Lewis Hamilton's hopes of winning the world championship were dented last night as race stewards stripped him of victory in the Belgian Grand Prix. The Briton looked to have stretched his championship lead to eight points after he had finished first at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, ahead of the Ferrari of chief title challenger Felipe Massa. But Hamilton was punished for cutting the Bus Stop chicane three laps from the end of the race as he scrapped with the long-time race leader Kimi Raikkonen for the lead of the race. He was penalised 25 seconds and dropped behind Massa and the BMW Sauber of Nick Heidfeld to third.
The incident began at the end of the 42nd lap when the duo almost tangled as Hamilton tried to pass Raikkonen around the outside of the Bus Stop chicane. Raikkonen pushed his rival wide and Hamilton ended up cutting the corner. He slowed to allow the Ferrari to go back ahead, before he passed Raikkonen at the La Source hairpin to take the lead. Hamilton said of the incident: "Kimi pushed me wide. I was a little bit ahead. "I was outside, I had no room and he basically pushed me so I went on the escape route. So I let him past, then got in his tow and he was ducking and diving left and right, but I managed to get past him. "I am stoked to have battled through the tough conditions. It was one of the most exciting races of my career." But that joy would quickly turn to disappointment some three hours after the race after the stewards made their decision after examining the race footage of the scrap. Raikkonen who had crashed on the 43rd lap in slippery conditions, had stayed tight-lipped over his views on the incident. He said: "There are rules about cutting chicanes and gaining an advantage and they are looking it. So I don't have anything to say." The decision changes the entire complexion of the championship. Instead of going to next Sunday's Italian Grand Prix with an eight point lead over Massa, Hamilton will just have a two point advantage.
The controversy will spoil what was a thrilling end to the race as following the incident for Hamilton was punished, he and Raikkonen then duelled for the lead as a late rain shower made the track wet. The pair had both remained on dry tyres, but as the rain began to fall more heavily Hamilton skated off the circuit later on in the lap entering Fagnes, allowing the Finn to retake the lead. But Raikkonen then spun on the exit of that corner, allowing Hamilton back in front, and then approaching the Bus Stop chicane at the end of the lap, the Ferrari driver lost control again and crashed into the wall. Hamilton navigated the final lap to take what he thought was his ninth win of his career. Massa had been content with second place and had said prior to the stewards' decision: "I didn't want to risk it. Eight points is eight points. I was going very slow through corners, it was very, very damp. Sometimes you think something and you go off." Raikkonen had crashed out chasing Hamilton for the victory and he now trails Hamilton by 19 points, and now will almost surely be asked to assist Massa's bid for the title. Hamilton had taken the lead from pole position at the start as a number of cars slid wide at the La Source hairpin, with Jarno Trulli's Toyota and Heikki Kovalainen's McLaren both falling down the order after incidents. Raikkonen had ruthlessly forced his way past teammate Massa at Les Combes to move up to second, and then he took advantage of a spin from Hamilton at La Source at the start of the second lap to move to the head of the field. Hamilton was quickly back on Raikkonen's tail, but was unable to find a way past on the fast flowing circuit and he dropped away after making an early pit-stop. Raikkonen maintained his lead through both rounds of pit-stops and looked to have the race won up until the late rain undid all his good work. Nick Heidfeld finished third, before being later moved upto second, after making the inspired decision to change to intermediate tyres for the last lap as the conditions worsened. The Renault of Fernando Alonso adopted a similar strategy to Heidfeld and he too was rewarded as he passed his rivals. Sebastian Vettel was fifth for Toro Rosso, ahead of the BMW Sauber of Robert Kubica, while Vettel's teammate Sebastien Bourdais, who had started the final lap third, slipped to seventh. gcaygill@thenational.ae
