Belgian Grand Prix: Spa-Francorchamps - A thrill through the Ardennes

Modified Aug 21, 2013 10:08 GMT

Felipe Massa of Brazil and Ferrari drives during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit of Spa Francorchamps on September 1, 2012 in Spa Francorchamps, Belgium. (Getty Images)

Spa – Every fan and driver looks forward to this circuit and the Belgian Grand Prix.

Held in higher regard than Monza (Italy) and Silverstone (Britain) – both of which are equally old and rich in heritage – the unpredictable weather, scenic beauty and fast, hilly corners (accompanied by the king of them all – Eau Rouge), all contribute to the legend that is Spa.

It can be safely said that this track is the only one remaining on the calendar, which has significant resemblance to the fearful, extraordinary tracks of the past like Nordschleife, Osterreichring and the original Spa itself.

With a track length of more than 7kms, it is by far the longest track on the calendar. But if you think that isn’t too much a test, think again, because if you wind back 40 years and double the length, you could imagine the kind of challenge the drivers faced.

If that doesn’t set your heart racing, go back another 70 years and multiply that number by 15. Interestingly, in the early 1900′s the track ran through the Ardennes forest and was more than a 100kms in length!

In the earlier days, the circuit was of triangular in shape, with the corners roughly being the three towns of Francorchamps, Stavelot and Malmedy. Down the years, it has undergone major modifications and currently only the La Source and the Blanchimont sections remain.

Track characteristics

With an exciting first corner, drama is almost guaranteed. You won’t need to look very far back into history for incidents, thanks to Romain Grosjean. With the start-finish straight being one of the DRS zones, we are sure to see many overtaking manoeuvres into La Source. If not that, one is sure to see a brave heart like Mark Webber try and make a pass on the most iconic corner of all, which comes next.

As years have passed, Eau Rouge has become lesser and lesser of a challenge due to the highly developed aerodynamics of F1 cars but it still it remains a treat to watch cars accelerate through the hill and onto the Kemmel straight.

Engine demand is high on this track due to such steep ascents and the hilly area overall decreases the density of air. If power delivery is good through Eau Rouge, then the second DRS zone provides the perfect opportunity to complete an overtaking manoeuvre. Remember Mika Hakkinen and Schumacher on either side of Ricardo Zonta at the 2000 Belgian GP?

Sectors two and three are a combination of medium speed and fast sweeping corners. Changeable weather is always a matter of concern with 20 consecutive races at Spa had been affected by rain.

Tyre choices

Pirelli have nominated the Medium and Hard tyres for this weekend’s race. It is a logical choice given the fast corners putting severe loads on the tyres. According to Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery, “the tires are subjected to forces acting in different directions at the same time“.

It will be interesting to see if the hierarchy seen in Hungary undergoes any change because teams like Ferrari and Force India would have spent a significant time of the summer break to understand the new breed of products provided by Pirelli.

As usual, the Inters and Wets will always be available but looking at the forecast, it doesn’t look like the teams will be running into trouble with the limited number of wet-weather tyres. But you can never say never about the Spa weather. The Ardennes might have something absolutely spectacular lined up for us.