To accommodate Grand Prix motor racing, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps race course was built in 1921 but it was only used for motorcycle racing until 1924.
Since inception, Spa-Francorchamps has been known for its unpredictable weather. At one stage in its history it had rained at the Belgian Grand Prix for twenty years in a row. Frequently drivers confront a part of the course that is clear and bright while another stretch is rainy and slippery.
It is one of the most popular races on the Formula One calendar, due to the scenic and historical Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Belgian Prix, Round 12 of the 2017 Formula 1 season
Circuit Name: Spa-Francorchamps
Race Laps: 44
Circuit Length: 7.004 km (4.352 mi)
Race Length: 308.052 km (191.410 mi)
Number of corners: 19 (10 Left, 9 Right)
DRS Zone: Two Zones (zone 1 Between turn 4 and 5, Zone 2 Start/Finish Line Between Turn 19 and 1)
Circuit Direction: Clockwise
Pole Position 2016: Nico Rosberg – Mercedes 1:46.744
Lap record: Sebastian Vettel 2009 – Red Bull Renault 1:47.263
Ultimate lap record: Jarno Trulli Q2 2009 – Toyota 1:44.503
Distance from Pole to T1 apex: 270.8 m
Pole position side: Left
Pit Lane length under speed limit control: 385.7 m
Drive-through time at 80 km/h: 17.36 s
Lap time at full throttle: 57 %
Lap distance at full throttle: 70 %
Gear changes per lap: 42
Braking events (>2G): 6
Heavy braking events (<0.4s @ >4G): 4
Fuel consumption: Low
Maximum lateral G-force: 4.8 G
Track evolution (P1 – Qualifying): Low
Key overtaking opportunities: T5
Race lap record: 1:47.263 (VET, 2009)
Absolute lap record: 1:44.503 (TRU, Q2, 2009)
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Pirelli used compounds
Tyres that must be available (one of them to be used) at some point in the race:
One set of P Zero Yellow soft
One set of P Zero Red Super-Soft
Tyres assigned for Q3 in qualifying:
One set of P Zero Purple Ultra-Soft
Teams/Drivers compounds choice
|
Driver |
Soft |
Super-Soft |
Ultra-Soft |
|
Lewis Hamilton |
4 |
3 |
6 |
|
Valtteri Bottas |
3 |
4 |
6 |
|
Daniel Ricciardo |
1 |
3 |
9 |
|
Max Verstappen |
1 |
3 |
9 |
|
Sebastian Vettel |
3 |
3 |
7 |
|
Kimi Raikkonen |
3 |
3 |
7 |
|
Sergio Perez |
3 |
4 |
6 |
|
Esteban Ocon |
3 |
4 |
6 |
|
Lance Stroll |
1 |
5 |
7 |
|
Felipe Massa |
1 |
5 |
7 |
|
Stoffel Vandoorne |
1 |
3 |
9 |
|
Fernando Alonso |
1 |
3 |
9 |
|
Daniil Kvyat |
2 |
3 |
8 |
|
Carlos Sainz |
2 |
3 |
8 |
|
Romain Grosjean |
3 |
4 |
6 |
|
Kevin Magnussen |
4 |
3 |
6 |
|
Nico Hulkenberg |
2 |
3 |
8 |
|
Jolyon Palmer |
3 |
3 |
8 |
|
Marcus Ericsson |
2 |
4 |
7 |
|
Pascal Wehrlein |
3 |
3 |
7 |
THE CIRCUIT FROM A TYRE POINT OF VIEW:
- Longest circuit of the year at 7.004 kilometres.
- Geographical layout means it can be raining on one part of the track but dry on another.
- Elevation changes and compressions generate forces on tyres from all directions.
- Compromise set-up needed to provide downforce in corners but not too much drag.
- High speeds and big corners place significant energy loads through the tyres.
- Overtaking is very possible at Spa, opening the door to a variety of different strategies.
