Hamilton wins Belgian Grand Prix

By Richard Rae

Lewis Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix after an incident-packed race at Spa-Francorchamps.

The McLaren Mercedes driver retook the lead in the World Championship with an superb error-free drive, leading from the first corner to the finish.

Red Bull's Mark Webber was second, with Renault's Robert Kubica third, and Ferrari's Felipe Massa fourth.

Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso crashed out, and Sebastian Vettel failed to score a point.

Force India's Adrian Sutil was fifth, with Nico Rosberg sixth for Mercedes.

With the drivers having been clearly warned they would be punished if they used the run-off at the opening corner, La Source, to gain any kind of advantage on the first lap, the likelihood of collisions appeared to be increased.

What was not predicted was that pole-sitter Webber would make an appalling start, to such an extent that he reached the corner in sixth.

As Hamilton pulled ahead, Kubica weaved around the Australian, and just managed to hold off the charging Button around La Source, but rain was already beginning to fall.

By the time the field got to the Bus Stop chicane, the track was damp enough for at least nine cars to have to use the run-off area. Rubens Barrichello, in his 300th Grand Prix, was the big loser, running hard into the back of Fernando Alonso's Ferrari a collison which put him out of the race.

With the safety car out the choice was now whether to switch to intermediates or stay on slicks, and most, including the leaders chose to stay on their smooth rubber.

With the rain immediately easing off, and the safety car recalled after two laps, it was the right choice. With Hamilton stretching his lead, Button and Vettel passed Kubica. Alonso, pitting for fresh slicks from 23rd, was beginning the long climb back into the field.

Button had picked up some minor front-wing damage as he fought with Kubica into the first corner, and he was struggling with the balance of his car, but while he could not live with the speed of his team-mate, the world champion had enough in hand to keep Vettel at bay.

With the next shower forecast to be 20 minutes away, the race settled down. By lap 11 Hamilton had established a six second lead over Button; back down the field Vitaly Petrov was on a charge, and when the Renault passed Nico Rosberg's Mercedes at Les Combes, Rosberg's team-mate Michael Schumacher followed.

The margin was fine enough for the two Mercedes cars to touch, but the damage to Rosberg's front-wing was not enough for the team to bring him.

Up front, Vettel was beginning to hunt down Button, whose balance problems were growing. Kubica and Webber were getting backed up behind, which suited Hamilton just fine. By lap 15, Hamilton had 11 seconds in hand.

Alonso fought his way into the midfield, overtaking the Force India of Tonio Liuzzi around the outside of the Bus Stop chicane.

At the end of lap 16, the rain came again - and indirectly, caused immediate disaster for Button as Vettel, with a run on the Briton, lost control under braking on the damp track and speared into the side of the McLaren.

Incredibly, Vettel was able to recover just in time to steer his Red Bull across the track and into the pit lane, from where after a quick front wing change he rejoined the race.

Button, on the other hand, was out of the race, and having been in no way at fault, was entitled to be furious. The stewards immediately announced the incident would be investigated, and Vettel was handed a drive through penalty for causing an avoidable collision.

"All I felt was a really big bang in the sidepod and I lost drive immediately, I don't know what he was playing at really. From the point of view of the championship, it's a massive blow," said Button.

The incident left Hamilton clear of Kubica, Webber, Felipe Massa, Adrian Sutil, and remarkably, Schumacher, who had started 21st.

With the race at the half-way point, Sutil was the first of the leading pack to change his slick tyres. Webber was next, trying to get the jump on Kubica. Vettel, having served his penalty, was now down in 14th, but lapping more quickly than any other driver.

Hamilton stopped two laps later, and while the track stayed dry, it was looking good for the Briton. Behind him, poetic justice awaited Vettel; attempting to pass Liuzzi for 11th, the young German sliced open a tyre on the Italian's front wing. Once again, he was able to limp back to the pitlane, but he rejoined in 20th.

At the three-quarter point Hamilton was maintaining a comfortable ten second gap to Kubica, but rain was clearly on its way. As it began falling, Hamilton and Webber stayed out - and Hamilton could not stay on the track at Rivage.

Somehow he kept it out of the barriers, but immediately came in to switch to intermediates. Webber did likewise, as did Kubica - but the Pole overshot his pitlane box, enabling Webber to come out in second.

There was more drama to come, however. On lap 39, Alonso spun out at the exit to Les Combes, leaving the Ferrari in the middle of the track, necessitating another safety car period.

Feeling the grip levels carefully, Hamilton nailed the restart to keep Webber at bay. The inevitable concertina effect behind him ensured plenty of incident in the closing laps, but Hamilton maintained his concentration in superb style to score a crucial victory.

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