F1 2011 Tale of a Co Op Season.

[David O'Reilly]

Co Op Season. Team Sauber Expert 75%
Gavin aka Gavos 2 Base (Alain) and David aka FigjamRACER (Ayrton)
2 Co Op Team mates with fairly close pace. Gavin-Alain historically a stronger qualifier David -Ayrton with a slight historical edge in race results.
Reprising the great Prost Senna Mclaren era Gavin has taken the radio name of “Alain” and the French flag. David, “Ayrton” and the Brazilian flag. For fun we will use those names.
Adding a slight edge to the contest the two drivers are in competing teams in the RD Xbox Championship league races so are not sharing setups.
Decision made to convert to short race weekend format means Melbourne re run as a 3 lapper. (Alain claimed pole first time round)
Race 1: Melbourne
R&D Upgrade: Front wing mid section for +5% front downforce.
Quali: Wet. Ayrton P5 (1:30.5), Alain P13 (1:31.4). Pole Massa (1:30.1)
Race Result: Dry (3 laps only) Ayrton P5, Alain P6. Fastest race lap Alain.
Race Notes: Ayrton backs up the pack to allow Alain to achieve the same relative race position as in the 75% race.
Stats: WCC Sauber P2
WDC Ayrton 10pts P5 Alain 8 pts P6
Team mate challenge
Out raced Ayrton 1-0
Podiums nil
Qualifying Ayrton 1-0
Fastest Lap Alain 1-0
WDC Points Ayrton 10- 8?
Race 2: Malaysia
R&D Upgrade: Brake disc re design.-Completed.
Quali: Dry. Alain Pole, Ayrton P13. Alain goes out with 6m30s remaining to take pole. Ayrton has been sandbagging in 1st part of quali with mix 2 and no KERS. He leaves the pits @5mins planning to surprise Alain but has a wheel disconnect on hot lap destroying car.
Race Result : Dry 33 Deg. Ayrton 1 Alain 2 gap 4 sec. Fastest lap Alain 1:31.570 (Ayrton 1:32.389)
Race Notes: Tight contest.
From P13 on grid I was P2 at turn 2. Alain (Alain) had good pace over first stint holding a 2.5 sec gap and it was only on lap 9 when his quali worn tyres lost a little grip that I was able to get a DRS Shot on Alains in-lap.
Alain went to primes in stint 2 and that allowed me after a tense rejoin on options and defending on T1 after my pit exit to pull a 10 sec gap.
Alain with options vs my primes brought the gap down to 4.1 sec) in final stint.
We finished Senna 1-Prost -2.
Stats: WCC Sauber 1st
WDC Ayrton 35pts P1 Alain 26 pts P2
Team mate challenge
Out raced Ayrton 2-0
Podiums Equal 1-1
Qualifying Equal 1-1
Fastest Lap Alain 2-0
WDC Points Ayrton 35- 26

 

[David O'Reilly]

