Category: Previews

F1 2013: Belgium GP: Spa – the greatest place on Earth

There aren’t many things that Formula 1 teams and the sport’s fans see eye to eye on. But the one thing that has everyone’s unanimous agreement is that Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps is incomparably the best racing track on the face of the planet.

Where other circuit’s layouts are identified by numbers, here corners are named. Eau Rouge, Pouhon and Blanchimont ooze Formula 1 history and have demanded respect from every era’s most talented drivers. Sites such as Abu Dhabi and Singapore are modern-day showpieces but Spa is where it is every driver’s desire to be part of its mystical history.

The Belgian circuit stands apart in other areas as well. It is the longest on the calendar at 7.004 km and houses its own micro-climate in the foothills of the Ardennes mountain range. The weather effect has been as colossal as the circuit is demanding. The temperamental rain has been known to severely limit running in free practice. While the over 7km long race track stretches through a grand vista of sprawling hills it brings with it the likelihood of contradictory weather conditions at either end of the circuit.

Several teams will bring upgrade packages to the race this weekend with Lotus expected to bring their last major upgrade for the year to their E21 car. A final decision on whether to run the passive DRS system has not been made yet but according to Lotus’ trackside operations director Alan Permane there is a “good chance” that the device will be deployed this weekend.

German sources have suggested that Red Bull Racing is expected to announce Daniel Ricciardo as Sebastian Vettel’s teammate for 2014 this weekend. Dr. Helmut Marko was quoted as confirming that the announcement would be made at Spa. No official announcement has been made by Toro Rosso or its drivers.

What then of Raikkonen’s rumoured move to the championship winning outfit? Rumours of an impending move back to Ferrari have gained a lot of momentum during the month-long break. Subtly, Finnish media have been using images of Raikkonen in Ferrari gear alongside articles and several sources maintain that the Finn has inked a two-year deal with the option of extending for another year.

Raikkonen’s time at Ferrari came to an unpleasant end in 2009 with team president Luca di Montezemolo calling the Finn “unmotivated”. Many have speculated that Raikkonen had gotten on well within the Ferrari team and that the only potential animosity was created by LDM’s comments. If Raikkonen does return to the Maranello outfit it will be slightly humiliating for di Montezemolo who favoured a sponsorship deal with Spanish bank Santander over Raikkonen. Nevertheless, it is guaranteed that if Raikkonen is to return to his former team that Ferrari will welcome their last world champion back with open arms. What the dynamic will be between Fernando Alonso and Raikkonen is debatable; but it is surely a match made in Formula 1 heaven.

Opportunities for overtaking may be abundant but a good qualifying position is nonetheless vital. If for no reason other than to avoid being caught up in someone else’s accident. Romain Grosjean was the perfect case in point in 2012 as he took out several cars including potential race contenders Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

The cooler track temperature coupled with the tougher medium and hard compound Pirelli tyres will favour a team like Mercedes and with a confident Lewis Hamilton they may be a good bet. However, Fernando Alonso needs to make inroads on Vettel’s championship lead and the Spaniard has never won the famous Spa-Francorchamps race. This is more than enough motivation for the double world champ. In reality however his chances will hinge on what Ferrari has up their upgrade sleeves this weekend. Kimi Raikkonen has won the Belgium GP four times once, in 2009, with an exceptionally sluggish Ferrari. He goes into the race a hot favourite for victory.

The best drivers, the greatest sport on the planet on the world’s premier racing circuit – Spa-Francorchamps is unquestionably a Formula 1 fan’s nirvana.

August 22, 2013
Belgian Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Williams F1 Team

Preview Quotes from the Williams F1 Team ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Pastor Maldonado, Williams
“Spa is one of my favourite circuits because it has so much history and is so fun to drive. It’s a very technical and fast circuit and you find a very wide range of corners there: uphill, downhill, very slow, medium, fast, short and long corners. It’s the most complete track of the season and this tests you as a driver and also tests the car’s setup. It also has the famous Eau Rouge corner which puts a lot of G force and pressure on your body. You feel this even more during qualifying when you are low on fuel and are trying to get the most from the car. The weather can be changeable and because it is such a long track, there are times where the track can be wet in one sector but dry in another which requires the teams to make some difficult strategy decisions. Two years ago I picked up my first point in Formula One here and hopefully I will be in the points again this weekend.”

