Summer break is over for the Formula 1 circus and this weekend sees the drivers face what I believe is their greatest challenge of the season – navigating the Spa Francorchamps circuit for the Belgian Grand Prix.
The circuit is frightening for those who are not made of steel and very challenging for those who are.
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The blindingly fast Eau Rouge is taken flat out with a corner and hump all in one and you cannot see the exit!
There are many high-speed corners where the cars and drivers are tested to the limits of adhesion, such as Pouhon, Malmedy and Blanchimont, which is taken flat out in top gear at 315km/h.
Then it’s the bus stop chicane at 90km/h and La Source hairpin at 80km/h back at the start.
With the racing fast and furious we should see both Ferrari and Mercedes hard at each other in a big way.
With the points near even, every race will count in the battle for the championship, so we should enjoy some excellent racing.
It’s so nice to see a close contest and not just one team running away from all the others.
Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas are on a roll and their cars should be suited to Spa.
Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen will be doing everything in their power to make it their race.
The big news from Red Bull is that Daniel Ricciardo is leaving to join Renault next year. This is a real surprise but seems to have been caused by a bit of unfair treatment.
We are not sure yet who will take Daniel’s place but expect Pierre Gasly to fill the seat.
Unless Renault come to Spa with more power, we can expect them to battle against the top two contenders on sheer speed.
We should see the two Haas Ferrari cars, which suit fast circuits, doing well, driven by Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, while the two Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Esterban Ocon will also be in it.
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Sad news from Fernando Alonso is that he is packing up his Formula 1 bags to give Indy Cars a go after the year end.
Weather and tyre strategy will play a very important part in this weekend’s race as the Ardennes forest region has a climate all of its own and rain makes Spa even more tricky.
Qualifying is at 3pm on Saturday and the race starts at the same time on Sunday.
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