- The teams have nominated all three available compounds in their choices rather than concentrating on the softer tyres.
MARIO ISOLA – HEAD OF CAR RACING
“Pirelli was racing at Spa for the 24 Hours last month, which showcased everything this circuit is famous for: changeable weather, unpredictable competition, and heavy demands on the tyres. Now that we are bringing the ultrasoft tyre there for Formula 1, we would expect those demands to increase further with the latest generation of cars: two stops would appear to be a likely strategy but we will know more after the first free practice sessions. Working out the optimal race strategy is especially tricky at Spa as it has to be flexible: the possibility of rain, safety cars, or even a red flag – as we saw last year – means that teams often have to react to changing circumstances rather than follow a fixed plan”.
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS MINIMUM STARTING PRESSURES (SLICKS)
EOS CAMBER LIMIT
Belgian Grand Prix Winners 1950 – 2016
|
Year |
Driver |
Constructor |
Location |
|
2016 |
Nico Rosberg |
Mercedes |
Spa-Francorchamps |
|
2014 |
Daniel Ricciardo |
Red Bull-Renault |
|
|
2013 |
Sebastian Vettel |
Red Bull-Renault |
|
|
2012 |
Jenson Button |
McLaren-Mercedes |
|
|
2011 |
Sebastian Vettel |
Red Bull-Renault |
|
|
2010 |
Lewis Hamilton |
McLaren-Mercedes |
|
|
2009 |
Kimi Raikkonen |
Ferrari |
|
|
2008 |
Felipe Massa |
Ferrari |
|
|
2007 |
Kimi Raikkonen |
Ferrari |
|
|
2006 |
Not held |
||
|
2005 |
Kimi Raikkonen |
McLaren-Mercedes |
Spa-Francorchamps |
|
2004 |
Kimi Raikkonen |
McLaren-Mercedes |
|
|
2003 |
Not held |
||
|
2002 |
Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari |
Spa-Francorchamps |
|
2001 |
Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari |
|
|
2000 |
Mika Hakkinen |
McLaren-Mercedes |
|
|
1999 |
David Coulthard |
McLaren-Mercedes |
|
|
1998 |
Damon Hill |
Jordan-Mugen-Honda |
|
|
1997 |
Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari |
|
|
1996 |
Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari |
|
|
1995 |
Michael Schumacher |
Benetton-Renault |
|
|
1994 |
Damon Hill |
Williams-Renault |
|
|
1993 |
Damon Hill |
Williams-Renault |
|
|
1992 |
Michael Schumacher |
Benetton-Ford |
|
|
1991 |
Ayrton Senna |
McLaren-Honda |
|
|
1990 |
Ayrton Senna |
McLaren-Honda |
|
|
1989 |
Ayrton Senna |
McLaren-Honda |
|
|
1988 |
Ayrton Senna |
McLaren-Honda |
|
|
1987 |
Alain Prost |
McLaren-TAG |
|
|
1986 |
Nigel Mansell |
Williams-Honda |
|
|
1985 |
Ayrton Senna |
Lotus-Renault |
|
|
1984 |
Michele Alboreto |
Ferrari |
Zolder |
|
1983 |
Alain Prost |
Renault |
Spa-Francorchamps |
|
1982 |
John Watson |
McLaren-Ford |
Zolder |
|
1981 |
Carlos Reutemann |
Williams-Ford |
|
|
1980 |
Didier Pironi |
Ligier-Ford |
|
|
1979 |
Jody Scheckter |
Ferrari |
|
|
1978 |
Mario Andretti |
Lotus-Ford |
|
|
1977 |
Gunnar Nilsson |
Lotus-Ford |
|
|
1976 |
Niki Lauda |
Ferrari |
|
|
1975 |
Niki Lauda |
Ferrari |
|
|
1974 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
McLaren-Ford |
Nivelles |
|
1973 |
Jackie Stewart |
Tyrrell-Ford |
Zolder |
|
1972 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Lotus-Ford |
Nivelles |
|
1971 |
Not held |
||
|
1970 |
Pedro Rodríguez |
BRM |
Spa-Francorchamps |
|
1969 |
Not held |
||
|
1968 |
Bruce McLaren |
McLaren-Ford |
Spa-Francorchamps |
|
1967 |