Race 2: China
R&D Upgrade: Front Downforce +5 %.
Quali: Dry. Alain on pole , Ayrton on second row. Alain P1 (1:31.484) Button P2 1:32.270 Ayrton P3 (1:32.377*). * Up (on Button) at sector 2 but blocked by HRT at hairpin, then rain in final lap.
Race Result : 96% Wet. Ayrton P1, Alain P5.
Fastest lap Alain
Race Notes: Superb race. Engineer recommends stops at 14 and 28. Ayrton needs an edge to redress Alains pace here and plans a 1 stop on inters. Bit of contact between 2 Saubers in opening corners as Ayrton tries to best Button, no harm done. Then Ayrton spins in exit of final hairpin on lap 1 rejoins in P16. Over next 14 laps fights back to P3. (Vettel P1, Alain P2). The AI through this phase were superb. Every pass required a white knuckle ride on turn exit and good placement under brakes to claim the apex.
Alain pits as planned at lap 14. Ayrton continues. Should be simple case of jump the AI when they 2 stop but Vettel has other plans and continues on apparently on same strategy as Ayrton.
Lap 19 and Ayrton gets graphic warning of tyre wear. Stop is planned for lap 21 but hoping for a few dry laps at the dying stages to alow a change of the second set of inters Ayrton stops at lap 20. Rejoins in P2. Vettel finally pits at lap 22. Rejoins just ahead of Ayrton who gets a run on him at final hairpin. Side by side into the final turn and Ayrton is spun by Vettel. Rejoins in P5! Alain in P7 at this point. Ayrton passes 3 cars for P2. Claws back the gap to Vettel and after a white knuckle exit to the corkscrew and mix 3 /KERS on man straight takes Vettel for P1.
Lap 35 and Alain has made it to P2. Gap is 7 sec. The engineer advises of dry weather in 10 mins. The team discusses a possible final pit stop and whether 7 sec gap is enough to get them both back out on options. AI start fitting options and a whole series of fastest race laps are recorded by various AI. Sauber team hold off pitting for a couple of laps as AI are too fast on options on a damp track. Lap 38, font left temp starts to go yellow. Alain is +7 sec, Vettel is +30 sec. Ayrton pits for options. He gives Alain the feedback that options are working ok. The corkscrew is providing some heart stopping moments as massive slides are being recovered. Alain pits, rejoins in P2. Have the boys from Sauber done it in a changeable race against AI? Alain has a huge spin at the corkscrew and drops top P6 with 2 laps to go. Ayrton radios to see if holding up the pack will help but Alain has too big a gap.
Stats: WCC Sauber 96 pts1st. (RedBull 2nd 59pts)
WDC Ayrton 60pts P1, Alain 36 pts P2, Vettel 33 P3.
Team mate challenge 3-2
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced ....3.....0
Podiums.......2.....1
Qualifying.....1.....2
Fastest Lap...0.....3
WDC Points...60.....36

Race 4: Turkey
R&D Nil.
Quali: Dry. 23 deg Both drivers elect to qualify on primes expecting to have to jump AI at stops but Sauber surprised to lock out front row on primes! Ayrton pole (1:25.428), Alain P2 (1:25.567 only +13/100ths!) Hamilton P3 (1:25.8)
Race Result : Dry 23 deg. Ayrton P1, Alain P7.
Fastest lap Ayrton
Race Notes: This one had it all. Intrigue, incident, cunning AI strategy, fight backs from spins. Sauber team mates are separated by one tenth on pace but result is impacted by incidents.
Ayrton discussed starting on primes and Alain chooses to cover him with same strategy. The Saubers are running 1-2 for the first few laps chased by a very feisty AI pack who are fast and aggressive. until Alain gets a clean DRS shot and takes the lead. Ayrton spins on exit of famous turn 8 overdoing it on primes, loses a front wing end plate but manages to rejoin in P7 still in touch. Alain has a big spin on uphill exit of T7. Rejoins undamaged but in P17! The Sauber drivers have a mountain to climb.
Ayrton chases hard on mix 3 to get on the back of Massa in P6. It takes 5 laps but gets the DRS shot and he is back in “the peleton”. Over the next 10 laps he moves up into 3rd. Pits lap 18 for options and a new wing (7 sec). Rejoins in P5 behind Alain who is yet to pit. Shod with options he now has the pace to fight AI, some of whom are now on primes. Ayrton gets a DRS shot on Button who is simultaneously attacking Alain. Button goes defensive and parks it on the apex defeating the pass, impressive stuff.
It’s a frenetic 25 laps before Ayrton seizes the lead only then having a moment to check on fuel and tyre status. Alain has worked himself into the points in P10. Ayton continues to push hard to build half a pit stop and cover Webber who he suspects is on a 1 stop.
Pitting on lap 31 for fresh options Ayrton rejoins in P3 and both Webber and Alonso are – 7 sec and are both clearly 1 stopping. Fresh options do the job and the two 1 stoppers pace erodes badly in final 4 laps. Alain is pushing hard and sets a fastest lap as he recovers to P6 but it is snatched back from on the line when he suffers with fuel pickup issues from his mammoth chase. Ayrton solo and unable to use DRS saves all his KERS and uses both doses in one lap plus mix 3 to try to steal back the fastest lap. The fastest lap times-Alain 1:26.305. Ayrton 1:26.282. takes his first fastest lap from the season by 2 hundreths!
Stats: WCC Sauber 127 pts1st. (RedBull 2nd 87pts)
WDC Ayrton 85pts P1, Webber 44 pts P2, Vettel 43 P3. Alain 42 P4.
Team mate challenge 3-2
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced ....4.....0
Podiums.......3.....1
Qualifying.....2.....2
Fastest Lap...1.....3
WDC Points...85.....42