Valtteri Bottas, Williams
“I first drove at Spa in 2007 in Formula Renault and immediately fell in love with the track. It’s very high speed, flowing and undulating and gives you a real adrenaline rush. Achieving a good car set-up is difficult because of the wide variety of corners, but we will try to get as much information as we can during the practice sessions to find the most appropriate setup for qualifying and the race. I’ve had a good break during the shutdown period but I’m now itching to get back in the car. We have shown some improvements in race pace over the past few races and we know we are heading in the right direction. We will therefore be looking to have another points-scoring result this weekend that will give us good momentum for the second half of the season.”

Xevi Pujolar, Williams chief race engineer
“After the August break it is great to be back racing again and the whole team is looking forward to arriving at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend. It is one of the most challenging circuits in the world for both the car and drivers as you see every kind of corner from long flowing curves to twisty chicanes and hairpins. It’s one of the fastest circuits with an average speed of 230km/h and is also the longest single lap of the year at 7.004km. With DRS and the long lap resulting in large differences in tyre degradation between strategies, overtaking is usually easier here than at many other tracks. Weather is often very changeable here and although early forecasts show a chance of rain on Sunday only, this can quickly change. Also, given the length of the circuit there is an added challenge in selecting tyres in changeable conditions as certain parts of the circuit can be much wetter than others. Overall, we are looking forward to getting the final races of the season underway.”

Remi Taffin, Renault Sport F1 head of track operations
“A massive 70 percent of the 7-kilometre Spa-Francorchamps is spent flat out, meaning the track remains one of the biggest test of engines on the F1 calendar. Even though Monza sees the RS27 at full throttle for a longer time, it is the combination of the wide open throttle with the compressions and steep gradients that gives such an awesome workout. La Source to Eau Rouge and onto the Raidillon sees the engine at maximum revs, diving downhill and then climbing through several metres, putting the engines and internals under considerable stress. Having the right balance between reliability and top end power is always a juggling act as a result – and one that is particularly rewarding when you get it right.”

Photo by the Williams F1 Twitter Team

August 22, 2013
Belgian GP Preview Quotes – Marussia

Preview Quotes from the Marussia F1 Team ahead of this weekend’s Belgian GP at Spa.

Jules Bianchi, Marussia
“On the one hand it is very important for everyone in the sport to have a good long break. On the other hand I was ready to go racing again after just one week! That was three weeks ago now, so I am very much looking forward to Spa this weekend and also to the second half of the season, which is very important for us as we have to give it 100 percent to ensure we achieve our objectives. Over the break I have had the chance to reflect on my debut season so far, think about how I can bring all of that experience together to make me stronger and also focus very hard on my physical condition so that I can perform at my best through the run of long-haul races coming up. It will be good to race at Spa again as it is a fantastic track and it will be very special to get my first taste of it in an F1 car.”

Max Chilton, Marussia
“I can’t wait for Spa this weekend. The break has been a good opportunity to think about the first half of the season but it will be good to be back in the car again. I’m feeling very positive about what we need to do in the remaining nine races and I’m ready for the challenge. Although we haven’t been racing, the break has still been a busy time as I treated it a little like a ‘training camp’ and spent part of it on a pretty intensive physical programme. Having raced at Spa a few times now, I’m looking forward to my first experience of driving a Formula One car at what is a very special circuit. It’s a different challenge, with the exceptionally long lap and fantastic mix of long straights and high-speed corners and it certainly ranks high on my list of favourites.”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“It is good to return after the summer break and have everyone in the team rested and ready for the second phase of races. With only two European rounds remaining, the long haul run will be quite demanding, so the chance for some much-needed respite has been key for everyone. We also head into the second part of the season still holding 10th place in the constructors’ championship and we are keenly focused on what we need to do at every turn to ensure we maintain that position. The challenge begins again this weekend in Spa at what is a favourite destination for our Team and the fans. There we will have some new suspension parts and brakes to evaluate and, as ever, consistent progress during the course of the weekend and a two-car finish ahead of our nearest competitors are the target outcomes.”