Dan Gurney |
Eagle-Weslake |
|
|
1966 |
John Surtees |
Ferrari |
|
|
1965 |
Jim Clark |
Lotus-Climax |
|
|
1964 |
Jim Clark |
Lotus-Climax |
|
|
1963 |
Jim Clark |
Lotus-Climax |
|
|
1962 |
Jim Clark |
Lotus-Climax |
|
|
1961 |
Phil Hill |
Ferrari |
|
|
1960 |
Jack Brabham |
Cooper-Climax |
|
|
1959 |
Not held |
||
|
1958 |
Tony Brooks |
Vanwall |
Spa-Francorchamps |
|
1957 |
Not held |
||
|
1956 |
Peter Collins |
Ferrari |
Spa-Francorchamps |
|
1955 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
Mercedes |
|
|
1954 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
Maserati |
|
|
1953 |
Alberto Ascari |
Ferrari |
|
|
1952 |
Alberto Ascari |
Ferrari |
|
|
1951 |
Giuseppe Farina |
Alfa Romeo |
|
|
1950 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
Alfa Romeo |
|
Multiple Winners (Drivers)
|
# of wins |
Driver |
Years |
|
6 |
Michael Schumacher |
1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002 |
|
5 |
Ayrton Senna |
1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 |
|
4 |
Jim Clark |
1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 |
|
Kimi Raikkonen |
2004, 2005, 2007, 2009 |
|
|
3 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
1950, 1954, 1955 |
|
Damon Hill |
1993, 1994, 1998 |
|
|
2 |
Alberto Ascari |
1952, 1953 |
|
Emerson Fittipaldi |
1972, 1974 |
|
|
Niki Lauda |
1975, 1976 |
|
|
Alain Prost |
1983, 1987 |
|
|
Sebastian Vettel |
2011, 2013 |
|
|
Lewis Hamilton |
2010, 2015 |
Multiple Winners (Constructors)
|
# of wins |
Constructor |
Years won |
|
16 |
Ferrari |
1952, 1953, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1984, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009 |
|
14 |
McLaren |
1968, 1974, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012 |
|
8 |
Lotus |
1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1977, 1978, 1985 |
|
4 |
Mercedes |
1935, 1939, 1955, 2015, 2016 |
|
|
Williams |
1981, 1986, 1993, 1994 |
|
3 |
Red Bull |
2011, 2013, 2014 |
|
2 |
Benetton |
1992, 1995 |
Numbers and Facts
Most wins (driver) 6, Michael Schumacher 1992 – 95 – 96 – 97 – 2001 – 02
Most wins (constructor) 16, Ferrari 1952 – 53 – 56 – 61 – 66 – 75 – 76 – 79 – 84 – 96 – 97 – 2001 – 02 – 07 – 08 – 09
Wins from pole position 23, 1952 – 54 – 60 – 61 – 66 – 72 – 75 – 76 – 78 – 81 – 83 – 84 – 88 – 89 – 90 – 91 – 2000 – 02 – 07 – 11 – 12 – 15 – 16
Lowest grid for past winner 16, Michael Schumacher at Spa Francorchamps in 1995
Most recent 1-2 finish 2015, Mercedes (Lewis Hamilton-Nico Rosberg)
Most emphatic win (here) 4m 54s, 1963 (Jim Clark-Bruce McLaren)
Closest winning margin 0.35s, 1974 at Nivelles (E.Fittipaldi-Lauda) – Here the closest is 0.7s in 1961 (P.Hill-von Tripps)
Rain-affected races 17, 1952 – 56 – 63 – 65 – 66 – 77 – 81 – 85 – 89 – 92 – 95 – 97 – 98 – 2000 – 05 – 08 – 10
Safety Car-affected races 13, 1995 – 96 – 97 – 98 – 2000 – 04 – 05 – 09 – 10 – 11 – 12 – 15 – 16
Fastest race 2001, 36 laps @ 1hr 08m 05.002s (race reduced to 36 laps after accident to Luciano Burti)
Slowest race (here) 1952, 36 laps @ 3hrs 03m 46.3s (old 14.1 km/ 8.761 mile circuit – used 1946 to 1978)
Most pole positions (driver) 4, J-M Fangio 1951 – 53 – 54 – 56, Alain Prost 82 – 83 – 85 – 93 Ayrton Senna 88 – 89 – 90 – 91
Most pole positions (constructor) 12, Ferrari 1953 – 58 – 61 – 66 – 68 – 74 – 75 – 76 – 84 – 95 – 2002 – 07
What Happened last race here?
