| 2022 Belgian Grand Prix | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race 14 of 22 in the 2022 Formula One World Championship
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 Layout of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | |||||
| Race details | |||||
| Date | 28 August 2022 | ||||
| Official name | Formula 1 Rolex Belgian Grand Prix 2022 | ||||
| Location |
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Stavelot, Belgium | ||||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||||
| Course length | 7.004 km (4.352 miles) | ||||
| Scheduled distance | 44 laps, 308.052 km (191.414 miles) | ||||
The 2022 Belgian Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 Rolex Belgian Grand Prix 2022) is a Formula One motor race scheduled to be held on 28 August 2022 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium. The race is intended to be run over a distance of 44 laps and will be the 78th overall running of the Belgian Grand Prix, the 67th time the event has been held as part of the Formula One World Championship and the 55th World Championship race held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.[1] Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing is the defending race winner.
Background
The event is due to be held across the weekend of the 26–28 August. It will be the fourteenth round of the 2022 Formula One World Championship. The race will mark the beginning of the second half of the 2022 championship following the summer break.
From this race onwards a technical directive will be introduced to limit the amount of porpoising and bottoming out, following safety and legal concerns in the first half of the season. The FIA's proposal is for a specific addition to Article 3.15.8 of the technical regulations, addressing the flexibility of the plank underneath a car.[2] The changes were initially proposed to come into force at the French Grand Prix in July, but were pushed back in order to give teams enough time to comply with the directive.[3][4]
In the build up to the event, drivers including Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly and Sergio Pérez expressed sadness that the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps could be omitted from the calendar for the 2023 championship and beyond, hoping the 2022 race would not be the last Formula One race at the venue.[5][6] Additionally reigning World Champion Max Verstappen described the circuit as his "favourite track" and stated that it would be "a shame" to see the circuit dropped from the calendar in future seasons.[7] Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner also urged Formula One to "ringfence" classic venues such as Spa-Franchorchamps, Silverstone and Monza to prevent them dropping off the calendar.[8] Race organisers said renewing the contract for the race to be held in future seasons would be "not easy".[9] In response to this, Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali stated there was still a chance that the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps could be included on the 2023 calendar.[10]
The event is due to see five former Belgian Grand Prix winning drivers enter the event, these being four-time winner Lewis Hamilton (2010, 2015, 2017 and 2020), three-time winner Sebastian Vettel (2011, 2013 and 2018), and one-time winners Daniel Ricciardo (2014), Charles Leclerc (2019) and Max Verstappen (2021).[11][12]
Following concern over fan behaviour at previous races, particularly at the Austrian Grand Prix, the race organisers urged for "respect for everyone" and imposed restrictions on spectators to combat disruptive behaviour, banning attendees from bringing items such as glass, alcohol, weapons and smoke flares to the circuit.[13]
Despite ongoing contractual uncertainty surrounding his Formula One future Alpine reserve driver Oscar Piastri was confirmed to be continuing to provide his team with in-weekend simulator support from the teams' base at Enstone in the United Kingdom for this race.[14]
Track changes
Since the 2021 Grand Prix took place the circuit subsequently underwent a major facility and safety facility redevelopment which had been planned since 2020. Extra run-off was added to the Eau Rouge/Radillion part of the course – changes made in response to several big accidents in recent years at that section of the track, including the fatal accident of Anthoine Hubert during the 2019 Spa-Francorchamps Formula 2 round.[15] In addition gravel traps have been added to six corners on the circuit, these being: La Source, Radillion, Blanchimont, Les Combes, Stavelot and Pouhon.[16][17] The track has also been resurfaced with a more modern asphalt for this years event increasing track grip levels meaning lap times at this years event could be similar to that seen in dry conditions during the 2021 event with the new surface predicted to offset any performance losses that would have caused by the 2022 aerodymanic regulations with Eau Rouge a expected to remain flat out.[18] Max Verstappen was the first driver to run a Formula One car around the renovated circuit in a Red Bull RB7.[19] Jarno Zeffelli, head of Dromo Circuit Design, the company who carried out the renovations revealed twenty possible different iteratons of Eau Rouge were evaluated with the selected iteration chosen with the help of form of ex Formula One drivers Thierry Boutsen and Emanuele Pirro and fine tuned with simulations for Formula One and GT cars.[20]
Championship standings before the race
