Scuderia Ferrari at Belgian GP - The only triple-header of the season gets underway 24.08.2022: Rolex Belgian Grand-Prix Circuit Spa-Francorchamps 26-28 August 2022 After recharging its collective batteries over the FIA’s obligatory two week break in the calendar, Scuderia Ferrari is ready to tackle the season’s only triple-header at thre

Rolex Belgian Grand-Prix
Circuit Spa-Francorchamps
26-28 August 2022




After recharging its collective batteries over the FIA’s obligatory two week break in the calendar, Scuderia Ferrari is ready to tackle the season’s only triple-header at three historic circuits: Spa-Francorchamps, Zandvoort and Monza. It starts in Belgium, held as always at the wonderful track in the Ardennes.



Changes


This year, the circuit has undergone various modifications: the track layout itself is almost identical to the previous one, apart from a change to turn 9 – Les Combes – which features new kerbs that should allow the corner to be taken at greater speed.


The famous Eau Rouge-Raidillon section of track, the uphill esses, remains unchanged, although the run-off area on the left hand side at the top of the climb has been substantially altered and increased in size. The historic chalet has disappeared, now replaced by a large grandstand.


Going against the trend seen at other venues, the tarmac run-off areas on the outside of most of the corners, with the exception of Eau Rouge-Raidillon and Blanchimont corner, have been replaced with gravel, to eliminate the “track limits” problem, as going wide now involves losing time or getting stuck off track. This is a circuit where the driver can still make a real difference.



The first braking point at the La Source hairpin requires the car to slow from 285 to 80 km/h, before accelerating down the hill and onto the uphill esses and the long Kemmel straight. Pouhon is another tricky corner, a left hander which puts a big strain on a driver’s neck muscles.



Stavelot is the penultimate braking point on the lap, before accelerating through Blanchimont, before slowing on the approach to the Bus Stop chicane which leads onto the start-finish straight.





Efficiency is everything


The main challenge for the teams is finding the right balance for the car, as the various sections of track are very different the one from the other. The power unit is used flat out for 60 of the 105 seconds required to complete a lap, but it’s also important to have a car that is easy to drive, particularly in the second sector and at the first and final corners, as well as being kind on tyres.



Therefore car efficiency is the key in Belgium. The last and very important variable could be the weather. Late summer in the Ardennes can be very hot, but rain is always lurking, which was very much the case last year, when conditions were bad enough for the race to effectively be washed out.



Programme.


The cars take to the track for the first time on Friday for the usual one hour free practice sessions, the first at 14 and the second at 17 CET.



Qualifying is on Saturday at 16, preceded at 13 by the final free practice session. The 78th Belgian Grand Prix, the 67th as a round of the Formula 1 World Championship, gets underway on Sunday at 15 (CET) run over 44 laps, equivalent to 308.052 kilometres.



- Ferrari also photo