fight… especially off the line.
    4. Alonso vs Piquet – yep I said it!

  43. 1. kimi
    2. massa
    3. kubica

  44. 1. Kimi
    2. Massa
    3. Alonso

    DNF. Lewis

  45. This is perhaps a little more heart than head but….

    1. Raikkonen
    2. Massa
    3. Kubica

  46. I reckon it’ll be slightly wet.
    I hope santori is also correct, but only for the beer from qazuhb :)

    So I’ll go for:
    1. Hamilton
    2. Raikkonen
    3. Vettel

    Massas engine will “pop it’s clogs” as it’s his 2nd race with it. Seems to be a Ferrari pattern at the moment.

  47. My predictions

    Lewis
    Massa
    Kimi

  48. listening to kubica in practice, he really hates the feel of the car, handling like a pig, so i’m not putting anything on him… except that he wont make it into q3…

    1. massa
    2. kimi
    3. ham

  49. Dry/damp:

    1) Massa
    2) Kimi
    3) Lewis

    Wet:

    1) Lewis
    2) Massa
    3) Vettel*

    * just because it would be nice to get almost every team on the podium this season, come on force india get in there!!!

    I kinda hope it rains just so massa can show that silverstone was just a really bad day for him.

  50. my bet kimi , glock , trully

  51. Gambling on an, at least patially, wet race, so….

    1.HAM
    2.RAI
    3.KOV

    Massa is good, but very concerned he loses confidence and focus when he loses grip.

  52. 1. Raikkonen (not from Pole)
    2. Hamilton (consistent)
    3. Vettel (star of the show)

  53. I think it will be:
    1) HAM
    2) MAS
    3) RAI
    4) KOV

  54. 1) Massa
    2) Alonso
    3) Kubica

  55. Wet:
    Hamilton
    Kubica
    Kovaleinnen

    Dry:
    Massa
    Hamilton
    Kubica

  56. I´m going to raise a lot of eyebrows with my wet

    wet

    Massa
    Alonso
    Raikko

    Dry

    Hamilton
    Raikkonen
    Massa

  57. 1. Kubica
    2. Barrichello
    3. Hamilton

  58. 1. Massa
    2. Hamilton
    3. Alonso

  59. DRY
    Massa
    Hamilton
    Kovalinen

    WET
    Hamilton
    Kovalinen
    Alonso

  60. I will go with Raikonen, Massa and Alonso

  61. dry:
    1.massa
    2.Raikonen
    3.Heikki

    wet:
    1.Hamilton
    2.Massa
    3.Heikki

    I think, Felipe has turned a corner.. he will do good even if spa is wet..

  62. Dry:
    1.Massa
    2.Raikkonen
    3.Hamilton

    Wet:
    1.Massa
    2.Raikkonen
    3.Alonso

    Go Felipe!!!!

  63. Can someone elaborate on Kubica, and why his practice was so poor. I noticed he never shines in practice, but today was especially bad. Heidfeld got a descent lead on Kubica.

  64. Hi Polak
    “The conditions today were variable, especially in the afternoon session,” said Kubica. “Therefore today it was not only the testing that was difficult, but also evaluating the results of our programme. At the end of the day the conditions were the same for everybody. We shall now analyse the data and prepare for Saturday. When I was doing a practice start at the end of the session the engine stalled.”

  65. Dry:

    1. Massa
    2. Hamilton
    3. Raikkonen

    Wet:

    1. Raikkonen
    2. Hamilton
    3. Trulli

  66. MY CHOICE IS
    HAMILTON
    MASSA
    ALONSO..

    FIRST PODIUM FOR ALONSO…HOPEFULLY…THIS YEAR

  67. OK I’ve done a quick tally of who everyone’s picked to win (where people have given more than one prediction I’ve used whichever one they put down first). Here’s the voting so far:

    Kimi Raikkonen 21
    Lewis Hamilton 16
    Felipe Massa 13
    Robert Kubica 6
    Fernando Alonso 1
    Timo Glock 1
    Rubens Barrichello 1

  68. 1- Hammy
    2- Kubica
    3- Heikki

    Massa’s engine will pop, Kimi just seems to be on a bad run of luck that carried on today.

    Anyone heard anything about the mechanic Kimi ran over?

  69. Berny,

    I Heard that he is fine.

    Another issue: did anyone heard the “hard talk between Kubica and his mechanics via radio?

  70. This has to be one of the biggest prediction threads so far.

  71. Another issue: did anyone heard the “hard talk between Kubica and his mechanics via radio?

    Whats that about Becken?

  72. Some friends from a spanish blog has told me that were a hard pit-radio exchange between Kubica and his engineer but cant find it in web.

    I only found this on internet:

    “The car is nowhere – it is not working”

  73. my heart wants Kimi to win this round
    but my head says shut your ventricle. Massa.

    i expect Sutil to fair well this weekend, like he did last year here, fighting ralf’s toyota in his evil handling spyker (but rather good looking may i add).

    massa
    kimi
    hamilton

  74. 1. Raikkonen
    2. Alonso
    3. Hamilton

  75. After qualy:

    Massa (he’ll be first at Eau Rouge)
    Hamilton
    Raikonen (passing Kovalainen in the long straight after Eau Rouge)

  76. 1. Heidfeld
    2. Raikonnen
    3. Kovy

  77. ScuderiaToroFerrari4Eva
    7th September 2008, 1:21

    i think it will be 1 Raikkonen 2 Vettel 3 Massa or Bourdais :D

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