Max Verstappen leads the Drivers' Championship by 80 points from Charles Leclerc, with Sergio Pérez third, a further 5 points behind. Red Bull Racing lead the Constructors' Championship, leading Ferrari by 97 points and Mercedes by 127 points.[21]
Entrants
The drivers and teams were the same as the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for the race.[22] Liam Lawson drove for AlphaTauri in place of Pierre Gasly during the first practice session, making his Formula One practice debut.[23]
Tyre choices
Tyre supplier Pirelli brought the C2, C3, and C4 tyre compounds (designated hard, medium, and soft, respectively) for teams to use at the event.[24]
Practice
There are scheduled to be three practice sessions, each lasting an hour in length. Two practice sessions took place on Friday 26 August with the first having taken place at 14:00 local time (UTC+02:00) and the second at 17:00 the same day. The third and final practice session is due to take place on 27 August at 13:00 local time.[25] Carlos Sainz Jr. was fastest in the first session and Max Verstappen was fastest in the second.[26][27]
Qualifying
Qualifying for the race is due to held on 27 August at 16:00 local time.[25]
Race
The race is due to held on 28 August and is scheduled to start 15:00 local time.[25]
See also
References
- ^ "Grand Prixs-Belgium". www.statsf1.com. Stats F1. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
- ^ "Gary Anderson: FIA's F1 flexi-floor clampdown explained". The Race. 8 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ Mitchell, Scott. "FIA's controversial technical directive delayed to Belgian GP". The Race. The Race Media. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ Hughes, Mark. "TECH TUESDAY: Understanding the Technical Directive on floors that will come into effect at the Belgian GP". www.formula1.com. Formula One. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ Wood, Ida; Cottingham, Claire. "'A shame', 'just about money': F1 drivers fear Spa's next grand prix will be its last". Racefans.net. Racefans. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ Smith, Luke. "Norris rues possible loss of Spa: "Things are just about money nowadays"". www.motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ Cleeren, Filip. "Verstappen: Losing "favourite track" Spa from F1 would be "big shame"". www.motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ "Christian Horner urges F1 to 'ringfence' historic Spa, Silverstone and Monza". www.planetf1.com. Planet Sport. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Wilde, Jon. "Belgian Grand Prix official admits contract renewal talks are 'not easy'". www.planetf1.com. Planet Sport. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Cooper, Adam. "Domenicali: Spa could keep its place on 2023 F1 calendar". www.motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ "Grand Prix Belgium- Wins-STATS F1". STATS F1. STATS F1. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "Grand Prix Belgium- Wins-STATS F1". STATS F1. STATS F1. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Woodhouse, Jamie. "Belgian Grand Prix impose restrictions to combat disruptive fan behaviour". www.planetf1.com. Planet F1. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ Mitchell-Malm, Scott; Khorounzhiy, Valentin. "Piastri on Alpine F1 sim duties for the Belgian GP". The Race. The Race Media. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ Prydderch, Hanah. "Spa-Franchorchamps reveal new look ahead of 2022 Belgian Grand Prix". www.wtf1.com. WTF1. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
- ^ Cleeren, Filip. "Spa reveals €80m revamp as gravel traps return". www.motorsport.com. The Race Media. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Valantine, Henry. "Extra gravel traps coming in Spa revamp". www.planetf1.com. Planet F1. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ Noble, Jonathan. "Eau Rouge remains flat out for F1 at "faster" revamped Spa". www.motorspport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ Collantine, Keith. "Verstappen first to test F1 car at renovated Spa circuit". www.racefans.net. Collantine Publishing. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Circuit designers went through 20 different layouts for Eau Rouge". www.planetf1.com. Planet F1. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Hungary 2022 - Championship". statsf1.com. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "2022 Belgian Grand Prix – Entry List" (PDF). FIA. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ Jackson, Kieran (23 August 2022). "Red Bull junior Liam Lawson to drive for AlphaTauri in first practice at Belgian Grand Prix". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Maher, Thomas. "Pirelli confirm tyre compounds for Belgium, Netherlands and Italy". www.planetf1.com. Planet F1. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
- ^ a b c "Formula 1 Rolex Belgian Grand Prix 2022 - Schedule". Formula1. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "FP1 report and highlights from the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix: Sainz heads Ferrari 1-2 in Belgium as F1 returns after summer break | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ "FP2 report and highlights from 2022 Belgian Grand Prix: Dominant Verstappen comfortably clear of Leclerc in second Spa practice session | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
External links
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