PREVIEW – Belgian Grand Prix
Round twelve of the 2016 season sees Formula One return to the Spa – Francochamps in the Arden Forest in Belgium. The longest circuit on the calendar and it is one of the ones on the very first FIA World Championship in 1950. The circuit presents a unique challenge to drivers with the high speed, long flat out sections and tricky corners that all without the unpredictable weather patterns!
The original 15KM circuit was built on public roads between the towns of Francorchamps, Malmedy, and Stavelot. Over the years the circuit has been modified but the first sector has be kept with minor modifications with cars going through the eye conic Eau Rouge climbing a blind exit flat out. Before the long run to decent back down the hill Les Combes.
The 1998 was dramatic one of the most famous in modern history a multi car pileup on the opening lap of the race causing an hours delay. On the restart two drivers crash out, David Coulthard crashes in Michael Schumacher on lap 25 forcing Schumacher to retire, giving Jordan their first victory in F1.
Facts and figures
| Race | 2016 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Venue | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium |
| Circuit Length | 7.004km (4.352mi) |
| Laps | 44 |
| Race Distance | 308.052km (191.410 mi) |
| Lap Record | 01:47.263 Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2009 |
| Most wins drivers | Michael Schumacher (6) |
| Most wins manufacture | Ferrari (16) |
Event timetable
| Local | BST | |
| Friday | ||
| P1 | 10:00-11:30 | 09:00-10:30 |
| P2 | 14:00-15:30 | 13:00-14:30 |
| Saturday | ||
| P3 | 11:00-12:00 | 10:00-11:00 |
| Qualifying | 14:00-15:00 | 13:00-14:00 |
| Sunday | ||
| Race | 14:00-16:00 | 13:00-15:00 |
What happened in 2015?
Lewis Hamilton took control after a heart in the mouth moment for Mercedes after team-mate Nico Rosberg made a bad start with fears of both cars being taken out on the first lap. This came following an aborted stars after Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz had a loss of power on the grid. Sebastian Vettel was forced to retire following a tyre failure just two laps from the end promoting Lotus’s Romain Grosjean to third.
2015 vs 2014 Race Data
| P1 Fastest | P2 Fastest | P3 Fastest | Q1 Fastest | Q2 Fastest | Q3 Fastest | Race Time | Fastest Lap | |
| 2015 | 01:51.082 | 01:49.338 | 01:48.984 | 01:48.908 | 01:47.955 | 01:47.197 | 01:23:40.387 | 01:52.416 |
| Diff | -0.495 | +0.149 | -0.481 | -19.138 | -19.354 | -18.696 | -00:56.261 | -2.915 |
| 2014 | 01:51.577 | 01:49.189 | 01:49.465 | 02:07.130 | 02:06.609 | 02:05.591 | 01:24:36.556 | 01:50.511 |
Tyres
| Driver | Super soft | Soft | Medium |
| HAMILTON | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| ROSBERG | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| VETTEL | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| RAIKKONEN | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| BOTTAS | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| MASSA | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| RICCARDO | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| VERSTAPPEN | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| MAGNUSSEN | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| PLAMER | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| HULKENBERG | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| PEREZ | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| KYVAT | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| SAINZ | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| BUTTON | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| ALONSO | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| ERICSSON | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| NASR | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| WEHRLEIN | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| OCON | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| GROSJEAN | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| GUTIERREZ | 7 | 5 | 1 |
Leave a Reply