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2015 Belgian Grand Prix is a return to scheduled programming

With summer intermission over, the second half of the Formula One season commenced in the Belgian countryside at Spa-Francorchamps. After qualifying, it looked a lot like the first half of the season with just a few minor changes. Lewis Hamilton was even more dominant in his Mercedes-AMG Petronas than usual, regularly taking half a second out of his teammate in just the middle sector of the circuit. Teammate Nico Rosberg tightened it up a tad for his final hot lap, but Hamilton still took pole by 0.45 seconds ahead of Rosberg in second. With his Williams back at a power track, Valtteri Bottas got himself up to third, although more than a second behind Hamilton. Romain Grosjean in the Lotus in fourth had his best qualifying performance since his fourth-place grid spot at the 2013 US Grand Prix. This was a huge boon for Lotus, the team facing another financial issue off track that threatened to have its cars impounded as soon as they left the circuit. Grosjean had to have his gearbox changed before the conclusion of six races, however, so the five-spot penalty meant he'd actually line up ninth for the race. Sergio Perez put the Sahara Force India in fifth, where we're more used to seeing his teammate Nico Hulkenberg, just ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in the Infiniti Red Bull Racing in sixth. Felipe Massa got the second Williams in seventh, in front of the second Lotus of Pastor Maldonado in eighth. Then came the first and only Ferrari in the top ten, Sebastian Vettel qualifying ninth after a disappointing Saturday for the scuderia; teammate Kimi Raikkonen suffered gearbox issues and qualified way down in 16th. Carlos Sainz took tenth in the Toro Rosso. A new start procedure in Belgium meant drivers had to handle clutches on their own, without the engineers finely tuning bite points between the garage and the start line. That was in conjunction with another rule limiting the kinds of radio messages possible between engineers and drivers, aiming to put more of the car in the drivers' hands. After an aborted start when Hulkenberg's car quit while sitting on the grid, Hamilton made the most of the new procedure. His start wasn't amazing but he beat everyone else off the line, while those behind were alternately getting bogged down or leaping ahead. Midway through the first lap the top ten was Hamilton, Perez, Ricciardo, Bottas, Rosberg, Vettel, Maldonado, Grosjean, Massa, Marcus Ericsson. At the end of 43 laps, Hamilton would still be in the lead.

Ferrari Enzo split in half in crash could sell for millions

The 2004 Ferrari Enzo you see here is quite unlike any other. You see, back in 2006, tech entrepreneur Stefan Eriksson famously sliced this Enzo in half when he hit a pole along the Pacific Coast Highway while allegedly speeding at around 160 miles per hour (as you can see in the image below). And now you can bid to own it. RM Sotheby's will auction the infamous supercar in Paris on February 3. The supercar carries an estimate of between 1.5 million and 2 million euros ($1.6 million to $2.2 million at current rates). Eriksson initially claimed that a buddy was driving when the accident happened but eventually came clean. The authorities charged Eriksson with nine offenses, including grand theft, drunk driving, embezzlement, and illegal gun possession. He was later sentenced to three years in prison. Despite the horrendous damage, Eriksson's Enzo has survived. According to RM Sotheby's auction description, the Ferrari Technical Assistance Service rebuilt the car and added satellite navigation, a Bose stereo, reverse camera, power windows, and a subtle carbon fiber rear spoiler. The team also repainted the exterior in a beautiful shade called Nero Daytona and installed a Rosso interior, which replaced the original combo of Rosso Corsa on the outside and Nero inside. The car has covered 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) and remained in Europe since it was rebuilt from the untimely accident. The car also comes certified by Ferrari Classiche to confirm its authenticity. The Enzo is a special vehicle even without this one's great story, representing as it does a big leap forward for modern supercars. A 6.0-liter V12 with 660 horsepower sits behind the driver, and a six-speed sequential gearbox gets the power down. We can't wait to see what this interesting example brings at auction. PARIS 3 February 2016 Lot 138 2004 Ferrari Enzo Chassis no. ZFFCZ56B000135564 Engine no. 080164 Assembly no. 52696 ˆ1.500.000 - ˆ2.000.000 To be auctioned on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 Documents: French Certificat d'Immatriculation 660 bhp, 5,998 cc DOHC 65-degree V-12 engine with Bosch Motronic engine management and electronic fuel injection, six-speed electro-hydraulic computer-controlled sequential F1 transmission, limited-slip differential and traction control, front and rear pushrod-actuated double wishbones with horizontal external reservoir coil-spring damper units, and four-wheel ventilated carbon-ceramic disc brakes.

Manor GP exits bankruptcy, secures Ferrari engine deal

Those who considered Manor Grand Prix down for the count may be in for a surprise as the struggling Formula One team is clawing its way back onto the grid. According to the latest intel, the outfit has not only re-emerged from bankruptcy proceedings, but it's also secured an engine deal for this season. Now if the name Manor doesn't ring any bells for you, it's probably because it never raced under that name. At least not in F1. Manor Motorsport has been competing in lower-level formulae since 1990, and secured an expansion slot in the big leagues in 2009. By the time it actually reached the grid, it had secured title sponsorship from Virgin, and was subsequently taken over by Marussia, under whose banner it competed for several season until things started to unravel late last season. After Jules Bianchi crashed at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, it fielded only one car (that failed to finish) at the subsequent Russian Grand Prix and then dropped off the grid altogether. After failing to make it to the season closer in Abu Dhabi, the team was declared bankrupt. In an effort to regroup and make it back on the grid for the 2015 championship, it appealed to its rivals for special dispensation to run last year's car this season. Unfortunately, some of the other teams rejected the proposal, and it looked like it was all over for the struggling backmarker. But it retained its slot on the entry list and paid its fees, and has now emerged from bankruptcy proceedings, eager to get back into the action – even if it misses the season opener in a couple of weeks in Australia. The team is now focusing on completing its original design for the 2015 MR04 chassis. And it appears to have cleared a major hurdle as Ferrari has reportedly agreed to supply the team with last year's engine. We'll just have to wait and see whether that will prove enough to get the team back up and running – especially since it already sold off many of its assets. News Source: ESPN F1 (1), (2)Image Credit: Paul Gilham/Getty Earnings/Financials Motorsports Ferrari F1 manor