 

[David O'Reilly]

Race 5: Catalunya
R&D Nil.
Quali Dry. 23 deg Alain puts it on the front row on primes. Ayton uses options and only manages 4 thousandths advantage.
Race Result : Dry 23 deg. Alain P1 Ayrton P2.
Fastest lap Alain 1:19.290 (Ayrton 1:19.815.)
Race Notes: Dominant race performance by Alain to take his first win.
Ayrton makes a good gap in the first 2 laps but then feeling he needs to make very good use of the options or be a victim here tries too hard and finds the kitty litter on turn 8. Alain is through. Ayrton manages to catch and re pass up the inside at urn 10 but Alains primes are working well and he chases and again takes the lead with his second DRS attack. By this time Ayrtons options are losing some grip and from this point Alain never looks under threat.It is all over by lap 9.
In a virtuoso pefomance Alain builds a lead of 30 seconds by race end to claim his first victory of this season.
Stats:WCC Sauber 170 pts1st. (RedBull 2nd 93pts)
Team mate challenge 4-1
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced ....4.....1
Podiums.......4.....2
Qualifying.....3.....2
Fastest Lap...1.....4
WDC Points...103. (P1)....67 (P2)

Race 6: Monaco
R&D: Front Downforce +5% Completed..
Quali Wet (Inters).Alain P5 Ayrton P9
Race Result : Ayrton P1 Alain P8
Fastest lap: Ayrton 1:11.579
Race Notes Weather 23C Clear:
Both drivers still in qualifying order pick their way past all but Massa in the opening 3 laps. Alain has a slight oversteer moment and ½ spin at Exit of T1 and Ayrton is through. He cannot however make any kind of gap and Mass in P1 is proving fast as well. It’s not until lap 8 that Ayrton closes on Massa in sector 1. A yellow flag is shown at Loews hairpin when Liuzzis HRT has found the barriers. Ayrton is impatient and drives past the waiting Massa and Liuzzi’s stricken HRT and immediately is informed by his team that he has earned a drive through penalty. He serves it immediately and rejoins +7 sec in P2. Alain has the lead.
Ayrton piles on the pace but for 8 laps can make no dent in Alains lead. With no edge on pace he begins to contemplate tyre strategy. Then an error must have occurred and Alain in sector 3 is now only -1.7 sec. On his worn tyres he has a power oversteer ½ spin at the exit of Anthony Nogues and Ayrton needs no second invitation and is through.
Pit window is open Alain pits first at lap 16 rejoining in P8 Ayrton at lap 18 (both choose options) rejoins in P3. Webber and Massa stop and this becomes P1. They maintain a 2-4 sec gap for the entire options stint neither driver able to sieze an advantage. Alain pits at lap 34 for primes, Ayrton goes to mix 3 for 2 laps and maintains his lead. The cold primes are taking 2 full laps to come in and Alain piles on the pressure during Ayrtons’ outlaps. It’s a 2 sec gap and both drivers are on equal tyres and very similar pace for a 25 lap stint. For 17 laps they scythe through the lapped traffic separated by 2 seconds, both taking risks to try to gain the upper hand.
8 Laps from home Alain earns the ire of the stewards for a corner cut at Nouvelle Chicane. He waits 3 laps to serve it. As he is about to serve the drive through, Ayrton punctures in sector 3 at the exit of the swimming pool. It’s suddenly all open again. Incredibly stewards penalise Alain again for a cut on his in lap to serve the previois one!. He now serves 2. Both Saubers enter pit lane together.
Ayton has 17 sec lead and turns the mix down to manage the worn primes. Alain has P2 but the AI are ambitious and pile on the pressure with Webber +1 sec. Alain overcooks it on worn primes and loses his front wing. With 3 laps to go he decides not to pit and defends as best he can. 6 AI get past and he takes a disappointing 8th.
The race could have gone either way on pace. Only incidents and penalties separated the drivers. Ayrton takes the win but knows his team mate has challenged his dominance on his favourite circuit.

