Formula 1 - Belgium Grand Prix 2017
27 August 2017
2pm (UCT +2)
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Formula 1 - Belgium Grand Prix 2017, Spa-Francorchamps
Recharged and well rested after the summer break, Formula 1 resumes this weekend with the 12th round.
And what a way to come back from a break to race on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit?
Full of long straights and challenging corners, this 7 km (4.35 mi) race track remains one of the favorites for the drivers and fans.
Trees are everywhere around the track, as it lays in the Ardennes forest, making it a picturesque circuit.
Wonder if the drivers ever see it while racing at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph) at an elevation of 468m above sea level.
The drivers are at full throttle 70% of the time, with the longest flat-out section being 2km (1.24 mi). This causes high tyre stress, combined with 19 corners. The teams will be looking to use Ultra Soft, Super Soft and Soft tyres.
Low brake demand and low gear changes (42 per lap) with an average speed of 236km.
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Turn 10 - Eau Rouge
Another big challenge for the drivers will be turn 10, known as Eau Rouge. It requires 100% commitment from the driver for 44 laps during the race on Sunday.
It's not for the faint-hearted.
Also known as Pouhon, this double apex left-hander is approached after a downhill and very fast! It's entered at about 300km/h and it's a blind entry as well!
Scary stuff...
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Who has the upper hand this weekend?
Looking at the most wins on the circuit for all the drivers participating in the championship this year, is Kimi Raikkonen the front runner with 4 wins. This is a fifth of his over all wins, 20 in total!
Tied in second place is the current championship runners Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari has won here 16 times, with McLaren second with 14. I don't think we will see McLaren at the front this weekend. Red Bull Racing and Mercedes are both tied at fifth with three wins each.
The thing is, the last time Ferrari won at Spa was in 2009 when Kimi qualified sixth and drove superbly. Mercedes won last year with Nico Rosberg and in 2015 with Lewis Hamilton. The first and only win for Hamilton on this circuit.
2013 & 2014 was Red Bull Racing's years when they claimed the checkered flags.So, don't rule out Daniel Ricciardo, he has won here as well.
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Is Felipe Massa Ready to Race?
Felipe Massa was pulled from the Hungarian Grand Prix due to an illness. Paul di Resta from DTM was called up to race for Williams.
The Hungarian Grand Prix was the last race just before the summer break started.
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Early into Free Practice 1, hardly back from the break, making the best of his first flying lap and Massa drove uncharacteristically wide at Malmedy, turn 3 which is the highest elevated section of the circuit. Normally the drivers can correct themselves and continue.
This was not the case for Massa.
He lost the back and met the barrier. They have to replace the whole chassis and hope to take part in Free Practice 2. Watch this video before it gets removed:
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