Nico Rosberg won this Grand Prix, with Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton, second and third respectively.
Hamilton received a multi-grid penalty before the start of the race due to a Power Unit change.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and both Ferraris were involved in an incident at the start of the race.
The race was stopped on lap 9 after Kevin Magnussen crashed heavily at Raidillon, suffering a 12.5G impact, causing structural damage to the armoured collision barrier and tyre wall which required repairs, before the race could resume under green flag conditions. Magnussen suffered a cut on his ankle but no serious injury.
2016 Race Classification
|
Pos |
Driver |
Constructor |
Time/Retired |
Grid |
|
1 |
Nico Rosberg |
Mercedes |
1:44:51.058 |
1 |
|
2 |
Daniel Ricciardo |
Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer |
+14.113 |
5 |
|
3 |
Lewis Hamilton |
Mercedes |
+27.634 |
21 |
|
4 |
Nico Hülkenberg |
Force India-Mercedes |
+35.907 |
7 |
|
5 |
Sergio Perez |
Force India-Mercedes |
+40.66 |
6 |
|
6 |
Sebastian Vettel |
Ferrari |
+45.394 |
4 |
|
7 |
Fernando Alonso |
McLaren-Honda |
+59.445 |
22 |
|
8 |
Valtteri Bottas |
Williams-Mercedes |
+1:00.151 |
8 |
|
9 |
Kimi Raikkonen |
Ferrari |
+1:01.109 |
3 |
|
10 |
Felipe Massa |
Williams-Mercedes |
+1:05.873 |
10 |
|
11 |
Max Verstappen |
Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer |
+1:11.138 |
2 |
|
12 |
Esteban Gutiérrez |
Haas-Ferrari |
+1:13.877 |
18 |
|
13 |
Romain Grosjean |
Haas-Ferrari |
+1:16.474 |
11 |
|
14 |
Daniil Kvyat |
Toro Rosso-Ferrari |
+1:27.097 |
19 |
|
15 |
Jolyon Palmer |
Renault |
+1:33.165 |
13 |
|
16 |
Esteban Ocon |
MRT-Mercedes |
+1 Lap |
17 |
|
17 |
Felipe Nasr |
Sauber-Ferrari |
+1 Lap |
16 |
|
Ret |
Kevin Magnussen |
Renault |
Accident |
12 |
|
Ret |
Marcus Ericsson |
Sauber-Ferrari |
Gearbox |
20 |
|
Ret |
Carlos Sainz Jr. |
Toro Rosso-Ferrari |
Puncture damage |
14 |
|
Ret |
Jenson Button |
McLaren-Honda |
Collision damage |
9 |
|
Ret |
Pascal Wehrlein |
MRT-Mercedes |
Collision |
15 |
Did you know?
