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The Knowledge: Belgian GP, Spa-Francorchamps


Spa-Francorchamps is one of the few F1 tracks that still sends a shiver of expectation through both drivers and fans.

With some of the most memorable corners in the sport and a track that undulates like a tarmac-tracked rollercoaster, Spa always entertains one way or another.

This year, with Lewis Hamilton likely to have to fight his way through traffic because of grid penalties, there’s a good chance we’ll see the sort of overtaking that F1 memories are made of.

So, what do you need to know about Spa?

Know the track


At 4.3miles, the modern Spa is less than half the length of the original circuit but it packs both fantastic corners and high-speed thrills into those miles.

It’s fast – about 72 per cent of a lap is spent on full throttle, a figure bettered only by Monza – but those amazing corners mean set-up can be tricky (see below).

This is a proper old-school circuit, which snakes up, down and through the Ardennes forest. Areas to watch closely include:

La Source – The Turn 1 hairpin at the end of the short start/finish straight (pictured) can get chaotic on Lap 1 but, once things settle down, it’s a crucial corner to get right. That’s because it launches cars towards Eau Rouge and 23 seconds of driving at full throttle. Talking of which…

Eau Rouge/Raidillon – Perhaps the most famous complex in F1, this kinked section of track is so steep (18 per cent, or about 1-in-5.5) that Michael Schumacher once said it was like ‘flying downhill and seeing a big mountain in front of you’.

You’ll hear plenty of talk about how modern F1 cars all take this flat-out but don’t let that fool you – this is a hugely challenging bit of track, especially when you’re travelling at 185-190mph.

Drivers drop down into Eau Rouge, experience a compression of about 1.7g, before heading up that steep hill, which has two crests that can unsettle cars, especially if they are too close to the car in front, losing downforce in its turbulent wake.

Anyone attacking this complex too aggressively will scrub speed off and leave themselves vulnerable on the long Kemmell Straight into the Les Combes chicane, which presents a good overtaking opportunity.

Pouhon – This is another steep section of track, a tricky double left-hander that drops away at about 15 per cent, or 1-in-7. Cars can be doing 185mph through here, and the lateral forces can take their toll on drivers. This section may not be as famous as Eau Rouge but it deserves to be.


Know the set-up


This is a fast circuit but it’s not enough just to run with low downforce, to maximise top speed.

The middle section in particular will punish teams who don’t run enough downforce, so watch those sector times for clues as to who is set up for speed and who is looking for grip.

As for tyres, most teams have opted for six or seven sets of red supersofts, with three or four sets of yellow softs and white mediums.

But Mercedes have gone for an extremely conservative tyre selection, with only four sets of supersofts for each driver for the weekend.

What do they know that everyone else doesn’t? Is it to help Lewis Hamilton claw back places after a grid penalty? Is it because the supersofts will disintegrate if the weather stays hot? Watch this space.


Know the weather



There can be baking sunshine, there can be torrential rain – and there can be a fiendish combination of dry weather in one part of the circuit and a downpour in another part.

Changeable weather will be a curse to some drivers, a blessing to others. At the 1997 Spa race (pictured), Michael Schumacher put in one of the drives of his career, turning a poor weekend (he qualified on the third row and was only 15th fastest in morning practice) into a famous victory when rain unexpectedly affected the first part of the race.

The forecast for Spa looks to be dry and warm on Saturday, and dry until late afternoon on Sunday… but, if the thunderstorms that are predicted for Sunday teatime arrive early, it could get very spicy at Spa.


Know the stats


Spa-Francorchamps rewards the very best drivers. Michael Schumacher topped the podium a remarkable six times, Ayrton Senna managed five.

Jim Clark and Kimi Raikkonen (pictured) have won four apiece, Damon Hill and Juan Manuel Fangio three.

Alberto Ascari and Alain Prost tasted victory twice each and, so far, so have Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.

Whether or not Vettel, Hamilton and Raikkonen have luck on their side this weekend, they will certainly have history on their side.