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GP Belgium 2011. McLaren lost the battle of Ardens themselves.

If McLaren were thinking about turning around this season, Spa was the last chance. Although, after the holiday, they brought their cars strong enough to be the only ones to rival Red Bull, the technology itself is not enough. There is a hushed up rivalry between the drivers and a tendency to put Hamilton first. He didn't manage to control his behaviour again, this time as soon as the second part the qualification, when he obviously rammed Maldonado, who got his penalty, whereas the guilty one got only a reprimand. In the race then he in kamikaze-style shot himself down when taking over Kobayashi. Button's case is totally opposite. He himself is faultless, but pays for the team's errors. His being called off to the pits before the last lap of the second part of the qualification marked the start from the thirteenth place and, in fact, eliminated him from the fight for victory. All that after a sovereign victory in the first part, when he was one class higher than the rest of the field, including the troubled team mate.

Actually, the training itself was full of such surprises. As soon as the beginning of the first part of the qualification Schumacher's wheel fell off, which made him the first to be eliminated and to start from the last place. Another black mark was for Di Resta, when Kovalainen got over him and went on to the second part. There, Sutil crashed his car and finished, on the contrary, there were two newcomers Senna and Perez among the top ten. That took place on a dry track and Vettel won the pole position again, before Hamilton. In the second row there were Webber and Massa, third Rosberg and surprisingly, Alguersuari. The novice Senna was faster than Alonso, the last in the top ten were Peres and Petrov.

The race started, as usually, by Webber falling through. On the opposite, Rosberg had an excellent start, as he from the sixth place took over even the leading Vettel, who didn't yield however and began pulling away from the train that emerged after Rosberg. The leading ten had to change their crumbling tires soon, which resulted in massive overtaking. And it was during this period when Hamilton played kamikaze and shot himself down with no rhyme nor reason. The field came back together after the Safety Car, which was good especially for Schumacher and Button to back to the top ten. In the second half of the race the drivers were lined up with one second gaps behind Alonso and Vettel was in front of them with a five second advantage. Five laps to the finish Webber got over Alonso and the Red Bulls formed up a tandem. Two laps later also Button overtook Alonso and went for his podium. Although he was deleting the gap to the both leaders, he didn't get in touch with them.

The twelfth race of the season proved beyond doubt, that if both drivers of Red Bull are not under stress, because of the technological dominance, they can take the double anytime they want. Only the McLarens can be a threat, if they don't eliminate themselves. The rest are, except for Alonso, one second per lap slower, on any track. The conclusion is unambiguous, Red Bull can lose the victory in both categories only in theoretical level.

Starting grid of the Belgium GP:

GP : 1. S.Vettel 2. M.Webber,  3. J.Button