Stats: WCC Sauber 199 pts1st. (RedBull 2nd )
WDC
Team mate challenge 3-1 with 1 drawn
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced ....5.....1
Podiums.......5.....2
Qualifying.....3.....3
Fastest Lap...2.....4
WDC Points...128.....71

 

[David O'Reilly]

Race 7: Canada
R&D: Nil .
Quali Dry 26C Alain Pole 1:11.12 (opt) Ayrton P2 1:11.413 (pri)
Race Result : Alain P1 Ayrton DNF
Fastest lap: Ayrton 1:13 .8 (lap 23)
Race Notes Weather 24C Rain 42% (Dry start, rain lap 36)
Alain has an edge on quali pace and so with rain prediction at 42% Ayrton tries to get clever with strategy. He figures that if it’s a wet start that front row is the best he can do anyway and if the race becomes wet by starting on primes with a second stint on primes he is more likely to get to the wet period with only one stop. Would it work?
Setups: Alain is running higher downforce on his standard dry setup. He simply adjusts to wet brake settings. Ayrton runs his medium downforce quali setup and as well as changing brake settings to wet, raises ride height to an intermediate level (3).
Start: Ayrton gets a slightly better drive off the line and Alain creates room for his team mate to make a clean pass through turns 1-2 then piles on the pressure. Ayrton knows that even a few laps holding up Alain will hurt his short options stint on the super softs. Once DRS is activated The drivers pass and re pass in the DRS zone. The differing aero settings see Ayrton getting by a little easier but by lap 6 Alain on the options breaks the DRS tow. He cannot pull a gap however and he pits at lap 11 with only 5 sec in hand. At lap 16 Ayrton goes to mix 3 to make the best of the few laps prior to pitting. He considers going even longer on the primes but by lap 18 Alain now on primes has pulled in the gap from 9 sec to 5 sec and Hamilton is only 5sec further back, he pits.
Ayrton rejoins on fresh primes in front of Hamilton and only 9 sec behind Alain. He pushes hard on the cold primes and as they come in he starts to reduce the gap. At lap 23 on the now warm and fresh primes Ayrton sets the fastest lap of the race and is now +5 sec. Its about to get interesting. With 7 laps fresher tyres and 5 sec gap and rain coming sometime. But we are denied this intriguing battle as Ayrton has a wheel disconnect at entry to turns 3-4 and hits the wall at 249kph.
The team mates discuss a quit and reschedule but decide that as its lap 23 and Alain is leading to continue the race. Alain has 2 engineers from this point and gets tactical info from Ayrton in spectate mode. The rain comes at lap 36 when Alains primes are at their very end. Several AI have pitted twice before the rain. Alain switches to inters 3 laps before AI but holds them off and finishes 2 sec ahead of Hamilton. We are denied an intriguing battle. The drivers surmise that Ayrton would have probably got to within DRS attack of Alain on his fresh rubber by say lap 30. Whether he could pull a gap against Alains fading primes is a question we can’t answer. We agreed is would have boiled down to a thrilling final stint on the inters. If the rain came 5 mins later Alain may have been in trouble. But it all makes for more spice in the championship as Alain closes 25 points of the gap to take a win. pole and a podium in the team mates challenge with his second win in a great drive in mixed conditions from pole.
Stats: WCC Sauber 224 pts1st. (RedBull 150 2nd )
Team mate challenge 3-2
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced ....5.....2
Podiums.......5.....3
Qualifying.....3.....4
Fastest Lap...3.....4
WDC Points...128.....96

 

[Kristian Nenov]

David? :O I thought you're a stronger driver. You get P13 on a standard AI qualification with a Sauber? I'm a poor qualifier, but I have no problem getting into the top teams with a Sauber. :O 1.31.3 fastest lap @ Malaysia. That's around the pace I am with a Lotus. Aren't you a champion on Xbox? Or I know wrong?

