BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - Hamilton masters the changable conditions, but (thanks to the stewards) to no avail

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton battles Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen early in the race

In motor racing, there have been many injustices, take for instance Michael Schumacher's kamikaze move on Damon Hill in the 1994 title decider that won him the world championship and the 2007 spygate affair which threatened to destroy the sport. This latest controversy might just rank up there with them.

THE RACE

As the lights went out and the race began, McLaren's plan for a two-pronged attack during the race backfired after Heikki Kovalainen had a shocker of a start put him well outside the top 10, Hamilton on the other hand made a dream start and had built up a sizeable 1st lap lead before he spun it all away at the start of Lap 2, Raikkonen sailed past but Hamilton managed to get side by side with the Finn after Eau Rouge but Raikkonen had the better line going into the big braking zone at Les Combes, the lead was his. Also looking back at the start the best start of all went to Jarno Trulli who started like a rocket and made many positions before the first corner where he was tagged in the back by Bourdais's Toro Rosso.

Up until the first pitstops, Raikkonen could'nt stretch out his lead to more than 2 seconds, then Hamilton pitted, crucially one lap earlier than his rival, this seemed to suggest that Raikkonen's pace was genuine with a heavy fuel load and that he would go on for at least another 3-4 laps and come out of the pits with a big lead, to make matters worse for McLaren, Hamilton came out of the pits right in the middle of traffic. To McLaren's suprise, Raikkonen came in on the very next lap, but being stuck behind traffic seemed to take its toll on Hamilton as the Finn came out of the pits with his lead doubled to over 4 seconds.

But then the weather forecasters saw that there was rain on the way, and it eventually came in the form of light drizzle with 5 laps to go, 2 laps later, drivers were struggling to keep the cars on the track and Hamilton (himself an expect when it comes to racing in changeable and wet conditions) saw his chance, he began to pull in Raikkonen at an alarming rate up to the main controversial point of the race at the end of lap 42. Coming up to the Bus Stop chicane, Hamilton managed to get into Raikkonen's slipstream and went for the outside line into the chicane, Hamilton was a smidgeon ahead, Kimi tried to force him wide and succeded, forcing Hamilton to take the short cut and as a result he turned up in front, immediately he lifted off to let Raikkonen through as he was obliged to do under the regulations, once he did, he immediately went for the inside of La Source, Raikkonen, taking the normal racing line was a sitting duck, Hamilton pulled off the move and now he was in front.

But now the rain was becoming so treacharous, the drivers were struggling to keep the cars on the track with their slick tyres, for the leaders, pitting for Intermediates was not an option, especially if another driver decided to stay out in the hope of the rain stopping, Raikkonen ran incredibly wide at Pouhon to carry a huge amount of momentum into the next corner at Fagnes, Hamilton, still driving cautious, then came across Nakajima's Williams to lap him, but with Raikkonen carrying so much momentum, Hamiltonw as forced onto the grass to avoid a 3 car pile-up, Raikkonen was back in front, but then he overcooked the exit spinning again, Hamilton was back in front, Raikkonen began to panic and tried to drive the track as if it was dry in a desparate attempt to catch Hamilton again, it didnt work, coming out of Blanchimont, it was too wet, Raikkonen went wide, spun and crunched hismelf into the barrier, his championship hopes realistically all gone in that instant.

Hamilton kept his cool to go on and win the race ahead of Massa with a resurgent Heidfeld and Alonso (who both pitted for Intermediate tyres) coming home 3rd and 4th ahead of Vettel, Kubica, Bourdais & Webber who rounded out the point scorers, this meant Hamilton had an 8 point lead over Massa...

...or so we thought, the Stewards later imposed a 25 second penalty on Hamilton, therefore demoting him to 3rd and gifting Felipe Massa the win. The reason given was "gaining an advantage coming out of the bus stop chicane" A ridiculous penalty as Hamilton followed the rules to the letter and let Raikkonen through before re-taking him, McLaren have appealed the decision, and i hope they win, because in my view, Lewis Hamilton won that race fair and square.

DRIVERS: 1. Hamilton 76, 2. Massa 74, 3. Kubica 58, 4. Raikkonen 57, 5. Heidfeld 49, 6. Kovalainen 43, 7. Trulli 26, 8. Alonso 23, 9. Webber 19, 10. Glock 15
MANUFACTURERS: 1. Ferrari 131, 2. McLaren 119, 3. BMW Sauber 107, 4. Toyota 41, 5. Renault 36, 6. Red Bull 25, =7. Williams 17, =7. Toro Rosso 17, 9. Honda 14, 10. Force India 0