Belgium Preview Quotes: Williams
Nick Heidfeld: "Although Spa is not particularly far from my home town of Monchengladbach, I haven't raced there much, which is a shame because Spa is one of the most beautiful circuits on the calendar. It has numerous fast corners and is wonderfully embedded into the landscape. Not only does this create a special atmosphere for the spectators, but also for the drivers. Personally, I find Eau Rouge one of the most unusual corners and I always tell everyone to view the race from it. The compression does not cause any physical problems, but the g- forces are unique. Drivers are used to sideways g-forces, or those experienced under braking. I've tried bob sleighing before and going through Eau Rouge feels just like you're sitting in a bob. Spa is notorious for its unpredictable weather. I'm hoping for rain because we don't get many wet races, although Spa might not be the best venue for it. Similar to the former long forest straight at Hockenheim, the high speeds cause the water, blown up by the cars, to become trapped between the trees instead of being blown away by the wind."

Mark Webber: "Clearly Spa is one of the most spectacular circuits we go to all year and I've always enjoyed driving an F1 car there. It has everything. It's very quick, hugely challenging, the location is great and the undulations are absolutely fantastic. At this time of year, the weather can play a big part of the weekend so you never really know what's going to happen. I've driven in races there when it's been raining on one part of the circuit and dry in another. That only creates a problem though when visibility is bad, which it can be coming back from the Bus Stop from Blanchimont, and into Eau Rouge as well. Then Spa is dangerous. I'm not worried about rain though, last year was wet and it was fine. I also always enjoy driving long, fast laps in a race, which Spa demands, so I'm really looking forward to it."
Sam Michael (Technical Director, WilliamsF1): "With so much natural terrain creating challenging corners and sequences for the drivers and engineers, Spa is a truly great circuit. Of course Eau Rouge and Blanchimont are great corners, but there is so much more to the track. The Bus Stop chicane, for example, has created some fantastic overtaking situations in the past. Set-up is geared towards high and medium speed stability to ensure that when the cars make their way back from the far stretches of the circuit they are quick through the flowing parts of the track. At the same time, the car must be strong over the curbs through the chicane. The weather will also play a significant role over the weekend, with rain sometime falling on different parts of the circuit while not on others. We have further aerodynamic developments to the rear of the FW27 for this race and Michelin will be bringing two new tyre compounds for us to select from."
Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): "These days, the term 'natural circuit' applies to only one Formula One track, and that's Spa-Francorchamps. Firstly, the track follows the landscape rather than the other way round. Secondly, the austerity of the Ardennes can throw up sudden weather changes that are very hard to forecast. Last year, wets were needed for qualifying. Spa demands a great deal from the BMW engines. The engines running in our cars in Spa will be the two that have already completed the Monza race. At 1,821 metres, Eau Rouge is the longest full-throttle section of the season, if taken flat out. In addition, Spa has a number of gradients making it a great challenge for both drivers and technology."

Analysis: Montoya Passes Bravery Test
Italian GP Revives Pizzonia's Hopes

Latest news
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix
Why “faster” Ferrari couldn’t beat Red Bull in Canadian GP
On paper the Canadian Grand Prix will go down as Max Verstappen’s latest triumph, fending off late pressure from Carlos Sainz to extend his Formula 1 world championship lead. But as safety car periods, virtual and real, shook up the race Ferrari demonstrated it can take the fight to Red Bull after recent failures
The in-demand helmet designer creating works of art for F1's best
GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV pays a visit to designer Jens Munser, to observe the production of Mick Schumacher’s special helmet for the Miami Grand Prix. What follows is some fascinating insight on the mindsets of Mick’s dad Michael, and family friend Sebastian Vettel