h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, they don't call the place Spa for nothing. A fair amount of standing water on the track meant that the race was started behind the Safety Car, a decision most of the drivers appeared to agree with, even though it prevented Coulthard, Schumacher and Barrichello from improving on their bizarre grid positions behind Jarno Trulli in second place and Jenson Button in third, who looked very impressive until they collided, sending Trulli spinning off the track and Button back down the pecking order.

As the threatened rain failed to materialise, the drivers came in for dry weather tyres early on in the proceedings, except Coulthard who was instructed by McLaren to wait for an extra lap. Again. Mika Hakkinen, of course, had no complaints as he zoomed off into the distance from pole position, until things suddenly went a bit odd as he spun halfway off the track and handed the lead to Michael Schumacher before recovering.

Schumacher looked unstoppable for most of the second half of the race, but as his tyres deteriorated, Hakkinen caught up again and with four laps to go forced his way back into the lead as he and Schumacher went round either side of backmarker Zonta. Schumacher had to settle for second, with his brother Ralf third, and Coulthard stumbling home in fourth, still maintaining that he can win the championship...

Poor Jenson his inexperiance, and thankfully, his determination to suceed got the better of him losing three places on one lap when he had been holding off Schuey was bad, but at least there was enough signs that he will become a great driver with a little more experience.

I have to admit, I wasn't too sure about Jenson at the start of the season, but he's really impressed me as the season has gone on. What is Frank Williams thinking of, giving him away for two years?

I think Frank was wise let him get the experiecne he needs elsewhere, but have him under contract to return and then watch him in the 2003 season.

A far more interesting race this week, compared to the Hungarian GP two weeks ago.

EV, you failed to mention that Barrichello ran out of fuel on his way into the pit lane. Major letdown for him, and it made Ferarri lose a couple of possible points for the constructors championships.
I have to agree that Jensen has been very impressive this season, qualifying ahead of (and therefor annoying) Ralf Schumacher a couple of times.
The head of the Bennetton team said before the race that Jensen needed a bit more aggression in his driving. What then did he display when he tried to overtake Trulli?

And once again, Murray Walker looked to have lost the plot a couple of times during the race, and needed Martin Brundle to get him back on track. Like when Coulthard passed Button in the latter parts of the race, in plain view, and Murray failed to notice.
But he's still a whole lot better than the commentators in Sweden that seems to wish they were somewhere else instead, or maybe even that they're at the race just because the tv company pays for the trip...

14 years on and Sky Sports F1 (a channel that wasn't even dreamed of when I wrote the original journal entry) is showing the race again as one of their "Classic Races". Seems like a lifetime ago.