Eau Rouge will be great again

After a few weeks during which Formula 1 paddock regulars' thoughts have been focused more on blue skies over beaches than results on track, there is no denying the huge sense of excitement about the famed 'fickle' conditions that will greet the grand prix circus in Belgium.

But irrespective of what the skies throw at F1 this weekend, the sweeps of the famed Spa-Francorchamps circuit are always a magical place to watch the world's best racing drivers in action. And this year things could perhaps be even more special than they have been for some time.

Although the current generation of F1 cars has been criticised for being too quiet, too complex and with too much emphasis on fuel economy, their characteristics could actually help bring back an edge to Spa that has been sadly lacking.

In recent years, much of the challenge of Spa's most iconic corner, Eau Rouge, has been nullified by the evolution of track safety and car designs. Its profile has been gradually straightened to make it less aggressive and the growth of asphalt run-off areas has opened up the door to mistakes being punished less.

In addition, the impressive amount of downforce available to cars meant it became an easily flat corner - in effect nothing more than a kink on the blast between La Source and Les Combes.

That state of affairs, however, could well change this weekend. F1's latest generation of cars may well bring the magic back to Eau Rouge, and return it to the fold of places where drivers have to have respect.

One aspect of F1's 2014 cars is that the new V6 turbo engines, allied to a reduction in downforce from last year, have made them quicker in a straight line, with some very impressive acceleration low down. Add to this combination the fact that the cars are heavier this year, and running on harder tyres, and it means the blast through Eau Rouge will be different. It is not necessarily the case that the right foot will automatically be planted flat to the floor.

Could Williams be the quickest to the top of Eau Rouge this year? © LAT

Early simulation data from teams suggests that for some cars (but not all), on a low-fuel qualifying run, Eau Rouge will be what is termed a 'brave flat'. Those two words sound very exciting when put together.

There are competitive forces at play that could also make Eau Rouge more of a handful this weekend. One characteristic that has come to the fore in recent races has been the impressive straightline speed performance of the Williams.

Williams' quest to produce an efficient car to minimise drag will pay huge dividends at Spa, where teams constantly have to balance putting more downforce on for the long middle sector without risking being so slow on the straights that they get swallowed up on the climb to Les Combes.

The likelihood that the Williams-Mercedes package will be blindingly quick through that first Spa section may well force its rivals to lean off downforce levels as much as they dare to prevent them becoming sitting ducks on the Kemmel straight.

That move may further add to the possibility of drivers not having such an easy time when it comes to threading their way through Eau Rouge and Raidillon.

Delivering such a challenge is exactly what both we and the drivers want. In a year when men such as Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso have complained about having some of their impact taken away by the boffins on the pitwall dictating fuel flow rates and performance figures, surely no one will grumble if the onus is put back on what the men in the cockpit deliver - and how brave they choose to be through Eau Rouge.