The 2017 season of Formula One races are resuming this weekend after a month-long summer break during which both men (drivers) and machines (race cars) have not really relaxed a lot, but were involved in intense testing, R&D, rejuvenation and re-building stamina for the rest of the season.
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps will host the 2017 Formula One Pirelli Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, August 27, from 5.25 pm IST till end of race. The race will be run for 44 laps on the 7.004km circuit for a race distance of 308.052 km. Sebastian Vettel holds the lap record of 1:47.263 achieved in 2009.
Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps circuit is among the most historic on the Formula One calendar, having hosted a (non-championship) Grand Prix as long ago as 1924, and remains one of the most popular venues with drivers and fans alike. The first Grand Prix was held here in 1950.
At the end of the pre-summer season, the results were:
In the Drivers’ Championship, Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari leads with 202 points, followed by Mercedes’ drivers Lewis Hamilton with 188 and Valtteri Bottas with 169.
In the Constructor Standings, Mercedes leads with 357, followed by Ferrari with 318 and Red Bull Racing Tag Heuer with 184. Interestingly, the Vijay Mallya-owned Force India Mercedes is in fourth place with 101 points.
In the last race – Formula 1 Pirelli Magyar Nagydij 2017 held at Hungaroring, Budapest, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen took the 1-2 places followed by Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) in 3rd place.
The Circuit
Originally, the Spa layout was an awesome 14.9km of long and notoriously dangerous narrow public roads. Till 1970, when the old circuit staged its final GP, the track measured just over 14km and remained staggeringly fast; driver Chris Amon set a fastest lap record of just under 245km per hour.
“(Currently) the track is an old-style circuit and is still a great challenge to the drivers and the surrounding area is still very beautiful,” says Australian Niki Lauda, former Formula 1 three-time World Champion, quoted on the F1 website.
The Spa is the longest circuit on the F1 calendar and is an eclectic mix of long straights and challenging corners, set against a picturesque background. For many drivers on the teams, the Spa still ranks among their favourite race tracks. Reportedly, only truly great drivers can claim to have mastered it. Only six men have won the race more than twice—Juan Manuel Fangio (three times), Damon Hill (three times), Kimi Raikkonen (four times), Jim Clark (four times), Ayrton Senna (five times) and Michael Schumacher (six times).
The practice
During the Friday afternoon’s second Practice session, wet weather welcomed the drivers. Despite this, just half a second covered the top five drivers. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished first and third respectively, split by the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen. The Briton was fastest in 1:45.634s on the super-soft Pirelli tyres, with team mate Bottas clocking 1:46.331s, before the wholesale switch to ultra-softs after the first half hour.
The qualifying
Lewis Hamilton has done it with a pole position at the Belgian GP–he has equaled Michael Schumacher’s record of 68 pole positions. The Schumacher family conveyed their message to Lewis, through Ross Brawn, Formula One Managing Director of Motorsports. “They want to congratulate you on equaling Michael’s record. As he always said, records are to be broken. So, they want to say a special congratulations.” Hamilton clocked a timing of 1:42.553 followed by Sebastian Vettel +0.242 and Valtteri Bottas +0.541. Now, everyone’s question is, can Hamilton convert this into a pole-to-podium finish? Incidentally, this will be his 200th GP.
