2024 F1 Belgian Grand Prix Preview: Belgian Grand Prix Preview
The 2024 F1 World Championship kicks off this weekend with the 14th round of the season, the Belgian Grand Prix, the last race before the summer break.
The race will take place at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, located in the beautiful Ardennes foothills. Average speeds reach 145 mph (150 km/h), and some corners, such as turn 10, known to fans as the Pouhon, generate up to 5 Gs.
At 4.35 miles long, Spa is the longest track on the circuit, and the least raced, with 44 laps. The first and third sectors of Spa feature long straights and flat outs, while the second sector is twisty. This makes it difficult to find the right balance between car setups.
Another problem is the weather. Due to the large size of the course, it is not uncommon for the weather to be different in each section at Spa. For example, it may be raining in one section and completely dry in another. The current forecast calls for rain for Saturday's qualifying and cloudy but sunny for Sunday's race.
The track surface is prone to wear, resulting in extra tire wear, but several areas have been resurfaced for this weekend's race, and a new surface awaits the drivers from the exit of Turn 17 to the exit of Turn 4. The pit lane surface is also new.
The combination of the long track and the rough surface will be the most tire-wearing of the season, with high averages in all four corners. Pirelli has nominated the mid-range compounds C2, C3, and C4 for this race.
Heading into the weekend, Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen leads the 2024 drivers' championship with 265 points. McLaren's Lando Norris is second with 189 points and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc is third with 162 points. Red Bull leads the Constructors' Championship with 389 points. McLaren is second with 338 points and Ferrari is third with 322 points.
Verstappen may install a new engine unit this weekend, in which case he will receive a 10-grid demotion penalty as he has already reached his engine quota of four for the season. Spa is a circuit where overtaking is possible, so there is still a chance for Verstappen to win, but the move would be risky as McLaren and Mercedes-Benz AMG have performed strongly in recent rounds.
