Fans’ videos from the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix

2012 Belgian Grand Prix

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This collection of fans’ videos from Spa includes several angles of the destructive first-corner smash triggered by Romain Grosjean.

Wet practice

The Spa weekend got off to a very wet start on Friday.

First-corner crash

A good view of the crash and aftermath.

The reverse angle gives a good impression of the speeds involved. Note the people at the first corner ducking, and watch out for the marshal who inexplicably chooses to kick a runaway wheel.

Pastor Maldonado’s jump start is clear to see in this view of the start.

Restart

Timo Glock is knocked into a spin at La Source by Pastor Maldonado. You can see another video of that crash here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1PS2XxQyUx0

The field flashes through Eau Rouge after the restart.

Kovalainen spins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byihslHXCS8

Heikki Kovalainen recovers from a spin at the chicane.

Pouhon

Later on in the race, Jenson Button leads the field through one of F1’s greatest corners.

Schumacher vs Raikkonen

The two kings of Spa treated the crowd to some fabulous moves. Here’s Schumacher taking Raikkonen.

Hulkenberg vs Schumacher

Here’s Nico Hulkenberg putting a move on the outside of Michael Schumacher at the La Source hairpin.

Button celebrates

Button waves to the crowd after his win.

Track invasions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhkifTu-ZN4

The crowd explore the track for themselves after the race.

Thanks to @Girts for researching this article. If you’re interested in contributing to F1 Fanatic, see here for details on how you can:

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2012 Belgian Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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9 comments on “Fans’ videos from the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix”

  1. I saw Kovalainen spin right in front of my eyes. I think that’s the only time I’ve ever grabbed my head, while watching F1 from the stands. I saw that it was going wrong already as he was entering the corner. After the spin, I was very afraid that someone else would t-bone him. Luckily, Maldonado had already retired so it ended well.

    I think it’s a pity that F1 drivers don’t do a parade lap at Spa (GP2 drivers do).

    I hope to take some good videos myself at some F1 race in the future but I think that filming distracts one from the action a bit and I also need to buy a serious camera first!

    1. I think it’s a pity that F1 drivers don’t do a parade lap at Spa (GP2 drivers do).

      Having watched many races at Spa on TV this never bothered me in the slightest, but having been at the race this year I really noticed the effect it has on a fans experience when they don’t do it. It’s such a shame. I really felt like something was missing from my day after the cars went by on thier last lap. The race didn’t have any closure (if that makes sense).

  2. I love fans videos. They always give a much better impression of the guttural power and speed of the cars than the TV feed. I’ve never been to an F1 race so these videos are the nearest I get.

  3. Woah ! the second video of the crash is amaizing ! It didn’t look that fast on the telly. Shocking !

    1. @fer-no65 I know. Not pleasant :/

  4. I think the marshal that kicked the runaway wheel did so to slow it down a bit before he tried to handle it…

    1. Yeah I wouldn’t want to try and grapple a rapidly moving runaway wheel without a feel for just how heavy it is… Although I did once get a chance to do pretend pitstops at a Ferrari demo, the wheels are surprisingly light, I guess like everything else on an F1 car.

  5. On the Eau Rouge video, if you pause it at around 18 seconds you can see Maldonado’s wing hanging off the front of the car (compare it to Senna’s at 13 seconds, you can see the difference), yet he still takes the corner almost as fast as the other cars in front and behind

  6. 2nd video @ 0:27

    You can hear Grosjean’s car slamming into Alonso’s.

    Alonso was INCHES from a crushed skull and/or broken neck.

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