Belgian Grand Prix Archives

F1 / Round 14: 2022 Belgian Grand Prix Highlights And Results

With Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc – the two F1 championship frontrunners – starting near the back due to penalties for excessive changes to engines/components, a lot of ‘action’ was expected. They were not the only ones with those penalties as another 5 other drivers were also demoted from the positions they had qualified for.

Both of the Scuderia Alphatauris had issues and could not make it to the starting grid, so they had to start from the pits.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, on pole, had a good start, pulling quickly away from Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez who was more occupied with preventing Alpine’s Fernando Alonso from sneaking past. But Alonso was quick enough and got through to second, followed by Mercedes-AMG’s Lewis Hamilton. However, in the scramble to slot into second, Alonso and Hamilton had contact and both ran wide.

The incident was noted by the Stewards and while Alonso grabbed fourth, Hamilton was getting a message from his team to stop as he entered Turn 16 – the damage was severe enough that he would have to retire. Later, the Stewards would not consider penalizing either driver for the collision.

Further back, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas and Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi also had contact as the Williams driver went wide and spun into the Alfa Romeo. For Bottas, the race ended early as he got stuck in the gravel.

The incidents brought out the Safety Car on lap 2. Sainz was in the lead ahead of Perez while Mercedes-AMG’s George Russell third during the time that Alonso and Hamilton were clashing. But it was the two championship leaders that had attention and Verstappen had moved up to eighth (from 15^th on the grid) while Leclerc followed him through to ninth (from 16^th). Leclerc took the opportunity to switch to another set of tyres while the Safety Car was out.

The F1 Safety Car left the track on lap 5 and racing resumed, thus far with two cars out. Sainz didn’t have a big gap and Perez was keeping him on the defensive. Behind them, Russell was holding on to his third place as Alonso made efforts to displace him.

By lap 7, Verstappen had passed Alonso and was looking for Russell. And within one lap, he out-accelerated the Mercedes-AMG on the straight to take third place. Leclerc, however, did not make the same sort of progress up the field and his pit-stop had dropped him back to 16^th.

The tyres were degrading faster than expected and Pirelli had been predicting a 2-satop strategy for the race. Sainz came in on lap 12, which gave Perez the lead and Verstappen just a second behind. Russell seemed to have dropped back a bit but still had a reasonable gap from Alonso.

When Sainz rejoined the race with medium tyres, he slotted into sixth, behind McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. His team mate had reached ninth now and though he had taken on fresh tyres 10 laps earlier, the degradation would bring him in again at some point.

Lap 13 saw Verstappen easily pass Perez to take the lead. Behind the two Red Bulls was Russell and then Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel, followed by Sainz. Alonso had pitted and was trying his best to move back up from the 11^th place he rejoined the race in.

Perez went in on lap 15 and when he rejoined, he was behind Sainz and more importantly, ahead of Leclerc. The Ferrari driver made a move to get past but Perez held his place going through a turn. A lap later, Verstappen was in the pits to get medium tyres. He rejoined in second, ahead of Perez but 4 seconds behind Sainz who had inherited the lead.

Lap 18 saw the Dutchman capture the lead as DRS propelled him past approaching Turn 5. Behind him, Sainz would be fighting to keep his place while Perez was snapping at him. Russell was too far back with a 7-second gap but there were still 26 long laps left. Leclerc too was 7 seconds behind him, and Alonso also had the same gap to the Ferrari.

At the halfway point in the race, Verstappen was in the lead with a 7-second gap to his team mate. Sainz was third and 10 seconds behind the leader while Russell was maintaining his fourth position without worrying too much about Leclerc who was fifth and 11 seconds behind.

Sainz left his position on lap 24 switches to the hard compound, while Leclerc took on mediums. Rejoining the race, Sainz was in fourth while Leclerc was behind Alpine’s Esteban Ocon in seventh. Alonso had also come in and took on hard tyres, dropping to 13^th when he was back on the track. The drivers within the top 10 were spaced apart too far to make an effort to move up and risk an incident putting them out. But Leclerc was determined to work his way up further and slowly picked off one rival after another.

By lap 31, Leclerc was past Vettel and into fifth place, looking ahead for Russell. With 13 laps to go, the Mercedes-AMG driver was still working hard to try to get on the podium so it was taking a while for Leclerc to catch up with him.

