Belgium 1997:
with Murray Walker.
F1 Racing October 1997.

Has blondie blown it - as last month's feature so provocatively asked? Well, it rather looks as if he has. I've been
asserting that Jacques Villeneuve is going to win the championship ever since the season began, but Michael Schumacher's crushing demonstration of superiority in the Belgian Grand Prix wrong-footed Jacques and Williams. Michael not only demonstrated once again that he is in a class of his own as a driver, but also, no doubt with Ross Brawn's assistance, made all the right decision about set-up and tures. He had the race won before it started, while most of the rest were to flounder around trying to find the right rubber.

A tour de force, as was Giancarlo Fisichella's smooth and unobtrusive drive to second. We're going to hear a lot more about him, and Eddie Jordan is right to fight for him. While I'm throwing compliments about, hats off to race director Charlie Whiting. It was so right to start the race behind the safety car that it was easy to overlook the fact it was a tough decision. Lesser men would have delayed the start or risked carnage by meeting worldwide TV schedules when the track was awash. As a result, we had a race of excitement, drama and action and now, with five to go, it's hard to see Schumacher and Ferrari being beaten. They're on a roll and richly deserve success in Maranello's 50th year. Not a good day for Damon, though. In F1 a lot can change in just two weeks!

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