[Monster Hesh]

During all the years of DRS anywhere qualifying not a single thought was given to closing the DRS through T17. There is a lesser risk of control loss through Blanchimont, than T1 & T2 at Silverstone. But, so be it.

[Purple-banana]

Heavier cars and more worn tyres compared to quali, more likely to be offline and/or jockeying for position during the race. And nowhere near the amounts of run-off available like at Silverstone T1/2.

A sensible decision if you ask me

[morini]

These comprrssed races over three weekend are all well and good, but the summer break is too long. Don't know what to do with myself on weekends. Anyway, only one work week before we're back into it. Roll on Spa, can't come soon enough for me.

Hope it's wet!

[Monster Hesh]

---

4 more days, we can make it folks.

So just having a quick look at the weather and it looks damn cold, one site saying as low as 12 on Saturday! That's colder than what they experienced in China.
Maybe some rain Saturday, but with Spa's "micro-climate" wont know till we see it.

I echo Jody's and others pace speculation going into the weekend, a role reversal. Very close, Ferrari did show significant top speed advantage at recent tracks, and that's before their new spec engine (which I still never found out in Hungary what gains they are expecting). Which will makes them favourites, but Mercedes through the high speed corners of S2 should bring them back into it, though Ferrari are no slouch through them either. However, developments will be fascinating, time for Ferrari to set the record straight and deliver post summer break, and continue its mega upgrade drive that 2018 has been so far.

The temperature could throw a curve ball however. Although we see compounds Mercedes are comfortable with, Supers being the softest, so not as soft as China where they struggle to warm up the Ultras in qually. Mercedes will be hoping they are fully on top of tyre operating windows, which they certainly weren't earlier in the season.

So will this bring RedBull into the mix. No, they do have good tyre workings, but they just wont have enough of anything else. They boast fastest through corners, yet at tracks where high speed corners are present, their gap to outright grows. They need slower speed corners, with traction, where at this track are some critical corners, but then the power unit comes into play, and well we all know what the deal is there. Safe bet a Redbull will be parked up at the side of the track this weekend.

Midfield, Haas should be best of the rest, their car has been working so well recently. Then a Sauber should be up there. 
Renault announcing a new floor, they have been in very close contention and sometimes achieving top of tier two. So could be a great battle for the last 4(5 if there's a top tier failure) positions in Q3. Like Britain however, maybe the lap is just too fast for them and theyll miss out on Q3.
Maybe Toro Rosso will surprise again, the critical corners onto the straights are all traction so that will work well for them, but S2 fast corners, they'll suffer.
Force Indias recent turmoil could of compromised setup for the weekend, and races to come, as well as the mentioned delay to upgrades. If they can optimise their car well enough, they may sneak a Q3.
Cant see McLaren or Williams being in contention of Q3, but I'd like to see a good drive to the points from McLaren as we have seen so many times this season.

[Purple-banana]

The temperature could throw a curve ball however. Although we see compounds Mercedes are comfortable with, Supers being the softest, so not as soft as China where they struggle to warm up the Ultras in qually. Mercedes will be hoping they are fully on top of tyre operating windows, which they certainly weren't earlier in the season.

Nice write-up Hesh.

Quick question though, isn't that quoted se ction above a bit of a contradiction? If the temps are cooler and rubber harder, wouldn't Merc struggle even more to get them warmed up? <he asked, full of hope...>

[Monster Hesh]

Yes you're right PB. What maybe I was alluding to was maintaining the smaller operating window the softer compounds have, compared to the harder ones. It's only a 10c difference but it makes compounds from Super and softer have a finite window, that window Merc struggled with.

[forzaferrari]

McLaren Formula 1 reserve Lando Norris has been drafted in by the team for a Friday practice run at the Belgian Grand Prix - and could do more sessions later in the year.
The Formula 2 frontrunner will replace Fernando Alonso at Spa.

After recently driving for McLaren in the post-Hungarian Grand Prix test, it is understood that Norris' latest runs are part of an ongoing evaluation about his potential to step up to a race seat with the team in 2019.

[Monster Hesh]

Aren't F2 at spa aswell? that's a busy Friday for him.

[NeilP]

Aren't F2 at spa aswell? that's a busy Friday for him.

Yes its a F2 race as well this weekend

[Antilochos]

Lovely, they expect rain for the weekend in Spa (expectation is 80% for sunday). Yes, weather can change, but let us at least enjoy this anticipation...