DRIVERS
✪ Sebastian Vettel has still not won back-to-back Grand Prix since he won the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix. That race ended a 9-race run of victories that started in Belgium, (BEL, ITA, SIN, KOR, JAP, IND, ABU, USA, BRA)
✪ Vettel needs to lead ‘only’ 62 more race laps to equal Ayrton Senna’s career total of 2,987. The all-time most F1 race laps led is 5,111 by Michael Schumacher
✪ Vettel and Lewis Hamilton are the only drivers to have finished in the points in all races so far this season
✪ Hamilton is scheduled to make his 200th F1 Grand Prix race start on Sunday
✪ Hamilton is just 1 pole position from equalling Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 68 F1 GP pole positions. Since he has been at Mercedes he has taken pole 41 times already, nearly 50% of all races he’s started for the team (41/ 86 = 47.7%). A Hamilton pole would also equal an event all-time record (see next page)
✪ Hamilton has won (57) 28.6% of all GP he’s started (199) and is in the top 10 drivers races to win ratio of all-time. Here’s how he compares:- Fangio 47.0%, 2. Ascari 40.6%, 3. Clark 34.7%, 4. M. Schumacher 29.7%, 5. Hamilton 28.6%, 6. Ja. Stewart 27.2%, 7. Prost 25.6%, 8. A. Senna 25.5%, Vettel 24.3% (46/189) 10. Moss 24.2% ✪ Valtteri Bottas will be 28 on the Monday after the race ie 28th August
✪ Kimi Raikkonen’s next win if ever it comes will be the 21st of his F1 career and will also be the most by a Finnish driver in F1. Currently he shares the record of 20 wins by a Finn with Mika Hakkinen. Another career stat he shares is 37 F1 front row appearances with Fernando Alonso
✪ Raikkonen’s next front row will be the 39th of his F1 career and will equal Mika Hakkinen’s record for the most front row grid positions by a Finnish driver in F1
✪ The Spanish Grand Prix marked the first anniversary of Max Verstappen’s first Grand Prix win. He has until the Singapore Grand Prix in September to win a second while still a teenager. (20th birthday on September 30th 2017). He is of course, so far the only teenager in F1 history to win a F1 World Championship Grand Prix and could still become the only teenager to take pole position too for a F1 World Championship Grand Prix. Max and Ricardo Rodriguez who started the 1961 Italian Grand Prix from P2 in his Ferrari when aged 19 years and 208 days are the only teenage drivers to date to have started a Grand Prix from the front row (Max the youngest, at the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix where he started P2 he was aged18 years and 333 days
✪ Sergio Perez needs just 1 more podium to become the Mexican driver with the most F1 podiums (currently = with Pedro Rodriguez on 7)
✪ Nico Hulkenberg was 30 on 19 August
✪ Marcus Ericsson will be 27 on Saturday week, 2nd September
CONSTRUCTOR’S
✪ Mercedes in Belgium will be aiming to lockout the front row for the 50th time. The all-time record is 62 and is jointly held by McLaren and Williams. The lock-out if achieved would also mark the 149th and 150th F1 front row appearances by a driver racing for Mercedes-Benz
✪ Mercedes as a constructor has set 1 more race fastest lap in F1 World Championship GP (53) than Red Bull (52)
✪ Ferrari has still not scored consecutive pole positions since Fernando Alonso took pole for the Scuderia at the 2012 British and German Grand Prix and has still not scored a consecutive front row lock-out since Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa lock-out the front row for the 2006 US and French Grand Prix
✪ Ferrari last season was the only team to score championship points at all 21 events
