Moderator's Report
SUMMARY
Dave Rainier -starting from Pole- wins the race from start to finish, keeping his Championship hopes alive. Congratulations! Bernie Darwin finishes second setting the fastest lap of the race in his last lap. George Cheeseman finishes third coming from the rear, profiting from a last lap off by Championship leader Phil Thornton, who finished 4th. Francesco Molteni ran a solid race to 5th, and Michael Turner rounded out the top 6. Great job by all of these lead lap finishers. Billy was heading for the podium but had a lapse in Stavelot on Lap 10 and had to retire later that lap, but still is classified as 7th for points. Dave Curtis suffered from another technical gremlin and Paul and Fabio had also races to forget. Commiserations.
There was an incident after the start that has been reported by the moderator, and later on Lap 1 in Blanchimont the big one happened. Apart from these unfortunate events the race was rather clean.
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Paul Whitfield and George Cheeseman come together in Eau Rouge after the start. George has to check up for Bernie with Dave Curtis passing him on the left, and never sees Paul in his mirrors. Paul has had a glimpse of George and relies on the fact George will notice him and give room. It is a legitimate overtaking attempt, Paul has enough overlap before the turn in to the right. George is unaware of Paul and turns in and both cars spin, and continue the race. Paul felt he was the victim but didn't ask for a penalty.
If George had been aware of Paul this incident could have been prevented, but he had other cars around him to deal with and Paul never appeared in his mirrors. As George said: just one of those GPL things.
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The contact between Phil and Fabio was reported, but decided to moderate all that happened before as well.
Initially Dave Curtis spins out of the first left Blanchimont kink and goes up the sidewall. Unrelated, Michael Turner spins into the first left kink of Blanchimont. Francesco runs into Dave Curtis who sits on the outside racing line. Fran does see him too late and cannot slow enough or avoid Dave C. No yellow flags have been waved yet. Fabio Locarno sees Michael spin and tries to slow but runs wide due to that and puts his right rear tire on the grass. He is spinning to the inside of the track where Phil Thornton sees an opening and tries to clear the wrecks. Fabio clips Phil and both spin. Paul Whitfield does a great job and can avoid everyone with some luck. George Cheeseman almost clears the wrecks but a the spinning BT24 Fabio clips George's BRM. Paul might have gotten just a glimpse of the yellow flag waved (at 03m53s), and George must have seen the waved flag.
We must try to avoid to spin on Lap 1 when the field is still bunched up, and slow for wrecks ahead and waved yellow flags. But as the events took place after a fast blind corner, and the yellow flag was waved very late (most missed it), it all has to go down as racing incidents.
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As a result of the carnage above, George has a damaged car, and spins into La Source. It looks like he wants to do a Shift-R but cars close by prevent him to do that. George then goes into the pits together with Fabio (who has to do a stop & go for reset), does a stop, and resets in the pits, and continues.
Technically this is Failing to take Stop & Go after Shift-R. But as George already lost time waiting for cars and did stop in the pits, the moderators have decided a Caution for Incorrect Pit Stop would be sufficient on this occasion.
