Posted on 18th August 2015
The second half of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship gets underway as we head to Belgium for the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend which is one of the most popular tracks that the teams and the drivers like to race at and is one of the most challenging race tracks on the planet.
The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is characterised by a long seven-kilometre lap, high speeds, sweeping changes of elevation, fast corners and variable weather which is a complete contrast to the last Grand Prix in Hungary which is very twisty and very tight.
But with regards to the Belgian Grand Prix, this weekend Pirelli have brought the P Zero White medium tyres and P Zero Yellow soft tyres which has been the most popular tyre combination of all the Grand Prix that have been held so far this year in order to cope with the demands of this legendary circuit. The Cinturato intermediate and wet tyres are also very likely to feature at some point during the Spa weekend, given the region's microclimate.
However, managing the amount of energy going through the tyres is one of the keys to success at Spa. This consists of not only forces exerted through cornering, braking, and acceleration but also the loads generated by the huge changes in elevation.
The best example of this can be found at the famous Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex (which subjects the tyre structure and shoulder to an unparalleled 1g compression). The teams and the drivers over the course of the weekend find that the biggest difficulty with the variable weather in Spa is that many variations exist over the course of just a single lap, making it hard to identify the correct tyre when it rains.
It's possible for one part of the circuit to be completely soaked, but another part to be a hundred per cent dry. Therefore the drainage systems on the track is then an very important issue; meaning that it's easy to be caught out by streams of water running across the track surface while still fighting for the best result possible on the track.
The Belgian Grand Prix is a race where anything can happen, which excites the teams, drivers and most importantly the fans every single year without fail. With a high incidence of safety cars and changing weather that is part of the circuit's charm, tyre strategy will be important this weekend; as well as each team's ability to constantly read the race and react quickly to any opportunities that present themselves.
Here are the facts and figures heading into the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend-
Facts and Figures
•Belgium has hosted the Grand Prix since 1950.
•Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver at the track with six wins.
•Kimi Raikkonen is the most successful driver currently to win the Grand Prix with four wins.
•Ferrari is the most successful constructor to win the Grand Prix with sixteen wins.
•Race distance: 308.05km (191.41miles)
•Number of turns:19
•Top speed: 329kph
•Lap record: Sebastian Vettel- Red Bull (2009)- 1.47.263
Winners from the last five Belgian Grand Prix:-
• 2010-Lewis Hamilton
• 2011-Sebastian Vettel,
• 2012-Jenson Button
• 2013- Sebastian Vettel
• 2014- Daniel Ricciardo
My five things to look out for this weekend
1.Weather- As I have mentioned before, the weather can throw a surprise in Belgium when you least expect it and if that is the case, we should see a good race throughout the field with drivers battling each other and while also managing their tyres too.
2.Tyre and driver performance- With the track being hard on tyres and also on the performance of the drivers due to the characteristics of the Belgian circuit; we could see teams and drivers struggling to get the Pirelli compounds lasting throughout the course of the weekend and also maintain high levels of concentration in the race. Will this impact anyone's race on Sunday as a result?
3.Bravery through Eau Rouge- With the most challenging corner in the world, will we see the drivers battling each other through the corner once again for position just like Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso in seasons gone by? If that does happen, what a thrilling piece of driving that would be.
4.Performance of McLaren-Honda- With Honda eying up Ferrari with their planned upgrades to their engines this weekend after working hard over the summer break, will this translate into competitive performances for McLaren, Honda and their driver line up of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso this weekend?
5.Performance of the Mercedes drivers- With Mercedes having dominated in Australia, having a “damage limitation†weekends in Malaysia and Hungary and winning in China, Bahrain, Spain, Monaco, Canada, Austria and Silverstone, Mercedes are clearly still the favourites to retain both of their championships this season and winning at Spa this weekend. But the real question is; will anyone be able to pose a challenge over the course of the weekend once again and be able to take the lead of the Driver's Championship away from Hamilton?
Sky Sports F1 are showing uninterrupted coverage of every Practice session, Qualifying and race for the Grand Prix (and every race of the season) and the BBC also are showing coverage, details for both are below:-
•*Sky Sports F1*:- Friday (Practice 1 and 2) 8.45am and 12.45pm [Replays throughout Thursday and Friday], Saturday (Practice 3 and Qualifying) 9.45am and 12.00pm [Replays throughout Saturday], Sunday (Race) 11.30am
•*BBC*- Friday (Practice 1 and 2) 8.45am and 12.45pm, Saturday (Practice 3 and Qualifying) 9.55am and 12.10pm, Sunday (Race and race highlights) 12.15pm and 7.00pm
Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa
