After the sport’s traditional summer break, Formula 1 returns this weekend for round 13 of the world championship at the historic and classic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the Formula 1 2018 Johnnie Walker Belgian Grand Prix. This will be the 74^th Belgian Grand Prix and the 61^st time that the race will be held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

 

 

A look at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

 

 

Built in 1921 and located in the Ardennes countryside in Stavelot Belgium, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is a favourite amongst the drivers, teams and fans. The longest lap on the calendar will test the 1.6L turbocharged V6 hybrid power-trains to their limits through the high-speed sectors one and three but also aerodynamics through the twisty sector two.

 

Spa is one of the season’s fastest tracks and it features every kind of challenge with average speeds of 230kph. The throttle is wide open for approximately 23 seconds from the stretch of the exit of La Source to Les Combes. From the run down through Eau Rouge, up the steep incline towards the blind Radillon corner, to the flat-out Kemmel Straight, through Les Combes and the technically difficult stretch down through Rivage, Pouhon and Fagnes and on to the ultimately fast Blanchimont left-hander and despite many alterations over the years due to safety reasons, Spa remains an ultimate test for both man and machine.

 

Getting the car setup is crucial, with success being the right balance between low downforce for the high-speed first and third sectors and good grip for the twisty second sector.

The weather can also play a defining role. Ardennes defines the phrase ‘four seasons in one day’ and while one end of the circuit can be full of sunshine, the other can be drenched with rain. The unpredictable conditions can be a real headache for teams especially regarding tyre choice.

 

The current Grand Prix circuit layout is 7.004km (4.352 miles) in length and runs in a clockwise direction.

 

Race distance is 305.052km (191.415 miles) in length with 44 laps in total and 19 corners.

 

Sebastian Vettel holds the fastest lap record with a 1:46.577 set last year in his Scuderia Ferrari SF70H.

 

Michael Schumacher holds the record for most Belgian Grand Prix victories with six.

 

Scuderia Ferrari is the most successful constructor at the Belgian Grand Prix with 16 victories.

 

The Last Five Winners

 

2017: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1. 2015: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2014: Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing. 2013: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing.

 

Tyres

 

 

Pirelli will be bringing with them to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the red-branded Super-Softs, the yellow-marked Softs and the white side-walled Medium rubber along with the green-marked Intermediates and blue-banded Full Wet compounds in-case of rain.

 

Reigning World Champions Mercedes have gone with a more conservative approach compared to arch-rivals Ferrari, with the Silver Arrows focusing heavily on the medium tyres for the high-speed circuit.

 

Mercedes have selected for both championship leader Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, three sets of mediums, four softs and six supersofts.

 

Ferrari have split their tyre choices for both their drivers, with Sebastian Vettel having two mediums, four softs and seven supersofts whilst team-mate Kimi Raikkonen will have just one set of medium rubber, five softs and seven supersofts.

 

Red Bull are bringing just one set of mediums for Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, whilst both allocations are split with Ricciardo given four sets of softs and eight supersofts and Verstappen opting for five softs and seven supersoft compounds.

 

McLaren have gone the most radical with their tyre allocations compared to it’s rivals, with both Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne selecting four sets of mediums and supersofts and five sets of softs.

 

Williams have gone the most aggressive in the field selecting nine sets of the softest tyre available in the supersoft for both Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin.

 

DRS Zones

 

The detection point for the first zone is 240 metres before turn two with the activation point 310 metres after turn four. The second detection point is 160 metres before turn 18 with the activation point 30 metres after turn 19.

 

Pitlane Speed Limits

 

Pitlane speed limits will be 80km/h during practice, qualifying and the race.

 

ICYMI: Hungarian GP Rewind – Hamilton cruises to dominant Hungarian GP victory, extends title lead

 

 

Lewis Hamilton cruised to a dominant Hungarian Grand Prix victory to extend his Driver’s Championship lead going into Formula 1’s summer break, as Sebastian Vettel survived a late collision with Valtteri Bottas to finish in second place.

 

Hamilton came home to a comfortable 67^th career win after starting on pole, with title-rival Sebastian Vettel finishing second despite late contact from Bottas when the Mercedes driver attempted to fight back after being overtaken for second place with five laps remaining.

 

Bottas fell to fifth, also colliding later on with Daniel Ricciardo, as the other Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen completed the podium.

 

How the Hungarian GP unfolded

 

Pole sitter Hamilton and team-mate Bottas held a Mercedes one-two lead at the start, with Vettel moving passed Raikkonen by running around the grippier outside line of the Finn into turn two.

 

Hamilton built a solid six second gap over Bottas, who had Vettel close behind him, before Bottas pitted from second on lap 15 to react to Raikkonen’s stop a lap earlier.

 

That removed Hamilton’s extra cover as the Briton extended his first stint ten laps more but began to slowly get caught by Vettel who was running the yellow-branded softs compared to Hamilton’s ultrasofts.

 

A lockup by Vettel at turn 12 on the 23^rd lap, which saw the German run wide lost him a valuable second and gave Hamilton a little buffer.