Photo: Marussia F1 Team

August 22, 2013
Spa-Francorchamps Preview Quotes – Sauber F1 Team

Preview Quotes from the Sauber F1 Team ahead of this weekend’s Belgiam Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
“I am probably not the only driver to say Spa-Francorchamps is one of my favourite circuits. It’s a track with a lot of history. It’s an old school circuit with great corners like Eau Rouge and Pouhon. I have great memories from last year, it was my strongest career finish so far finishing fourth, which was really good. In terms of the car, it’s important to have a really efficient one. There are a lot of medium and high-speed corners, where you need the down force, especially in sector two. But you also need to lose the drag on the straight, because there are long straights, especially out of turn one through Eau Rouge, which is flat, and then again coming back to the start and finish line. There are a lot of straights, so top speed is also important. The Ardennes area of Belgium has a really nice atmosphere and I enjoy going to there.”

Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber
“Belgium will be an interesting race with everything we have done to the car during the past GPs. Obviously qualifying in Hungary was not good, because of the time we lost in FP3. But I think we can manage to get into the position we were expecting, which is around P10 in Spa-Francorchamps. It is one of the tracks that I enjoy driving the most, because it has a lot of quick corners and it just flows. You can feel the limits of the car at really high speeds. One lap is quite long and sometimes you even face varying weather conditions in different parts of the track – on one side it might be raining, while the other side might be dry. This makes it very challenging and interesting. In terms of the setup, we will have to be clever about which downforce levels we want to race, because you have very long straights, and at the same time you have high-speed corners, where you need the downforce. As a racing driver it is impossible not to enjoy the track, because it has fast corners, you are going uphill, downhill and I am really looking forward to it.”

Tom McCullough, Sauber head of track engineering
“After the August break the whole team feels refreshed and we are looking forward to the remaining nine races. Spa-Francorchamps is a favourite track for many engineers and drivers as the track requirements are different to the majority of the tracks we visit. The circuit efficiency penalises higher levels of drag so the rear wings will return to the medium levels of downforce. As always, we will have to keep an eye on the forecast as this often influences the race weekend in Spa-Francorchamps. The track is made up of primarily medium and high-speed corners with significant flat out sections. Pirelli has selected the medium and hard compounds for our return to Spa. We have improved the competitiveness of the C32 throughout the first half of the season and we aim to capitalise on that between now and the end of the year.”

Photo: Sauber F1 Team

August 22, 2013
Spa Francorchamps Preview Quotes – Pirelli

Spa is a very challenging circuit as far as tyres are concerned and with all the tyre controversy so far this year Pirelli does not need to be making any mistakes. Here are the Preview Quotes from Pirelli ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director

“Spa is not only an epic circuit, but also one of the biggest challenges for our tyres all year. Mostly this is because of the very high-energy loads that go all the way through the tyres, both vertically – due to the big compressions such as Eau Rouge – and also laterally at fast corners like Blanchimont. Often, the tyres are subjected to forces acting in different directions at the same time, which increases the work still further. So looking after the tyres is very important, particularly as it’s such a long lap. This means that there are a very wide variety of possible strategies available at Spa as well, with plenty of time to be won and lost if the right tactics are chosen. However, any strategy has to be very flexible, because it’s the changing weather that often makes Spa such a fascinating race. The conditions can change extremely quickly, which then makes how the teams use the intermediate and wet tyres the key to success – as we have seen so often in the past. Both our wet-weather tyres have proved their performance over previous races; with the intermediate tyre in particular showing how well suited it is even to inconsistent and drying conditions. There are plenty of overtaking opportunities, and the blend of performance and durability offered by our nominated tyres should maximise those chances this weekend.”

Photo by the Dell Twitter Team

August 21, 2013
Belgian GP preview quotes: Lotus F1 Team

The much anticipated Belgian GP lies ahead and like all the other drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean are super excited about going to Spa. Here are the Belgian GP preview quotes from the Lotus guys.

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus
“Usually I’ve achieved a good result at the Belgian GP, but what has happened there before doesn’t help me right now. Of course, it doesn’t cause any harm either and it would be great to win at Spa for a fifth time. Extra points are always good and if you win the race no-one scores more points than you. For me there have only been good memories from Spa and it’s great to go racing there. You can’t get the same kind of a feeling anywhere else. It’s great to race with a modern racing car at a proper circuit which has such a great tradition.

