The Circuit

Turn 1: A tight first corner with heavy braking do💧wn to 60kph before leading into the downhill section.

Turn 2: The run down Eau Rouge and into Raidillion creates extreme suspension compression as the rel💫ief changes from downhill to uphill. Good engine po𝓰wer is required for the uphill drag.

Turn 5: Top speeds of 330kph🧔 - one of the highest of the season - before braking doꦉwn to 3rd gear and 140kph for this right hander.

Turn 8: Rivage provides a good🌞 challenge as it is a medium speed 180 degree corner heading straight into Turn 9. Good balance and chan🐎ge of direction are required here.

Turn 10: Pouhon is a hi🍎gh speed left-hander, with entry t🉐aken at nearly 300kph.

Turns 14 + 15: Turn 14 is taken at 140kph be🐎fore the cars accelerate through Curve Paul Fr?re - which is taken at 100kph faster than that - before leading into the flat out Turns 16 and 17.

Turn 18: With heavy braking into th🙈e chicane after a prolonged high speed section, the brakes need to be ready instꦓantly. Turn 18 provides a good overtaking opportunity.

The Car

Front Wing: Teams tend to use comparably more front wing here compared to lower speed tracks to he𒐪lp diminish understeer in the h𒊎igh speed corners.

Rear Wing: Spa is very much an aerodynamic efficiency circuit where you need a reasonable amount of downforce without too much detrimental drag. Teams run a🦩 similar amount of rear wing to Canada which is a medium downforce setting.

Suspension: This is primari🌳ly a high speed circuit and there isn't much use of🧸 the kerbs, so suspension is tailored to high speed balance rather than low speed travel.

Brakes: There are not many braking demands here which means the focus is on kee🐈ping the brakes warm so they work immediately when required. There are three major braking areas; into the first corner, the Turn 5 chicane, and then the former bus sto🔜p chicane. These sections also offer the main overtaking opportunities.

Tyres: This is a circuit which puts high dema🃏nd on the tyres. Also, the weather in the Ardennes can be very variable - even over the course of a lap - so tyre choice is crucial.

Engine: You need an engine with a strong top end here; especially for the drag up Raidillon and the Kemmel Straight which follows, as this is sli🃏ghtly uphill all the way to Turn 5. Elsewhere too, good horsepower is rewarded in many sections of the ꦆlap, especially due to its undulating nature.

Feature courtesy of Lotus F1 Team