 

Hamilton pitted from the lead with a six second gap and dropped back from Vettel at first, before using his fresher softer tyres to his advantage to cut Vettel’s gap within ten seconds before the German stopped with 31 laps remaining.

 

Traffic, along with Bottas putting in very quick laps and Ferrari’s slow pit-stop after a problem with Vettel’s front-left tyre put the Scuderia on the backfoot once again as Mercedes regained a one-two lead as Vettel came out in third place.

 

This meant Vettel came out behind Bottas and could not use his fresher ultrasofts to his advantage to hunt down race leader Hamilton for the win.

 

Vettel was stuck for 20 laps behind Bottas, which brought Raikkonen back into play – after the Finn made his second stop of the race for another set of softs to make it a triple threat for second.

 

Bottas was finally forced to defend his position with five laps remaining, keeping his place at turn one before Vettel closed in, and the German cut back and moved ahead on the rundown into turn two.

 

Bottas braked too late as he tried to maintain second place on the inside line and with a loss of downforce he ran over the kerb and into the back of Vettel’s Ferrari.

 

The Finn broke his front wing in the process but Vettel’s SF71H racer remained unscathed with no damage or puncture, keeping Raikkonen behind to finish 17.123 seconds behind winner Hamilton.

 

Mercedes decided to keep Bottas on track, but the Finn’s damage put him under pressure from Ricciardo’s fast-charging Red Bull, who got a good run on Bottas down the main straight with four laps remaining.

 

The Australian was passing the Mercedes around the outside when Bottas locked up again and crashed into the sidepod of the Red Bull RB14.

 

Ricciardo caught Bottas once more and passed the Finn at the exit of turn one with an undercut to complete a thrilling comeback.

 

The Australian charged through the field after starting 12^th and fell to 16^th on an untidy opening lap that included being hit by Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson and passed by Force India’s Sergio Perez off-track.

 

His late jump to fourth gave the Milton-Keynes based squad some consolation after Max Verstappen retired early due to a sudden loss of power that saw team-boss Christian Horner blast engine supplier Renault halfway through the race.

 

Red Bull is swapping Renault for Honda power in 2019 and its sister Team Toro Rosso running the Japanese manufacturers power-trains finished in sixth place courtesy of Pierre Gasly.

 

The Frenchman passed Renault’s Carlos Sainz on the first lap after the Spaniard was divebombed by Verstappen into the first corner and drove a brilliant race and withstood a fast charging Haas VF-18 of Kevin Magnussen to finished seventh.

 

McLaren’s Fernando Alonso finished eighth on his 37^th birthday by extending his first stint and jumping ahead of several cars that were in-front of the Renault-powered MCL33 earlier on and then was held up by Force India’s Esteban Ocon when they pitted.

 

Sainz came home in ninth place to take two points for Renault whilst the other Haas VF-18 of Romain Grosjean completed the top ten.

 

The other Toro Rosso of Brendon Hartley finished in 11^th place and ahead of Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg who was 12^th and the Force India pairing of Ocon and Perez who ended the race in 13^th and 14^th respectively.

 

The sole Sauber of Ericsson and the two Mercedes-powered FW41 Williams of Sergey Sirotkin and Lance Stroll all finished two laps down.

 

The other McLaren on Stoffel Vandoorne was on course to make it a double-points finish for the Woking-based squad but retired from ninth due to gearbox problem three quarters into the race.

 

Sauber’s Charles Leclerc was the other retiree of the race after being sandwiched by the two Force India’s.

 

The Situation

 

 

Defending Belgian Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton returns to Spa sitting on top of the World Driver’s Championship with 213 points and a 24-point advantage over title-rival Sebastian Vettel who is second on 189 points while Kimi Raikkonen is third on 146 points and a further 67 behind the Briton.

 

Mercedes returns to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps leading the World Constructors Championship with 345 points and 10 ahead of nearest rivals Ferrari who are second on 335 points while Red Bull Racing are a further 112 behind the Silver Arrows in third on 223 points.

 

2018 Formula 1 World Driver’s Championship Standings

1. Lewis Hamilton – 213 Points.
2. Sebastian Vettel – 189 Points.
3. Kimi Raikkonen – 146 Points.
4. Valtteri Bottas – 132 Points.
5. Daniel Ricciardo – 118 Points.
6. Max Verstappen – 105 Points.
7. Nico Hulkenberg – 52 Points.
8. Kevin Magnussen – 45 Points.
9. Fernando Alonso – 44 Points.
10. Sergio Perez – 30 Points.

 

2018 Formula 1 World Constructors Championship Standings

1. Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport – 345 Points.
2. Scuderia Ferrari – 335 Points.
3. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing – 223 Points.
4. Renault Sport F1 Team – 82 Points.
5. Haas F1 Team – 66 Points.
6. Sahara Force India F1 Team – 59 Points.
7. McLaren-Renault F1 Team – 52 Points.
8. Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda – 28 Points.
9. Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team – 18 Points.
10. Williams Martini Racing – 4 Points.

 

The Formula 1 2018 Johnnie Walker Belgian Grand Prix weekend races into action Friday August 24 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday August 25 and the 44 lap Race Sunday August 26.