Belgian Grand Prix 2012 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Jenson Button claimed a masterful victory at the Belgian Grand Prix after an utterly chaotic first lap that saw Romain Grosjean trigger a massive accident at Les Combes, earning the Lotus driver a one-race ban and defining his season with another first-lap incident. Button benefited from the mayhem to inherit the lead, then controlled the restart brilliantly to beat Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull and Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus at the magnificent Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

The race exploded into chaos seconds after the start when Grosjean, running in the midfield pack, lost control under braking for the Les Combes corner and careered across the track into Lewis Hamilton's McLaren. The impact launched Grosjean's Lotus over Hamilton's car in a terrifying accident, with Fernando Alonso also caught up in the melee. All three championship contenders were eliminated on the spot - a devastating blow particularly for Alonso, whose points lead evaporated further. The incident drew universal condemnation, with Hamilton calling Grosjean a "frickin' nut case" over the radio. Race stewards handed Grosjean a one-race ban, forcing him to miss the Italian Grand Prix.

From the restart, Button drove with characteristic smoothness and precision, managing his tires perfectly on Spa's demanding mix of high-speed corners and long straights. Vettel pushed hard throughout but couldn't find a way past the McLaren, settling for second place and valuable championship points. Raikkonen completed the podium with another solid result for Lotus, while his teammate's ban dominated headlines. The Belgian GP marked a crucial turning point in the championship - Alonso's lead had been slashed, Red Bull's pace advantage was becoming clear, and Vettel's title charge was gathering unstoppable momentum as the season entered its decisive phase.