Verstappen reported some shifting issues but his engineer told him not to worry. Having had almost certain victories snatched from him in the closing stages of previous races, he was understandably paranoid about mechanical failure. But he had a 13-second lead, which also meant that he did not have to push the car so hard. And Perez was just behind, ready to take over, if the worst happened.

The battle for that last point-paying position was still hotly-contested. Williams Racing’s Alex Albon was holding on, but Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll kept closing in and McLaren’s Lando Norris was watching from 12^th to see if he could sneak past.

As 4 laps remained, Leclerc seemed to give up trying to catch up with Russell and was probably wanting to ensure that he could cross the line in fifth at least, or might try for an extra point at the end with a fastest lap. The finishing order seemed to be almost certain, barring any unexpected problems to the leading cars.

For the Alpine F1 team, things were looking good as both Alonso and Ocon (running in sixth and seventh) would collect points from the Belgian GP. It would give them a more comfortable position in the championship, especially as McLaren was unlikely to get any points this time.

As expected, Leclerc came in on lap 43 to quickly get a set of new tyres and rejoined right ahead of Alonso. He was a bit slow, and Alonso got past but the Ferrari driver managed to overtake the Alpine into Turn 5 and off he went to try to get the fastest lap before the race ended when Verstappen led his team mate across the finish line. Sainz had managed to stay ahead of Russell to be the one to stand on the podium in third place.

F1 / Round 14: 2022 Belgian Grand Prix Preview & Starting Positions

After the usual summer break, the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship resumes for Round 14, the 66^th Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit. Of the 66 times, Spa-Francorchamps has hosted F1 races 54 times, the other circuits being Zolder and Nivelles.

This circuit has the longest lap distance on the F1 calendar, with a length of 7.004 kms. As a result, it also has the least number of laps – just 44 – for the race to total 308.052 kms. For this year, the circuit has been modified with key changes but still retaining the challenges drivers have faced before. One of the reasons for the changes has been to bring back motorcycle racing and, in some sections, Turn 9, for example, there are two versions which satisfy the requirements of both car and motorcycle racing.

Besides resurfacing certain areas, there are changes to the run-off areas, realignment of barriers and fences and changes to kerbs. Additional gravel traps have been installed on mid-corner to corner exits to discourage drivers from exceeding track limits.

“Spa has undergone some of the biggest changes we have seen since we started going there in the modern era of Formula 1. But we know something of what to expect, thanks to the 24-hour race last month, as well as some asphalt samples that we have taken,” said Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director.

“In addition to some new asphalt on 5 corners, there are some new gravel traps on 4 corners, which are much closer to the side of the track. Drivers will need to pay more attention to track limits, and there’s also an increased chance of sharp gravel being dragged onto the surface. The epic nature of Spa remains unchanged though, with all the traditional challenges that make the circuit so exciting still in place,” he added.

Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most demanding circuits for tyres on the F1 calendar, with its particularly high lateral loads. The famous Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex is just one of the places where tyres are subjected to multiple forces: pushed into the ground by downforce and compression, while cornering at the same time. Variable weather is always well known at Spa-Francorchamps, making an outing for the Cinturato Green intermediate or Cinturato Blue full wet tyre a distinct possibility.

According to Brembo technicians, the circuit is also demanding for brakes. On a scale of 1 to 5, it is rated 4 on the difficulty index. It is the most complete track in F1 because in just over 7 kms, it has corners and straights of all shapes and lengths. One of its distinctive features is the 3 braking sections of at least 2.5 seconds, something not shared by any other track on the calendar.

This year, as a result of the increase in wheel diameter from 13 to 18 inches on the new F1 racing cars, the diameter of the brake discs has also increased. The increased braking force required has also led to an increase in the size of the Brembo brake calipers made of aluminium alloy machined from billet and nickel-plated.

The dimensions of the calipers have increased on average 10% both at the front and the rear. This year, all the teams use 6-piston calipers at the rear too; the 4-piston rear calipers used by those who preferred their lighter weight have disappeared.

Despite being the longest track in the championship, the brakes are used just 7 times per lap. The brake system is used for just under 14 seconds on each lap, amounting to 13% of the total duration of the race. Although use of the brakes is reduced, when they are used, the strain on the brake system is very high.

