Spa – Venue of F1 Racing Dreams
Posted on July 24, 2024 Tags: Belgium GP Spa
Is Aussie Oscar our youngest F1 winner?
Daniel Dudded by Team call
THE LAST GRAND PRIX BEFORE THE SUMMER BREAK is back at Spa-Francorchamps, recognised among the most awe-inspiring racetracks in the world. It is a very special venue that has witnessed some of the greatest moments in the history of the sport.
Nestled in the Walloon Region of Belgium, near the towns of towns of Spa-Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot, the famous circuit winds its way through fairytale woods.
Those seven spectacular kilometres of Spa twist their way on roads that climb and drop through the magical Ardennes Forests, making the location even more breathtaking.’
It’s a very special seven clicks, which are ever ready at nearly every turn to catch out the unwary driver .
Eau Rouge, Raidillon, La Source, Kemmel, Stavelot and Malmedy are just some of the names that have made the venue for the Belgian Grand Prix famous across the globe, and an absolute must for every serious racer.
The combination of Eau Rouge-Raidillon is particularly demanding and has unique characteristics – in this specific case a strong compression which puts a lot of stress on both the driver and the car.
Spanking new track surface at Spa
This year the Spa circuit has undergone a makeover, with much of it having been resurfaced – destined to have F1 teams busting with abnormal enthusiasm to get their cars out on Friday for the start of all-important practice sessions, ready for the weekend’s drama.
Pirelli has already been able to assess the new asphalt – last month during the 24 Hours of Spa, the classic GTWC race for which the Italian company is the sole tyre supplier.
That event showed the GT3 cars lapping three seconds quicker than the previous year, with the same compounds as here this week at Spa.
Of course, the performance level of the GT cars cannot be compared to that of a Formula 1 car – not even using the current, highly advanced simulation tools.
But Pirelli believes it is highly likely the new surface will lead to a significant reduction in lap times and a considerable increase in the grip level on the resurfaced sections.
Turns at Spa are blinders!
Magical Spa boasts 19 turns with nine left-hand corners and ten right-handers, on a high-speed rollercoaster.
The Kemmel Straight stretches1.05 kilometres and drivers hit 320km/h, just shy of 200 mph, on the thrilling journey that has been hallowed ground for countless motorsport enthusiasts for more than a century.
There’s been racing in the Ardennes since the first race, for motorcycles, took place in 1921.
The first Belgian Grand Prix was held the following year, on a road circuit making use of three sides of a triangle which joined the three nearby towns of Spa-Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot.
The super-long straights and the iconic Eau Rouge corner are an extraordinary challenge, with the Ardennes weather – anything but predictable – adding an extra layer of drama.
Aussie Oscar: The Real Deal
With McLaren’s on-track open-mike antics taking some of the shine off a magnificent one-two at Hungary, it was nonetheless a defining triumph for 23-year-old Oscar Piastri, securing his maiden F1 victory.
The double, both in qualifying and the race, saw Aussie Oscar secure victory while pole sitting teammate Lando Norris finished second. Lewis Hamilton was a gutsy third – recording his 200th top-three finish from 345 Formula 1 Grand Prix starts.
He became only the fifth Aussie after Jack Brabham (14 wins), Alan Jones (12) Mark Webber (9) and Daniel Ricciardo (8).
Most importantly, the win edged McLaren ever closer to loosening Red Bull’s tight fist around the massive Constructors’ title – with still half a season to run!
Incidentally, McLaren’s last F1 double was back in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix when Lando was again second behind an Australian driver, on that occasion, Daniel!
But only time will tell if the Perth superstar will still be around after the Summer break when F1 returns to Autodromo Nazionale Monza August 30, for the Italian Grand Prix race on Sunday September 1.
Before that is Max Verstappen‘s home race – the Netherlands Grand Prix.
A Woeful Team Call
There is no doubt Daniel Ricciardo was dudded bigtime by his team in Hungary.
After starting a creditable 9th on the grid, he was primed for a decent finish until called into the pits early and struggled to finish 12th, and out of the points.
“I’m really trying to bite my tongue, but you must know how I feel about the first stop,” he said over the radio.
As I’ve said before I have no doubt Daniel has a firm understanding of his current position.
He’s a delightful person, a credit to Formula One. And he definitely needs something good to happen this weekend!
Spa-Francorchamps, Ardennes Forests, Belgium
So, after the central European warmth of Hungary, it’s back to the realities of the cooler climes of Spa-Francorchamps in the depths of the magnificent Ardennes Forests where temperatures are unlikely all week to rise above the low 20Cs.
The weather is always a defining factor, but it is even more so at fickle Spa.
According to Pirelli, if there is a single venue on the world motor racing calendar – not just F1 – where variable weather can play a role, it is Spa.
Conditions can change dramatically from one day to the next, with grip levels often dramatically different at various points on the track at the same time.
And because it is such a long lap, the slightest little mistake in judging the right moment to switch from dry to wet tyres, or vice versa, can carry a severe penalty in the race. And even more so in qualifying.
While it rained last year earlier in the week, there was no rain during the race.
On Sunday afternoon all drivers ran slicks, with 13 favouring the medium compound against seven going for the soft.
Pirelli opts for same boots for Spa
For this, the 14th round of the season, Pirelli has chosen the same trio of compounds as used for the last two years – the C2 as P Zero White hard, the C3 Yellow medium and the C4 Red soft.
In terms of stress on the tyres, Spa is one of the tracks with the highest average levels, even if it does not reach the peaks seen at Silverstone and Suzuka.
The track features all corner types, linked by very fast sections, which makes it difficult for the teams to identify the ideal aerodynamic compromise.
According to the Pirelli gurus, it isn’t unusual to see cars that are very strong in the fastest first and third sectors, struggling in the second slower one, or vice versa.
Usually, degradation at this track is mainly thermal, but the new surface could be a decisive factor in this area, given the extra grip afforded to the tyres.
This weekend marks the 68th edition of the Belgian Grand Prix as a round of the Formula 1 World Championship – 56 of these have taken place at Spa-Francorchamps.
Monza holds the record at 73.
Michael Schumacher made his debut at Spa in 1991 and is the most successful driver with six wins, followed by Ayrton Senna on five – with Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Jim Clark on three.
BELGIUM GRAND PRIX
Race Schedule
| PERTH TIME |
Circuit de Spa Francorchamps | 26-28 July
Practice 1 Friday 26th July 19.30
Practice 2 Friday 26th July 23:00
Practice 3 Saturday 27th July 18:30
Qualifying Saturday 27th July 22:00
RACE
Sunday 28th July 21:00
EDITED by AC
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