 

[Andrew Ford]

 

[Kristian Nenov]

Whaaaat?

 

[David O'Reilly]

David? :O I thought you're a stronger driver. You get P13 on a standard AI qualification with a Sauber? I'm a poor qualifier, but I have no problem getting into the top teams with a Sauber. :O 1.31.3 fastest lap @ Malaysia. That's around the pace I am with a Lotus. Aren't you a champion on Xbox? Or I know wrong?

Sorry for the late reply I have not been back to update this thread till now.
Firstly I am not a champion on Xbox F1 2011. I am competitive at a strong multiplayer level and a winner on my best track - Monaco. On other tracks our top league racers will beat me. I tend to do well in the wet and mixed conditions but dont often podium when racing the very fastest. I guess I am within say .5 sec of th ebest in race trim-pace.

But myself and Gavin in Co Op in the Saubers will almost always take pole and lock out the front row.
The P13 in malaysia you quote overlooks some important (supplied) detail. It was set on mix 2 and no KERs to lull my team mate into a false sense of security. I had the pace for pole but left it to a late run and had a wheel disconnect. hence P13 with the earlier (mix 2 and no KERs) run. BTW I won from P13!
Thanks for reading, and it gave some pleasure to the member who clicked "like" though. Some ppl get great pleasure from that type of post querying my abilities. Oh well each to their own pleasures.
Latest update follows..
Cheers

 

[David O'Reilly]

Race 8: Valencia
R&D: Yes +5% Front stability
Quali Dry 28C Ayrton Pole 1:35.6 (opt) Alain P2 1:36.2 (opt)
Race Result : Alain P1 Ayrton P2
Fastest lap: Ayrton 1:35.8 .
Race Notes Weather Dry 28C
Ayrtons last minute qualifying pole equals the drivers on 4-4 in this stat.
Alains eye is in after a last minute setup session in GP. Ayrton misses his brake marker on full fuel on lap 1 and Alain has the momentum onto the bridge. Pace is good and Ayrton resolves to bide his time for a few laps while the Saubers try to pull a gap on the AI cars. Vettel is P3. However, 3 laps later Ayrton has a ½ spin and wing damage at the tricky turn 1. He rejoins in P5 with some work to do. Alain is making good pace in P1. It takes 5 laps to clear the AI and now Alain has 8 sec in hand. Ayrton has contact lapping Karthikayan in the HRT and is spun again. It’s now a 10 sec gap to Alain.
Alain keeps it clean for stint 2. Ayrton punctures, fortunately it’s at the end of sector 3 and the impact on his race is lessened. He rejoins for his final stint on primes at +20 sec. Alain is soon on options and flying, setting fastest laps. At Lap 31 of 41 Ayrton hatches a plan. The win is lost but if he can pull a pit stop on Vettel (currently +13 sec) he can pounce with fresh options for a fastest race lap. It must be executed with perfect timing so that Alain, once alerted cannot respond in time to warm a set of fresh options himself. Lap 38 is chosen. Lap 39 will be the outlap 40 the first good lap and 41 the final lap then the peak of the new tyres at full temp. Ayrton pits. Alain hears the message and quickly knows what he is up to. He responds but it is one lap too late to get the fresh options in temp.
Final lap Alain sets a new fastest race lap but Ayrton crosses the line +15 sec with a yet faster lap. The cunning plan has worked and salvaged one stat taking fastest race laps to 5-3 in Ayrtons favour.
Alains win brings the win stat down to 5-3 and his WDC gap from a concerning 57points before Canada to now just 25 points with 11 races to run.

Team mate challenge 3-1 with 1 tied.
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced ....5.....3
Podiums.......6.....4
Qualifying.....4.....4
Fastest Lap...4.....4
WDC Points...146.....121
WCC Points Sauber 267 RedBull 170.

