However, the Belgians did nothing for their case by employing security guards of the calibre of one goon who set his unmuzzled Rottweiler on an accredited photographer, without provocation.Such matters were not of immediate concern to the Orange Arrows team, as another chapter of their saga of trouble was written. The cars reappeared after missing the Hungarian race a fortnight ago, only to disappear again overnight on Friday when a rescue deal with a new American investor could not be completed in time.Nor did Spa provide quite the fairy tale Anthony Davidson had hoped for after his excellent debut in Hungary. On a circuit he knows, he qualified his Minardi six-tenths of a second slower than his team-mate, Mark Webber.Traditionally, McLaren race better than they qualify, while BMW Williams qualify better than they race Ferrari, however, have a consistent level of performance. Given such dominance, the chances of the GP being as gripping as yesterday’s Formula 3000 race – in which Giorgio Pantano beat Sebastien Bourdais and Ricardo Sperafico after a racelong duel – are doubtful.

But when you watch three young racers in identical cars duelling cleanly throughout and finishing within a second of one another on the greatest circuit in the world, it’s hard not to live in hope.. Student John Kirkpatrick passed his rugby league examination with flying colours on Friday night to earn top marks from St Helens coach Ian Millward. “Last year he wasn’t even getting a run in our Alliance team but he hung in,” said Millward. “He’s just completed his university studies and got good marks Now we will probably offer him a full-time contract.

What he’s getting at the moment won’t pay his petrol money.”While Millward was happy to sing the praises of his novice winger, he was also grateful for the experience of his Great Britain regulars Paul Sculthorpe and Keiron Cunningham in seeing off a brave, if limited, Rhinos outfit. The injury-hit Rhinos produced a spirited rally after trailing 16-2 but Sculthorpe steadied the Saints as they completed a fourth win of the season over their Yorkshire rivals. The classy loose forward put full-back Darren Albert over for his 23rd try of the season and kicked three second-half penalties to halt the Leeds comeback.Kirkpatrick had opened the scoring with a try after only five minutes as sizzling Saints, who had run up 220 points in their previous four matches, quickly signalled their intentions. Leeds, without six regulars through injury and suspension, were simply swept off their feet.Martin Gleeson and Tommy Martyn rand in tries and Sculthorpe kicked both conversions, before Leeds’ Keith Senior touched down for the seventh successive match. It was the first try conceded by Saints in 278 minutes of Super League football at Knowsley Road.St Helens stretched their lead straight from the re-start when Sculthorpe kicked a penalty from halfway.