At last the summer break is over and Formula One returns to action. And what a place to begin the second half of the season. The circuit of Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in eastern Belgium is a cracker and the favourite of many F1 followers and drivers. One of the oldest tracks in current F1, it was designed in 1920, originally racing on public roads between the three towns of Spa, Malmedy and Stavelot. That 14 kilometre circuit has been changed and reduced over the years, until today it is 7km long. But it still retains the essence of a fast, exciting race track.
The above image by Matt Head gives an idea of the excitement of Eau Rouge.
Spa has always had unpredictable weather which makes for an exciting race as teams struggle to decide when to bring their drivers in to change tyres. Parts of the track can be drenched in rain whilst others are bright and sunny. Eau rouge is the most famous corner at Spa and ends in a blind summit at the top of Raidillon. F1 drivers aim to take the sequence at over 300 kph – they have to be going flat out to get enough downforce to stick to the track.
So who’s going to win the race? Spa is unpredictable, and as the first race back after the summer break nobody knows which teams have pushed forward and will have found the tenths per lap that will make the difference. It will be an interesting race, so put your ear plugs in and enjoy!
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