The annual F1 summer break has left fans hungry for action and thousands of team employees with recharged batteries. So it’s time to kick the championship back into life as we move to one of, if not the, finest Grand Prix circuit in the world.
As can be seen in the photo above, Spa-Francorchamps also did pose a threat of danger. Particularly high levels of danger, in fact. Making a mistake in the olden days could leave you in somebody’s front room, as opposed to a relatively safe and vigorously tested Armco barrier. And forget asphalt run-off areas – how about a forest of unyielding trees? It really is no surprise that the original track, which literally blasted through village centres, was left alone in 1978.
What’s nice about traditional venues, as all avid motorsport fans will agree, are corner names. Labels such as La Source, Pouhon, Blanchimont and Eau Rouge (to name just four) are a far cry from the likes of Turns 1, 9, 13 or 25 in Valencia. You don’t forget a name. The tags remind us of the 61-year-old past which F1 prides itself on – something very much on the mind of Michael Schumacher this weekend.
In 2010 the sport celebrated Rubens Barrichello’s 300th Grand Prix start on a track where the Brazilian picked up a maiden career pole for Jordan in 1994. This weekend, the venue set deep in the Ardennes Forests welcomes back Michael Schumacher no less than two decades after marking the start of a phenomenal F1 career on Sunday 25 August 1991; back then, it all ended on the opening lap with a ruined clutch. But just a year later was the maiden victory. Then we had the disqualification in 1994 and incredible fight back through the field in ‘95. 1998 delivered Murray Walker’s ‘Oh, God!’ moment as Schumacher slammed into the back of Coulthard before threatening to do him some damage - or words to that affect - in the McLaren garage. It’s certainly all happened at Spa for Schumi, right up to the collecting of his seventh title seven years ago. Ironically enough, for fellow trivia lovers, the German now drives car number 7 and finished in 7th place last year.
Any realists will have realised some time ago that this year’s championship fight is already on the verge of being decided, as much as it pains me to say that because – as a neutral onlooker – there’s nothing better than a closely-fought title race, is there? In fact the most uncertainty this week has surrounded Renault and whether it will be Nick Heidfeld or Bruno Senna riding alongside Vitaly Petrov.
Should Senna indeed be slotted in, and we’ll to find out sooner rather than later, then you can’t help thinking that there will be more than a light reaction from Heidfeld; after all, he is a paid driver with a salary whereas the Brazilian will be bringing in some helpful reais. Whatever your opinion, and this is nothing against the only Russian in the field, but the huge irony is that Heidfeld – despite holding an average grid position of 13th, as opposed to Petrov’s 9th - is currently Renault’s highest-placed driver in the standings!
Who should we watch out for this weekend? The aforementioned Renault should be closer to the front thanks to some pretty major updates; if those don’t work, their battle for fourth in the Constructors’ trail will have faded dramatically. Remember, it was the Enstone team – not Mercedes – which held that spot all the way up to Silverstone.
Regarding the skirmish at the front, the last thing I want is to sound defeatist, but it’s now getting towards the time where any rival of Sebastian Vettel might as well start thinking about 2012 – unless the latest ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’ retires from the race, of course. Put it in perspective. Eight races to go, including this one, and a huge lead of 85 points to his nearest challenger which happens to be his team-mate; that’s a very large, massaging cushion of three race wins and one fifth place. If Vettel’s previous 2011 form is anything to go by (which it obviously is), he’ll finish on the podium. And that’s just not good enough for the Webbers, Hamiltons, Alonsos and Buttons of this world.
At a glance:
- Spa-Francorchamps pole position winners
- Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix winners
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GPUpdate.net Fast Facts: Spa-Francorchamps
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Laps: 44
Direction: Clockwise
Corners: 19
Length: 7.004km / 4.352mi
Lap record: 1:45.108 / K. Räikkönen / McLaren-Mercedes / 2004
Local start time: 2pm (BST +1)
Slick Pirelli tyre compounds:
Soft (yellow markings) and Medium (white markings)
DRS zone:
Detection: 235 metres before Eau Rouge
Activation: Exit of Raidillon to end of Kemmel Straight
FIA driver steward:
Nigel Mansell
2010 pole position winner:
Mark Webber – Red Bull-Renault
2010 Grand Prix winner:
Lewis Hamilton – McLaren-Mercedes
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Circuit changes for 2011
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- Rivage hairpin (Turn 8) widened and gravel trap replaced by new asphalt run-off area
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Race preview from GPUpdate.net’s Gregory Haines
Twitter: @GregoryHainesF1
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