Oh and yes please feel free to click like if you are enjoying this little saga and Ill prioritise keeping it up to date which will save you having to buy the hard cover book at Amazon later cheers.

 

[David O'Reilly]

Race 9: Silverstone
R&D: No
Quali: Alain takes pole (1:27.544) Ayrton chooses primes and is P2 +1.491sec
Race Result : Alain P1 Ayrton P3.
Fastest lap: Alain
Race Notes Weather. Wet start (inters). Ayrton takes the lead on lap 1 but spins at Lufffield and rejoins well down the field. Alain takes the lead. The track dries and the drivers pit on the same lap for options. Alain hold P1 to the chequered flag, Ayrton fights back and just scrapes a podium.

Team mate challenge 3-2
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced .....5-4
Podiums.......7-5
Qualifying.....4-5
Fastest Lap...3-6
WDC Points...161-146
WCC Points Sauber 307 RedBull 181.

Race 10: Nurburgring
R&D: No
Quali –Dry. Alain Pole, 1:28.486 Ayrton P3 (1.118) . (Button P2)
Race Result: Alain P1, Ayrton P11
Fastest lap: Alain
Race Notes Weather Dry
It was eventful. Alain has his eye in through practice and quali but Ayrton takes risks and passes Button for P2 out of turn 1. Then a 20 lap battle ensued between the Sauber drivers with 4-5 passes occurring.
Ayrton got a pass in the opening laps but Alain gets on his gearbox and gets a DRS pass at the 3rd attempt. Ayrton uses Mix 3 and KERS on the pit straight to get under Alain in T1. Alain gets by again in the DRS zone. Ayrton gets by in T1 again. Its 20 laps and the AI are still only +5 sec.
Next lap Ayrton was too keen to stay in the DRS detection range and overcooked it through the Schumacher Esses resulting in a spin. Rejoins in P6. Fought back for about 10 laps to P2 and +4 sec to Alain. Pushes too hard in T4-5 and spins, rejoins back in P6 again. Then spun onto the pit straight getting wing damage.
Then after the final stops a wheel disconnect occurred for Ayrton exiting the final chicane. Quite by accident this was done when the car was at the pit lane entry and once he had wheel going and paired again he was exiting the pits with new tyres and a new wing but in P18.
Fought back to P11!
Alain takes the win and 25 points for the second week in a row. After two strong results he now has the WDC lead and the team mate challenge 3-1 with 1 tied. With 9 races to go (and 225 WDC points on offer) the Sauber drivers are now separated by 10 points. Race results are dead even at 5 each. Both drivers start to check their data for Hungary!

Team mate challenge 3-1 to Alain with 1 tied.
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced ....5-5
Podiums.......7-6
Qualifying..... 4-6
Fastest Lap... 3-7
WDC Points...161-171
WCC Points Sauber 332 RedBull (tba).

 

[Gavin Hendley]

If you have being following the story check out the race footage
Two drivers with very similar pace makes for some competitive racing.

 

[David O'Reilly]

If you have being following the story check out the racing footage
Two drivers with very similar pace makes for some competitive racing.

Great footage Gavin, my wasn't Hamilton Fiesty in Nurburgring!

 

[David O'Reilly]

Race 11: Hungary
R&D: New type! Target set for 3 laps total of 4:19sec, achieved both both drivers for reduced engine wear (-5%)






