As was the case for the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix, the groups can have the C2 as P Zero White laborious, C3 as P Zero Yellow medium and C4 as P Zero Purple smooth.
Together with Silverstone and Suzuka, Spa-Francorchamps is a circuit the place the tyres are subjected to appreciable forces. Essentially the most difficult half for tyres is the compression at Eau Rouge adopted by the climb as much as Raidillon: consisting of a excessive velocity left-hand flip, the place the downforce squashes the automotive into the bottom, adopted by one other high-speed right-left kink the place the automotive goes gentle on the prime of the hill onto the Kemmel straight.
Spa is the longest observe on the System calendar at 7.004 kilometres, with 44 laps scheduled for the Belgian Grand Prix. When the circuit was inaugurated again in 1921, it was round double the size at 14.9 kilometres.
Final 12 months, almost all of the groups opted for a two-stop technique utilizing all three compounds. Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen lined up 14th on the grid after a penalty however received the race with a fantastic fightback, beginning on the softs after which finishing two stints on the medium.
Spa-Francorchamps can also be a particular place for Charles Leclerc, who received his first System 1 race there with Ferrari in 2019. The Italian group has taken essentially the most victories at Spa (14) since 1950, whereas Michael Schumacher has the very best variety of particular person victories (six).
The circuit additionally had the most important distinction in elevation of any observe all 12 months. The best level is at Malmedy (round 468 metres above sea stage) whereas the bottom is Paul Frere (round 366 metres above sea stage). That is a distinction of 102.2 metres: greater than the peak of the Huge Ben clock tower in London.
Mario Isola – Motorsport Director: “After simply a few days off, there’s one other System 1 race this weekend: the final earlier than the summer season break. The Belgian Grand Prix is likely one of the most prestigious races on the calendar, held on a observe that is notably difficult for drivers, vehicles, and tyres.
“We have nominated the identical line-up of compounds as final 12 months – C2, C3, and C4 – to supply a variety of technique choices; no less than if the rain holds off. Historically, the climate at Spa is a key issue all through the weekend; the truth that the grand prix has moved dates – from the primary race after the summer season break to the final race earlier than it – ought to make little distinction, because the forecast is all the time variable anyway. The size of the observe, with Spa being the longest lap of the 12 months, and the variation in elevation – which can also be the most important of the entire season – signifies that it is simple to search out moist circumstances on one a part of the observe whereas it is utterly dry elsewhere.
“New for this 12 months is Spa turning into the third Dash venue of the season, after Baku and Spielberg, with a Dash Shootout on Saturday morning adopted by a 100-kilometre race within the afternoon. With simply an hour of free apply earlier than qualifying on Friday (which, for now, appears to be the day most liable to rain) there will probably be even much less time than standard to arrange the vehicles.
“At Spa, we are likely to see among the largest variations when it comes to aerodynamic setup between the groups: some desire extra downforce as a way to push tougher in the course of the second sector whereas others desire a looser automotive to have additional velocity to assault and defend extra down the straights. With two races this 12 months, some of the spectacular venues of the season is ready to placed on an excellent larger present.”