“Spa offers very challenging high-speed corners and you need to get the right set-up for the car. As we’ve seen so many times this year, a good grid position is extremely important. It will be very decisive at Spa too, even though it is maybe easier to overtake there than at some other tracks. It’s crucial to have a good car aerodynamically to tackle the fast corners and it’s a long lap, so to get the right time you really need to maintain the best rhythm. So much depends on the qualifying result, so we need to find a decent set-up on Friday and Saturday and have a solid qualifying session on Saturday afternoon. I don’t know how it will suit our car this year. Last year we were not very strong there. I think we know the reasons and for sure our car is better this year, but is it good enough to be fighting for a win? We will see on Sunday.

“I bet every driver likes Spa. For me it is the greatest racing circuit in the world. It is my favourite place. I have liked the place since my first ever visit there in 2000 with Formula Renault.”

Romain Grosjean, Lotus
“What a track; it’s fantastic! It’s a superb rollercoaster of a circuit, then there’s the added bonus that they speak French meaning it’s almost another home race for me after Monaco and Canada. It’s going to be good. If we have the pace we displayed in Budapest at a more normal circuit with better overtaking opportunities – and a bit wider track too – then I think good things could well be possible.

“It should fit our car pretty well. In fact, the second half of the season looks good overall in terms of how the tracks should suit the E21. Hopefully we’ll have everything we need to win races. I’m looking forward to it as it’s a special track and I also won the GP2 Series title there in 2011, so it’ll be good for me to be back there again.”

Alan Permane, Lotus trackside operations director
“Similar to Canada, Spa is a much lower downforce layout than most venues we visit with significantly lower temperatures; usually between 15 and 20 degrees ambient. We will also be using the hard and medium compound tyres which – combined with the cooler climate – have not been our strength I think it’s fair to say. We have, however, been putting in a lot of time and effort to get the harder tyres working better in lower temperatures, and I’m fairly confident we’ll head into this race remaining equally competitive.

“We haven’t made a final decision yet as to whether the [passive double-DRS] Device will be deployed, but we’ve been conducting a lot of simulation work with the concept to help clarify that decision and there’s a good chance we’ll see it make an appearance.

“The advantage we have with Spa being so close geographically is that we can be working on the cars back at Enstone right up until the Tuesday night before the race, and still have sufficient time to get them to the circuit ready for work on Thursday morning. We’ve got several updates coming up – both mechanical and aerodynamic – so we’re confident of making another step forward.”

Photo: Lotus F1 Team

August 21, 2013
Belgian Grand Prix Preview Quotes – McLaren

The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps has always been a favourite amongst F1 drivers. Here’s what the McLaren team have to say in their Belgian Grand Prix preview quotes.

Jenson Button: “Spa has always been on my shortlist of favourite circuits in Formula 1. I still remember my first grand prix there, back in 2000, when I out-qualified Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari – that felt pretty special.

“Then I think back to my victory there last year: I had pretty much the perfect weekend – my car was fantastic, I got pole position and just led the whole race. It was one of the most satisfying wins of my career just because I felt strong and confident for the entire weekend.

“The thing about Spa is that it just feels awesome to nail a quick lap around there – you need a car that’s perfectly synced to the driver, because it’s such a long lap, and there are so many big corners, that you need to find that perfect balance. And getting the set-up right – and running flat-out for nearly two minutes – feels incredible.

“We don’t go to Spa with the package to win, but I’ll still be making the most of every single lap around this place – it’ll still feel incredible.”

Sergio Perez: “We had a positive race in Hungary, which was a nice way to end the first half of the season. Hopefully, it gave everybody within the team the motivation to return to work after the summer break with renewed focus. I’m certainly feeling incredibly strong and refreshed and am really looking forward to getting back into the cockpit and back to work.

“There’s no better place to kick off the season’s second half than with races at Spa and then Monza. They’re two of Formula 1’s most iconic and evocative tracks, and two of the greatest challenges for any driver. I love Spa, but I didn’t get too much of an opportunity last year: after qualifying fourth, I was one of the victims of the first-corner accident, so I didn’t get to see what our car could do.

“So I’m going to Spa this year with added motivation to do well. It’s such a great place – I love fast corners, and the feeling of taking to the car to the limit around such a big and long circuit is incredible. The racing at Spa – particularly with KERS Hybrid and DRS – is usually pretty intense, so I’ll be looking forward to another exciting weekend.”

