Belgian Grand Prix (2011) RESULT

Spa was wet for qualifying, and Button fell victim in 13th on the grid. But can Hamilton stop Vettel from regaining winning form in Spa Francorchamps?

As always, Spa threw the weather in to the equation in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, with Button ending in 13th place on the grid after a rapidly drying track left the McLaren driver stranded in 13th place as others took advantage, despite being obviously quicker than most of the pack.

Without the rain errors it could have been a McLaren front row, but Hamilton at least managed to show the McLarens were quick at Spa and joined Vettel on the front row with Webber in third and Massa fourth.

But all the promise came to nothing for Hamilton as he reverted to type and drove like a petulant child – straight in to Kamui Kobayashi on lap thirteen – ending McLaren’s hopes of a win. Why do McLaren tolerate the behaviour of this man-child? He’s good, but he’s a liability. They must be thanking the gods they have Jenson Button.

Not that Jenson had any real part to play in the opening laps, starting so far back. Off the line Rosberg flew from sixth place and was, briefly, in the lead. The first few laps saw Rosberg, Hamilton, Alonso and Vettel vying for the front, but after Hamilton crashed out and the safety car settled things down, the race became more predictable with Vettel out front – which is where he stayed.

But behind Vettel things were more interesting. Button, who got clipped by Paul di Resta at the start – damaging his rear wing – and fell back to 19th at one point. Despite that, Jenson drove beautifully and ended up, briefly, in the lead (albeit during pit stops) but ended a magnificent third place. Without the debacle in qualifying, Spa could have been a victory for Button.

Webber made a similar resurgence during the race – in his case after a poor start, all too typical of his 2011 season – after he dropped several place off the grid, but some terrific driving – particularly as he took Alonso coming in to Eau Rouge – saw him take a great second place.

Best of the rest was undoubtedly Michael Schumacher in an impressively quick Mercedes. He went from dead last on the grid to fifth at the end of the race – perhaps the best drive of the day.

So Spa was back to form with a Red Bull one-two, despite all the talk in the paddock that the blistering Red Bull had on their Pirellis after qualifying would hamper them in the race.

Off to Italy in a fortnight.

Belgian GRAND PRIX 2010 RESULTS

1. Vettel | Red Bull
2. Webber| Red Bull
3. Button | McLaren
4. Alonso | Ferrari
5. Schumacher| Mercedes
6. Rosberg | Mercedes
7. Sutil | Force India
8. Massa | Ferrari
9. Petrov | Renault
10. Maldonado| Williams

Drivers Championship standings after Spa

1. Vettel | 259
2. Webber | 167
3. Alonso | 157
4. Button | 149
5. Hamilton | 146