Toto Talks Belgium
We head into the final race before the summer break on a run of five consecutive podium finishes. We are therefore looking to continue that momentum and finish the first half of the season strongly. The pack at the front is close and we will have to be at our best to do so though. Whilst we are lacking a little bit of pace compared to some of our competitors, we continue to bring performance to the car. We are on a positive trajectory and that is encouraging. It is not yet enough to fight for victories consistently each and every weekend, but has enabled us to be in contention for the top-three more regularly.
Last weekend in Hungary was not straightforward. We qualified out of position and left ourselves with plenty of work to do. We were able to race hard on Sunday though and score solid points, including Lewis claiming his 200th podium in F1 which is a superb achievement. It was positive to see the steps we have made in those hotter conditions, although there is more work to do. Spa is a very different challenge to Budapest. With cooler temperatures and a much more high-speed layout, it will be interesting to see how the W15 performs compared to our rivals.
Fact File: Belgian Grand Prix
At 7.004km, Spa-Francorchamps is the longest on the F1 calendar. As a result, the race is run over the shortest number of laps of the year – 44.
The weather at Spa can also heavily impact the race, with a 48% chance of a wet session across the weekend. This makes Spa the race most likely to be affected by rain.
The run down to the first braking zone at Turn One (La Source) is one of the shortest of the season at just 137m. Only Azerbaijan (90m) and Las Vegas (111m) are shorter.
The tow at Spa-Francorchamps is very powerful due to the long straights, particularly the section after Raidillon. On the first lap this is even more powerful, because drivers chasing can pick up a tow from multiple cars. The lack of DRS on lap one also increases this effect.
Parts of the circuit have been re-laid in the lead up to the 2024 race, with a new track surface awaiting the drivers from the exit of Turn 17 to the exit of Turn 4. This included the F1 pitlane.
It used to be one of the biggest challenges for engine duty and time spent on full throttle, but with the new regulations and new tracks joining it has fallen down the list. It still remains in the top five, though.
Tyre duty and wear are some of the highest of the season at Spa, with high averages across all four corners of the car.
From the exit of La Source to the braking zone for Les Combes, the drivers have their foot firmly on the throttle for around 23 seconds (and 1,875 metres) of track layout.
Valtteri Bottas holds the race lap record at the circuit (1:46:286) from the 2018 event in his Mercedes W09.
Lewis leads the way for most podiums at the Belgian Grand Prix with 10, including seven in a row between 2015 and 2021.
