Looking through the press releases after the Belgian Grand Prix I found a few interesting quotes.
Romain Grosjean didn’t last long in his second Grand Prix. And he’s surely only person who thinks Jenson Button was responsible for their tangle on the first lap:
I made a very good start, moving up to thirteenth place and I was keeping a good pace but then Button took me out at turn five and it was the end for me.
A watching Nelson Piquet Jnr was entertained by Grosjean’s demise. As for the bombshell that dropped about the FIA’s investigation of Renault’s win in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Renault made no mention of it.
Mark Webber is ticked off after his penalty for an unsafe release in the pits, which he thinks cost him a podium finish:
I had done all the hard work on the first lap and picked off both Heidfeld and Vettel and was pulling away from them. I laid the foundations for what could have been a great result and a good haul of points. It [the release] was a costly misjudgement and of course it hurts me a lot – it’s something we won’t get back.
He’s not the only driver with pit stop woes. Timo Glock reveals how a faulty refuelling rig ruined his race:
I made a pretty strong start and was running fourth when the safety car came out so we had a good chance of points. But at my first pit stop we had trouble with the fuel rig which cost me time and positions. The crew did well to quickly change to the back-up rig but nevertheless we lost time. Clearly there was a problem with the fuel rig and we have to analyse what happened and prevent any similar problems in the future. I did my best and the car was quite quick but it wasn’t to be.
Giancarlo Fisichella’s joy at finishing second is tempered by his disappointment at not winning:
It’s been another great day and it was an amazing result today. Before coming to Spa if you had asked all the team if we would have been happy to finish eighth we would have said it was a fantastic result but second is a dream, just great. Actually if I can be honest I am a little disappointed as I felt we could have won the race. I was unlucky with the safety car when Kimi came past me at the restart and overtook me with the KERS. Actually behind him I was quicker but with the KERS I couldn’t get past as it was impossible to be quick on the long straight. But we can’t take it away from the fantastic result, both at the track and in the factory to get this result. After yesterday I was pretty confident to score points, it’s positive for the championship and for the coming races. A big thank you to everyone.
Joy at Ferrari too – and Kimi Raikkonen shared a little insight into how he kept Fisichella behind:
At the first pit stop, maybe it would have been better to stay with the softer tyre but that’s easy to say afterwards. In the final part, when it seemed I might not be able to fight off Giancarlo, I slightly changed the way I used the KERS so as to defend myself on the straight at Stavelot and so I managed to stay in front.
Ferrari’s first win in 2009 was particularly well-timed:
Over the last four Grands Prix, starting with the Nurbugring, we have always been on the podium. Today Kimi drove an excellent race, demonstrating his talent on the most beautiful track of the Championship. They really made me a nice present for my birthday.
Luca di Montezemolo
Di Montezemolo celebrates his 62nd birthday tomorrow.
But it’s not a happy story on the other side of the Ferrari garage. Despite finishing more than three-quarters of a minute behind everyone else, Luca Badoer feels he’s improved and wants to race at Monza:
Today I did my best. Unfortunately, at the first corner after the start, I flat-spotted the front tyres and so I always had strong vibrations throughout the first stint. Once the tyres were changed, the situation improved, but the performance of the harder compound was not as good as the soft one. I have upped my performance level yet again and I really want to race at Monza, one of the tracks I know best, along with Fiorano and Mugello.
But his hope of racing at home for Ferrari in two weeks’ time is surely a forlorn one.
Have you spotted any interesting quotes from other drivers or team members after the race? If so, share them in the comments.
2009 Belgian Grand Prix
- Kimi Raikkonen edges Giancarlo Fisichella for win (Belgian Grand Prix review)
- Giancarlo Fisichella scores first points for Force India in Spa (pictures)
- Belgian Grand Prix in pictures
- Belgian Grand Prix start crash (Video)
- Belgian Grand Prix: Rate the race
- F1 championship points after Belgium
- Belgian Grand Prix race result
Boyce
31st August 2009, 0:02
What did Piquet say? His twitter comment has been deleted now.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
31st August 2009, 0:20
So he has! Fortunately loads of people had ReTweeted it: http://twitter.com/djcristianpeich/statuses/3651062338
LC Coelho
31st August 2009, 3:13
“well done, grosjean” (i dont need to tell ya it was ironical)
Boyce
31st August 2009, 10:59
Haha thanks
jeff
31st August 2009, 2:55
piquet more or less said “suck sht”
pawelf1
31st August 2009, 7:14
Kubica told that before the first pit when he was driving behind kimi and fishi he was in wind tunnel and he was fast at the streight but then when he was driving alone he was much slower in s1 and s3 but quait fast in s2
gabal
31st August 2009, 7:49
I don’t really see him getting a drive in any team except maybe as a pay driver with that attitude.
little_daz
31st August 2009, 15:30
in a way I have to agree with Gosjean. We watched the replay again this morning in slow motion and Grosjean was on the right hand rear of button. He was on the line, and button clipped him with his back wheel, causing him to spin, then crash. I don’t see that Grosjean hit him. Now Alguersuari was another story I’m sure he was watching the crash and not where he was going!
TheRedLion
31st August 2009, 15:50
Piquet is an ******* and an overrated driver. He’ll only drive again if his father buys another team. Really hope Grosjean gets some points this season to shove on his face.
TommyB
1st September 2009, 17:24
Piquet’s twitter says “Things are looking good for next year guys and I can’t wait to drive again!”
Looks like Daddy bought him an F1 team