After four weeks represented by the usual summer break, Formula 1 is ready to get back to it: this weekend, we are racing at the historic Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix, which marks the second part of the 2021 Formula 1 season.
The Belgian Grand Prix has always been a favourite for both Formula 1 fans and drivers alike. For drivers, Spa-Francorchamps is the opportunity to tackle one of the world’s most challenging circuits and a tantalising experience, while for fans, the prospect of witnessing the action at this historic venue makes it a real bucket list race.
2021 Belgium Grand Prix preview: layout
Spa-Francorchamps was first conceived after newspaper owner Jules de Their hoped to revive La Meuse Cup – a race that had been halted due to the First World War. Racing driver Henri Langlois van Ophem and the mayor of Spa Baron Joseph de Crawhez were called in to design the circuit. They combined three of the roads connecting the towns Spa-Francorchamps, Malmedy, and Stavelot to create the perfect circuit.
Images of cars flying through Eau Rouge and Raidillon are some of the most exciting views in motor racing. The corner was created in 1939, when the Customs hairpin was removed, and the two turns were connected. The steep 17% incline contributes to one of the most challenging corners in the history of motorsport.
For the pedants out there, there is a clear distinction between the two corners: Eau Rouge is the short turn to the left at the bottom of the hill. Raidillon is the sweeping, uphill right-hander that exits onto the Kemmel straight.
The first official Formula 1 season was held in 1950, with seven Grand Prix across the globe. Silverstone hosted the first race, and Spa hosted the fifth race of the seven-round season.
In 1979, the track was dramatically shortened in order to create a new 6.9km track – less than half the original distance. The current layout of Spa-Francorchamps consists of 19 corners (10 on the right, 9 on the left) to form a 7.004 km long route. Located at 416m above sea level, the Belgian track has some unique features: it is a mix of straights, fast corners and large gradients (104m between Malmedy, turn-6, and Paul Frere, turn-15).
The first sector is very fast and consists of three straight lines interspersed with two turns: La Source, the slowest of the track, and the legendary Eau Rouge-Raidillon. Having good traction out of corner-1 and the maximum power supported by the hybrid part will guarantee the speed necessary to better tackle this section of the circuit.
Having a car body capable of generating a high level of downforce will undoubtedly play a key role in the second sector. Being able to obtain a good balance combined with the necessary vertical thrust to better face all 10 different corners that make up this part of the track, will be one of the most important aspects of the weekend. The technical aspects useful for maximizing performance in the last part of the track are the same as seen in the first sector.
2021 Belgium Grand Prix preview: aerodynamics and DRS
There are essentially two philosophies of thought with which the teams hope to obtain the best performance on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit: medium load set-up to facilitate grip or medium-low to favor top speed. The second is the one that engineers have relied on the most in recent years. Having said that, it is clear that enjoying a car equipped with better aerodynamic efficiency guarantees a considerable advantage on this circuit. Furthermore, finding the correct balance between the front and rear axles will offer the right competitiveness to tackle chicanes and fast corners with ease.
As for the overtaking aspect, these will be guaranteed by the presence of the various high mileage sections. The speed delta produced through the DRS system is around a value of 8 km / h on the finish straight, while in the long stretch of the Kemmel we are talking about a difference of about 14 km / h.
2021 Belgium Grand Prix preview: power unit
In the 2 kilometers of the first sector will the drivers press the accelerator pedal to the bottom for 24s, with the endothermic which will work at full capacity for 72% of the lap time. Also in the last part of the track where, in the straight between turns 15 and 18 (about 1.5 km) the throttle will remain completely open for about 19s. The power effect is preponderant, making the single-seater gain 2 and a half tenths every 10 HP.
The influence of the performance of the hybrid part on the overall performance of the car stands at medium-high values. Although the Spa-Francorchamps circuit is among the most demanding as regards the braking system, the bulk of the energy recovery will be entrusted to the MGU-H, from which 3,990 Kj will be generated through the enthalpy of the exhaust gases.
From the MGU-K it will be possible to obtain 820 Kj which, added to the previous ones, will constitute a bonus of 4,810 Kj of power available at each lap. In chronometric terms, the hybrid energy produced will provide an advantage of about 3.8 seconds to be subtracted from the lap time and will guarantee a good 18 km / h more in top speed.
2021 Belgium Grand Prix preview: fuels and transmissions
Looking at the layout of the track and taking into account the use of medium-low load setups, we can define Spa-Francorchamps as a low-consumption circuit. In fact, 95 kg of petrol are needed to complete the entire race distance (2.15 kg per lap). The teams will have no problems in fuel management and will thus be able to leave their drivers free to compete to their full potential. Every 10 kg of weight corresponds to a delay of about 2 tenths per lap.
In addition, the Belgian track will also offer the teams particular technical challenges: the differences in height and the considerable G forces capable of generating these cars, in this case upwards, will cause an annoying “shaking” of the lubrication system, while the gearbox will be one of the most stressed mechanical parts. The commitment of the transmission, therefore, calculating the almost 67 changes to be made for each lap, will be important.
2021 Belgium Grand Prix preview: braking system
According to Brembo technicians, this track is one of the most demanding for the brakes. From one to five he achieved a difficulty index of four. The same will be true for Monza, the venue within a few weeks. With the vast alternation of corners and straights to give life to its 7 kilometers in length, Spa-Francorchamps has always been seen as the most complete track of the Formula 1 World Championship. One of its distinctive elements are the three braking sections with a longer duration at 2.5 seconds, on no other track is it possible to notice such a commitment.
Despite being the longest circuit in the World Championship, the brakes are used only seven times per lap, on average only once per kilometer. At the Monaco GP, for example, the brakes are applied on average every 300 meters. In Belgium, therefore, the drivers apply the brakes for 13.3 seconds per lap, or 13% of the total race time.
Six of these seven braking sections have acceleration of at least 4.1 g, which goes beyond 5.3 g on a couple of occasions. 5 corners require a braking distance of at least 110 meters, a value that goes far beyond what we will see in Zandvoort in a week. However, the overall load on the brake pedal is contained: less than 36 tons from the start to the checkered flag, about 20 less than in the Hungarian GP.
Of the seven braking sections required to complete a lap of the Belgian GP, three are classified as very demanding, two are of medium difficulty and the remaining two are light. The most severe for the braking system is turn 18: the single-seaters reach 333 km / h and slow down to 92 km / h in the space of only 134 meters, the resulting deceleration reaches a peak of 5.9 g. For a driver driving an F1 car, this happens in just 2.78 seconds by applying a force of 207 kg on the brake pedal (the highest value in the entire championship).
source: funoanalisitecnica.com
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