Martin Whitmarsh – Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: “There’s absolutely no denying that Spa-Francorchamps is one of the greatest racetracks in the world. It occupies that exalted position alongside circuits such as Monaco, Silverstone, Monza and Suzuka; venues with a storied past and a demanding nature that make them some of the standouts on a packed calendar.

“For everyone in Formula 1, a weekend in Spa can be tough and demanding. The unpredictable weather means that there’s rarely a straightforward path for our drivers and engineers to clearly pursue through the weekend. The cold and the rain make life difficult for the spectators, too, but they are rewarded with some of the best views in the world of racing cars at the limit.

“Spa has been the scene of many victories for McLaren through the years – not least, our very first grand prix win, achieved by Bruce McLaren himself back in 1968. While we’re not contenders for outright victory this time round, the whole team is looking forward to another opportunity to build on our ability to understand and operate MP4-28.”

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

August 21, 2013
Weather Report for the 2013 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix

The weather in Spa is usually rainy and cloudy for the Belgian Grand Prix. Last season we had a very clear race. This year we should have another clear race.

Free Practice on Friday will be sunny and clear. Saturday’s practice session might be affected by a slight chance of rain and it should clear up by the afternoon for qualifying. The race on Sunday is expected to be sunny and clear with rather warm temperatures.

August 20, 2013
Broadcast Times for the 2013 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix

Round 10 of the Formula 1 World Championship brings us back to Spa-Francorchamps. This iconic circuit with the world famous Eau Rouge-Radillon corners is a favourite amongst drivers. The quick and flowing first sector mixed with the technical second and third sectors is what makes this a drivers circuit and makes setup rather tricky.

Here are the broadcast times for the Belgian Grand Prix weekend (GMT+2):

Free Practice 1: Friday 10:00

Free Practice 2: Friday 14:00

Free Practice 3: Saturday 11:00

Qualifying: Saturday 14:00

Race: Sunday 14:00

As always we bring you live updates on our twitter account (@F1_Madness) throughout FP3, Qualifying and the Race with periodic updates through FP1 and FP2

August 20, 2013
Hungarian Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Marussia

Preview Quotes from Marussia F1 Team ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix

Jules Bianchi, Marussia

“Spending Friday afternoon in the car at Silverstone highlighted how much I’ve missed the racing since Germany, so I’m looking forward to Hungary before we have the long summer break. The first part of the season has passed by so quickly and I think it is important that we have a stronger weekend in Budapest, so everyone stays focused on what we need to do during the second half. Everyone deserves a good long rest as a reward for the all the hard work, but then we have to continue pushing hard to ensure we achieve our objectives for the season. The Hungaroring is a circuit I enjoy, having raced there several times before in GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5. It is usually extremely hot and because the track is quite demanding to drive, it is not such an easy weekend. There is no let-up across the whole lap so it requires a lot of focus, but that is why it is quite an interesting race because it demands everything you have as a driver. Let’s hope for a positive weekend for the Team with a strong two-car finish.”

Max Chilton, Marussia

“Hungary holds many special memories for me as the track where I achieved my first race win in GP2 last season, so I’m really excited to be heading back there. I love everything about Budapest – the track, the weather, the people and the city. It is always hot and sunny at the Hungaroring and it’s just a circuit I really enjoy which seems to suit me. As ever, the objective is to have the best build-up possible then raise our game a little in qualifying before hopefully enjoying a good race to finish ahead of our immediate competitors. It would be nice to send the Team off for the summer break with a positive result in hand.”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“We’ve had a constructive test at Silverstone this week, providing our young drivers with valuable experience and our race drivers with the opportunity to test the 2013 compound-2012 construction tyres. We’ve been extremely fortunate with the weather and judging by the forecast for next week in Budapest we can look forward to more of the same, although temperatures in the mid-thirties can feel very warm indeed in the midst of a busy race weekend, particularly in the cockpit. The Hungaroring will be a very demanding circuit for our drivers, although their fitness for any circuit is never in question; we’re very fortunate to have two guys who take their physical preparation very seriously. This is a track that demands their full attention throughout the lap and with little or no respite. They both seem to enjoy it there and their simulator preparation has gone well, so now we hope to have a strong weekend with everything coming together for us to get both cars home and ahead of our direct competitors.”

July 25, 2013