The 2023 Formulation 1 World Championship continues this weekend with spherical 13, the Belgian Grand Prix, which takes place on the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit and can see the Saturday Dash race return.
The Spa circuit is nestled inside the lovely Ardennes hills and encompasses a lengthy, unrelenting observe that serves as a stern take a look at for automotive and driver. The typical pace approaches 145 mph, making it one of many quickest laps of the season, and drivers expertise over 5 g in among the turns, reminiscent of Flip 10, generally known as Pouhon. The vehicles additionally run at full throttle for nearly 80% of the lap.
Stretching 4.35 miles, Spa has the longest observe on the calendar, ensuing within the race lasting solely 44 laps—the bottom on the calendar. The observe is so massive that it’s commonplace to have various climate situations at completely different components. For instance, rain at one finish and sunshine on the different. The present forecast requires heavy rain all through the weekend, which has already resulted in some requires the race to probably be canceled.
The primary and third sectors at Spa characteristic lengthy straights and flat-out sections, however the second sector is twisty. This makes it difficult to seek out the correct stability and set-up compromise, significantly with the wing stage.
Spa-Francorchamps, house of the Formulation 1 Belgian Grand Prix
The observe floor is on the abrasive aspect, which means tires get fairly the exercise. Pirelli has nominated its mid-range compounds: the C2 because the White arduous, C3 because the Yellow medium, and C4 because the Crimson smooth.
The Belgian spherical will mark 2023’s third operating of the Saturday Dash race, after the Azerbaijan and Austrian Grands Prix. This season, the Dash race has been made a standalone occasion reasonably than the qualifier for the primary race, as was beforehand the case. It nonetheless has championship factors on the desk for each drivers and groups, nevertheless.
The spherical is the final cease earlier than the summer time break and can see some groups run upgrades, together with Mercedes-Benz AMG whose vehicles will characteristic a brand new design for the aspect pods.
Going into the weekend, Crimson Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen leads the 2023 Drivers’ Championship with 281 factors. Fellow Crimson Bull driver Perez is second with 171 factors and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso is third with 139 factors. Within the Constructors’ Championship, Crimson Bull leads with 452 factors, versus the 223 of Mercedes and 184 of Aston Martin in second and third locations. Final yr’s winner in Belgium was Verstappen, driving for Crimson Bull.