“The long lap distance at Spa-Francorchamps brings with it a few unique challenges. For example, if a car gets damaged early in the lap, more time is lost getting back, and the weather is very changeable, so conditions can vary massively from corner to corner. And it means the lap takes longer to complete, therefore you can’t fit as many laps into practice and qualifying run plans to test different set-up configurations,” said Mercedes-AMG’s Toto Wolff.

The teams have therefore to give much attention to set-up, balancing the desire for outright pace on the straights with enough downforce to optimize lap time in the more technically demanding second sector.

“A bigger wing will gain time in the middle sector but leave you vulnerable on the straights, while a smaller wing will provide less drag for the flat-out sections but not providing the same level of grip in the twisty corners. This is a similar predicament to Baku,” Wolff explained.

In the long history of the Formula 1 Belgian GP, Michael Schumacher has taken the chequered flag the most times with 6 victories between 1992 and 2002. His last team, Scuderia Ferrari, has also been the most successful with 18 wins, followed by McLaren with 4 less.

On the starting grid this year, there will be five previous Belgian GP winners – Lewis Hamilton (4 times), Sebastian Vettel (3 times) Daniel Ricciardo (1), Charles Leclerc (1) and Max Verstappen (1).

Audi To Race In Formula 1 From 2026

F1/Round 12: Highlights & Provisional Results For 2021 Belgian Grand Prix

Even before the race started, there was already drama as Sergio Perez (Red Bull Racing) aquaplaned and crashed in the wet and slippery conditions on the way to the starting grid. His right suspension was too severely damaged for repairs to be done in time, so he was out.

Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-AMG) and Lando Norris (McLaren) both had 5-place penalties so they were further down the grid than where the qualifying time had put them. Bottas went to 13th and Norris to 15th, the latter getting a penalty for a gearbox change. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was relocated to last as he too had a 5-place grid penalty from the previous race.

As it continued to rain, the start was delayed by 15 minutes and then another 10 minutes more were added, and the 19 cars would do their formation lap behind the red Safety Car from Mercedes-AMG. The conditions were bad enough that the Red Bull boss, Christian Horner, remarked to Sky Sports: “I certainly wouldn’t want to be getting into a car in these conditions. They are very brave.”

28 minutes after the original scheduled start time, the Safety Car led the racing cars out. It was still raining heavily and messages from the drivers indicated that visibility was a problem with all the spray. The situation looked too hazardous and the start process was suspended with the Safety Car leading the convoy back to the pits. There was no official word on what would happen but virtually everyone was in agreement that the conditions were too dangerous for any racing.

The F1 Safety Car supplied by Mercedes-AMG (Aston Martin also supplies the F1 Safety Car for some races) is driven by Bernd Maylander (inset). He has been behind the wheel of F1 Safety Cars since 2000 and has led the field for a total of at least 700 laps in that time.

In the Red Bull pits, the crew was frantically working on the Perez’ damaged car in the hope that he could join the race. The team was trying to persuade the Race Director to allow Perez to ‘come back from retirement’ and be allowed to race. In the end, the Race Director allowed Perez to start but he would have to do so from the pit lane (so does Kimi Raikkonen for something else).

*With the race suspended before it could get started, the drivers could only wait for news of when the restart would be.*

*The Spa-Francorchamps circuit on a day without rain, which was not the case at this year’s Belgian Grand Prix.*

There was discussion about whether the race would be abandoned, or run on Monday. It was interesting that there seemed to be no clear position in rules regarding abandonment of a race due to rain, and how it would be handled. The last two races that had been abandoned due to heavy rain were the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang and before that, the 1991 Australian Grand Prix. Older readers will also remember the horrendous conditions of the 1976 Japan Grand Prix in which championship leader Niki Lauda decided to pull out of the race as he was certain the conditions were too dangerous. The race was not stopped in spite of the rain and was won by Mario Andretti in a Lotus.

*The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang was stopped after 31 laps due to rainy conditions making racing too dangerous. As less than 75% of the total of 42 laps were run, only half points were awarded.*

Finally, some 3 hours after the race had been scheduled to start came the news that racing would resume within 17 minutes. The teams hurriedly prepared the cars and the spectators who had been sitting and waiting in the rain cheered as the Safety Car led the field back onto the wet track.

