Lap-by-lap report from Spa
Cars set out on their formation lap. Jason Watt and Fabrice Walfisch head the field.
GP Racing's Laurent Delahaye stops on the circuit even before the start of the race. He appears to be a retirement.
Race start: Walfisch stalls and finally starts last. Watt leads from Minassian, everyone unscathed so far.
Ayari takes 3rd from Junqueira into Les Combes. Goossens and Yoong bang wheels and go wide
Lap one: Order- Watt, Minassian, Ayari, Junqueira, Montagny, Sarrazin, Heidfeld, Rodriguez, Bernoldi
Sarrazin spins on the exit of the Bus Stop. The field spreads to go around him and Rodriguez passes Heidfeld in the process. Sarrazin is out of the race having hit the pit wall during his spin.
Lap three: Watt leads by 1.5s from Minassian. McGarrity is out of the race after an accident.
Lap three; Junqueira and Ayari collide at Fagnes. Junqueira was trying to pass the Frenchman and was squeezed onto the grass. He lost control and took Ayari with him into the gravel. Ayari gets back on course in last place, Junqueira is out
Lap four: Race order- Watt, Minassian, Montagny, Rodriguez, Heidfeld, Mauricio, Saelens, Couto, Morelli, Gavin, Yoong, Wilson, Davies, Enge, Gollin, Terrien, Fontana
Lap five: Wilson and Yoong collide in Eau Rouge. Wilson is out with broken suspension, Yoong spins into the tyres at high speed. Safety car comes out. Montagny and Rodriguez tangle in the second part of the Bus Stop. Montagny hits the barrier and retires, Rodriguez spins and loses places but continues. Medics working with Yoong in Eau Rouge gravel trap
Race order after five laps: 1. Watt; 2. Minassian; 3. Heidfeld; 4. Mauricio; 5. Rodriguez; 6. Saelens; 7. Couto; 8. Morelli; 9. Gavin; 10. Enge; 11. Davies; 12. Terrien; 13. Goossens; 14. Fontana; 15. Pavicevic; 16. Walfisch; 17. Battistuzzi; 18. Gollin.
Ayari is out of the race, he parked with damaged suspension after his collision with Junqueira.
Yoong hit the tyre wall side-on at high speed. He remains in the car.
Yoong has now been extricated from the car and put in an ambulance
Lap ten: Restart, Rodriguez already looking at passing Mauricio. Yoong is now in the medical centre
Rodriguez passes Mauricio into Les Combes. Saelens passes Couto, part of a crazy six car battle for the minor placings
Lap ten: Rodriguez sets fastest lap as he chases after Heidfeld. He then passes the champion on the Kemmel straight into Les Combes.
Flying Rodriguez closing in on Minassian. Gavin has passed Morelli for eighth.
Lap 13: Watt leads by 1.6s. Rodriguez takes second into Les Combes after Minassian slid wide out of Eau Rouge
Lap 15: Rodriguez has closed to within 0.9s of Watt. Walfisch spins back down to last at La Source. Rodriguez looks down the inside of Watt into Les Combes but cannot get through
Lap 16: Rodriguez now 0.5s behind Watt. Big late-braking battle into Les Combes, both run wide and over the dirt but Watt actually extends his lead.
Saelens now pushing Mauricio for 5th place. Couto also closing in
Lap 17: Saelens passes Mauricio into Les Combes. Further back, Fontana has now taken 14th from Goossens. Watt still leads
Lap 18: Rodriguez now right back on Watt's tail and eager to get ahead
Lap 19: Leaders seperated by 0.9s.
Goossens drops to last after going through the Stavelot gravel trap then locks up and goes over the grass at the Bus Stop, suggesting a brake problem
Lap 20: Rodriguez kicks up the dust through Eau Rouge then very late on the brakes into Les Combes but still second.
Lap 21: Goossens retires in the pits. Terrien passes Davies for 11th. Leaders still 0.6s apart.
Alex Yoong is being helicoptered to a local hospital
Lap 22: Signs of smoke from the back of Rodriguez's car. He then gets massively sideways in Stavelot but stays second, albeit only just ahead of Minassian and Heidfeld
Lap 23: Battistuzzi clatters over the Bus Stop kerbs trying to pass Pavicevic. Watt now has a 3.2s lead.
Lap 24: Couto challenging Mauricio for 6th place. Terrien making good progress through the top ten
Lap 25: Order- 1. Jason Watt; 2. Gonzalo Rodriguez; 3. Nicolas Minassian; 4. Nick Heidfeld; 5. David Saelens; 6. Ricardo Mauricio; 7. Andre Couto; 8. Oliver Gavin; 9. David Terrien; 10. Tomas Enge; 11. Jamie Davies; 12. Fabrizio Gollin; 13. Norberto Fontana; 14. Andrej Pavicevic; 15. Marcelo Battistuzzi; 16. Fabrice Walfisch
Lap 26: Rodriguez on the pace again and closing to within 2.9s of Watt
Lap 28: Order appears to be static now, with very few close battles anywhere in the field
Lap 29: Watt starts his final lap
Jason Watt wins at Spa for the second time in his Formula 3000 career. Rodriguez is 2nd, Minassian is 3rd. Full report to follow.
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