✪ Red Bull has achieved a podium result for at least one of their drivers in 106 different F1 Grand Prix
✪ The current Williams team traces its origins back to 1977. The team began by running a March for Belgian Patrick Neve who sadly died earlier is year and later in 1978, became a constructor running a single FW06 car for Alan Jones. In 1979 the team expanded to 2 cars with Clay Regazzoni joining Jones. Regazzoni won Williams’s first Grand Prix, at Silversone in 1979 while Jones claimed Williams’s first driver’s and first constructor’s titles in 1980. Frank Williams had made his first forays into F1 in 1969, running a Brabham for Piers Courage. Campaigns with De Tomaso, private March’s, with his own cars and Heskeths latterly in conjunction with Canadian-Austrian entrepreneur Walter Wolf followed but it wasn’t until Williams teamed up with Head in 1977 and started all over again that Williams’s F1 fortunes really took off
✪ McLaren has not led a F1 race lap since Jenson Button led lap 14 of the Hungarian GP in 2014. The team has started 59 GP since
BELGIAN GRAND PRIX
✪ This year is the 50th F1 World Championship-qualifying Belgian Grand Prix to be held at Spa Francorchamps (it will be the 59th Belgian Grand Prix at Spa)
✪ If Lewis Hamilton takes pole position he will equal the all-time record for the most poles for the event. The record of 4 Belgian Grand Prix pole positions is currently jointly held by Juan-Manuel Fangio, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost
✪ Only Michael Schumacher (6 wins) and Ayrton Senna (5 wins have won more Belgian Grand Prix than Kimi Raikkonen (4 wins – tied with Jim Clark)
✪ The race has been won by the World Champion-to-be for 3 of the last 4 years
✪ This year is the 50th anniversary of Dan Gurney’s win here in the All American Racers’ Eagle-Weslake. Fifty years on the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix remains the only World championship F1 Grand Prix won by an American driver driving an American car for an American-owned team (please note that the Weslake engine was British, designed by famed BRM engine designer Aubrey Woods. It was built on commission from Gurney at Harry Weslakes’ premises in Rye, East Sussex)
Driver’s Championship standing
|
Pos |
Driver |
Points |
|
1 |
Sebastian Vettel |
202 |
|
2 |
Lewis Hamilton |
188 |
|
3 |
Valtteri Bottas |
169 |
|
4 |
Daniel Ricciardo |
117 |
|
5 |
Kimi Raikkonen |
116 |
|
6 |
Max Verstappen |
67 |
|
7 |
Sergio Perez |
56 |
|
8 |
Esteban Ocon |
45 |
|
9 |
Carlos Sainz |
35 |
|
10 |
Nico Hulkenberg |
26 |
|
11 |
Felipe Massa |
23 |
|
12 |
Lance Stroll |
18 |
|
13 |
Romain Grosjean |
18 |
|
14 |
Kevin Magnussen |
11 |
|
15 |
Fernando Alonso |
10 |
|
16 |
Pascal Wehrlein |
5 |
|
17 |
Daniil Kvyat |
4 |
|
18 |
Stoffel Vandoorne |
1 |
|
19 |
Jolyon Palmer |
0 |
|
20 |
Marcus Ericsson |
0 |
|
21 |
Antonio Giovinazzi |
0 |
Constructor’s Championship standing
|
Pos |
Team |
Points |
|
1 |
Mercedes |
357 |
|
2 |
Ferrari |
318 |
|
3 |
Red Bull Racing-Tag Heuer |
184 |
|
4 |
Force India-Mercedes |
101 |
|
5 |
Williams-Mercedes |
41 |
|
6 |
Toro Rosso-Renault |
39 |
|
7 |
Haas-Ferrari |
29 |
|
8 |
Renault |
26 |
|
9 |
Mclaren-Honda |
11 |
|
10 |
Sauber-Ferrari |
5 |
Driver’s penalty points:
|
Driver |
Penalty points |
|
Daniil Kvyat |
10 |
|
Sebastian Vettel |
7 |
|
Kevin Magnussen |
7 |
|
Carlos Sainz |
5 |
|
Jolyon Palmer |
5 |
|
Sergio Perez |
5 |
|
Stoffel Vandoorne |
5 |
|
Nico Hulkenberg |
4 |
|
Esteban Ocon |
4 |
|
Romain Grosjean |
3 |
|
Max Verstappen |
3 |
|
Pascal Wehrlein |
2 |
|
Felipe Massa |
2 |
|
Jenson Button |
2 |