The Safety Car remained in the lead as the first few laps were completed but did not come in, so actual racing was not taking place. The Race Director had declared that it would be a time run but the laps were not confirmed.

And then red flags appeared and the race was stopped, with the cars headed back to the pits. The remaining time in the 1-hour allocation counted down but the conditions remained too dangerous to run in. Anyway, the requisite 2 laps had been done, so half-points could thus be awarded even if the rest of the race did not take place. Some drivers would benefit and some would not, but for George Russell who was right up at the front row, even half-points would be a very good day for the British driver.

The race was not able to resume as the rain just kept falling and the Race Director made the decision to abandon it, with the order on the grid being the order for the results, and half-points allocated. It will be remembered as the shortest F1 race as only around 21 kms had been completed out of the 308 kms had a 44-lap race been run.

*A replacement circuit for Round 20 has not been announced yet.*

F1/Round 12: Preview & Starting Grid For 2021 Belgian Grand Prix

Race starts at 3 pm in Belgium/ 9 pm in Malaysia

Following the mid-season break, the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship resumes its second half of the season with the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, Round 12 of the championship. It will be the first of three rounds to be over three consecutive weekends, the other two being the Dutch Grand Prix and then the Italian Grand Prix. As reported earlier, the rounds in Japan and Australia have been cancelled due to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine requirements will make it impractical for the teams to travel to those countries. The organizers are looking for alternative circuits to replace them.

The F1 Belgian Grand Prix has been run 65 times (the race was not held on 6 occasions), of which 54 of those times were held at Spa-Francorchamps. The original circuit was designed in 1920 and used public roads. It was a high-speed course with long straights, and drivers could achieve higher average speeds than on other tracks.

The original track was 15 kms long but was gradually shortened. It gained a reputation for being a dangerous track as it used public roads, and in 1969, the F1 drivers refused to take part in the Belgian Grand Prix for that reason. F1 would not return to the track until 1983, and then in the early 2000s, a new financial backer made investments that enabled redevelopment to improve the track, especially safety features.

After the tight, complicated Hungaroring layout, Spa-Francorchamps emphasizes the variety among F1’s permanent tracks. It is characterised by long straights and ultra high-speed corners. This means that the engineers have to do a ‘balancing act’: low drag to attack or defend on the straights but also sufficient downforce to be fast through the intricate Sector 2 where much of the lap times is gained or lost.

Besides having the biggest elevation change in F1 – around 100 metres difference between the highest point and the lowest point – it is also the longest track on the calendar and also has the least number of laps. The long lap distance presents a few unique challenges. For example, if a car suffers damage early in the lap, it’s a long way back to the pits. The weather is also very changeable, and conditions can vary from corner to corner. A longer lap also means teams can’t fit as many laps into their practice and qualifying run plans, therefore the drivers have fewer opportunities to practice each corner and find the limit.

Despite being the longest track in the xurrent World Championship, the brakes on the racing cars are used just 7 times per lap, an average of once per kilometre. On the other hand, in the Monaco GP, the brakes are applied on average every 300 metres of the street circuit. In fact, at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, drivers apply their brakes for 13.3 seconds per lap or just 13% of the total race time.

“The challenges of this track, especially when it comes to the weather, are well-known, as are the loads placed on the tyres. Last year, the top three qualified on the medium tyre, while the soft offered a good step up in grip but required more management, and so was not considered to be an optimal race tyre. The majority of drivers went from medium to hard, with the pit stop dictated by the safety car at lap 11 for most of them. So we could see an interesting mix of strategies this year,” said Mario Isola, Head of F1 and Car Racing at Pirelli. He added that the same tyre selections as last year will be available again.

Hamilton and Mercedes-AMG on top again
The last two races before the break saw both the Drivers and Constructors championships changing complexion. Red Bull Racing and its driver, Max Verstappen, had been pulling away steadily from the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team. However, the outcome in Hungary saw the German team overtake and lead by 12 points, while Lewis Hamilton is back at the top again and will certainly want to stay there to defend his title.

Incidentally, Aston Martin did not go ahead with their intention to appeal after Sebastian Vettel lost his second place in Hungary due to a ‘remaining fuel’ issue. The second place would have been the young team’s best result to date. Vettel is known to have said he does not know what happened to the trophy he was given (which should go to Hamilton) during the podium ceremony.

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