The Saubers were noticeably lacking in grip during practice. It improved as the track rubbered-in over the weekend
Quali: Alain takes pole (1:17.585-Opt) Ayrton chooses primes and is P2 +.167sec.
Race Result : Ayrton P1 Alain P2.
Fastest lap: Alain
Race Notes Weather. Dry. Ayrton starts on the inside from P2 and wins the drag race to turn 1 and holds the lead for 5 laps. Alain strike problems with back markers and gets a drive through. Hamilton and Webber get by Ayrton when he has a moment. He pits for options behind them and Vettel actually passes him at the pit entrance while also entering the pits.!
Meanwhile Alain has scored another drive through. He pits for primes to run a long stint and try to get himself back into play and on his planned strategy.
Lap 19 Ayrton pushes to pass lapped AI and loses his front wing when Trulli brakes early. He grabs more options and rejoins in P14. He soon finds himself line astern with Alain who is nearing the end of his long primes stint. Ayrtons' fresh options are humming and he is past and soon on the leaders. It must be said that after a feisty and competitive first stint the AI collapsed in a heap. The 4 leaders were tripping over each other and AI allowing Ayrton to pass and pull a 22 sec gap before his last stop.
Stops were Lap 14 Opt
Lap 19 new wing and options
Lap 31 Options
Lap 42 Primes.
Meanwhile in a gutsy drive after his two drive-through's Alain fought back for P2 (+22 sec).

The drivers are now separated by 3 points with 8 races remaining.
Team mate challenge 3-2
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced .....6-5
Podiums.......8-7
Qualifying.....4-7
Fastest Lap...3-8
WDC Points...186-189
WCC Points Sauber 375 RedBull tba?.

 

[David O'Reilly]

Race 12: Spa
Headline. Mixed weather thriller. Alain leads but crashes out. Ayrton with P6 now has 5 point lead.
R&D: No
Quali –Dry. Alain Pole, (1:43.427-Opt), Ayrton P3 (1:45.215-Primes). Webber P2
Race Result: Winner Alonso, Ayrton P5 Alain DNF
Fastest lap: Ayrton
Race Notes: Weather forecast is 46% rain. Race is Dry Wet-(Inters lap 5-19) –Dry.
In Quali Alain lives up to his fast qualifying reputation. His is first bested by Webber for pole by .002 but goes out again and finds another .8 sec. Alain sits on P3 on primes.
Alain hold P1 into Kemmel straight but Ayrton despite covering Webber for P2 is then jumped by a great start from Schumacher who passes under him at T1 and takes P2. Alain has a small off at T5 allowing Schumacher and Ayton through. Alain soon recovers and drives around Ayrton in the dry. Rain comes at lap 5. Alain is P3 and Ayrton is slipping down the field as AI begin to pass as the track becomes damp. He pits with a slight delay as the crew gather the tyres and front wing after Alains stop. He and rejoins on inters in P23 but as AI now pit he is P11 and starting to race the AI. It must be mentioned that through this wet phase of the race the AI were incredibly realistic. Ayton spins at ravage and rejoins in P14. Lap 18 the track is drying and Ayrton stops at lap 19 for primes planning no more stops. The out-lap is hairy but 2.2 sec faster than the previous inter shod lap. Alain waits till lap 20.
In the dry phase Alain moves into the lead. Ayrton is still P14 at lap 25 of 33. It doesn’t look good for the championship! Petrov is 4 sec ahead and part of a pack of AI. Alain radios that the AIs relative pace is dropping off Ayrton switches up the fuel mix and gives it everything. He makes it to P8 by lap 31.
Ayrton reflects that the championship could swing on this massive result by Alain. He has to admit it was a superlative drive by Alain in changeable conditions against very competitive AI. Then disaster strikes for Alain! With the win and 25 points in hand he misses a downshift between Rivage and T11 and takes the wall at speed destroying his car.
Ayrton keeps pushing hardly able to believe his reprieve. He makes P6 and 8 points.

Team mate challenge 3-2
Driver .....Ayrton ..Alain
Out raced .....7-5
Podiums.......8-7
Qualifying.....4-8
Fastest Lap...4-8
WDC Points...192-187*
WCC Points Sauber 379 RedBull unknown?.
*sharp eyed readers will see an anomaly in the points. This is due to to Alain having had a disconnect 3 laps from home when P2 in Hungary. The drivers re-ran a 3 lap race to stage manage the result and Alain got P3. Hence he is “owed 3 points by Ayrton. 2 points were repaid in Spa by Ayrton deliberately allowing a pass by Massa on the finish line. This means that Alains total can now be dropped by those 2 points.