Latest news with #Belgium
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rain in F1 Belgian GP could wreck Pirelli's strategy experiment
A strategic experiment Pirelli has been preparing for since early May could be imperiled by the weather at this week's Belgian Grand Prix. The recent heatwave across north-west Europe has given way to a cyclonic low-pressure system pulling in rain from the Atlantic. Heavy, thundery showers are expected to deposit up to 50mm of rain in the UK, northern France and Belgium over the next four days. When the opening rounds of the Formula 1 season unfolded along relatively processional lines, and the majority of teams defaulted to one-stop strategies, F1's tyre supplier opted to 'think outside the box' for a way to introduce an element of jeopardy into the decision-making process. Since the 'family' of tyre compounds is homologated at the beginning of the season and cannot be changed, it is a question of using the available compounds differently. So Pirelli elected to specify the C1 rather than the C2 as the hard-compound tyre for Belgium. The medium and soft remain the C3 and C4, as they were last year. 'They [teams] always find a way to apply a strategy on one stop,' Pirelli motorsport manager Mario Isola said at the time. Sauber tyre 'It's not that we're trying to push them to have a two-stop strategy because it's better, it's more action, more unpredictability and better races – but with the three compounds that are so close they always try to use the hard and the medium to move to a one-stop.' The theory is that by increasing difference between the hard and the medium compounds, a one-stop strategy is likely to come with a lap-time penalty attached. Teams typically aim to stop just once because it preserves track position and minimises the likelihood of 'finger trouble' in pitstops. In an ideal world, adjacent compounds would always offer clear-cut characteristics in terms of durability and grip, but track layouts and surfaces differ greatly and variable weather can also affect performance. Also, last year Pirelli was given a 'target letter' identifying key requirements for this year's tyres. Among the stipulations was that they should be less sensitive to thermal degradation so that drivers could push them harder, for longer. Pirelli has delivered on this, but that success has come freighted with unintended consequences – chiefly a shift to de facto one-stop races. Convergence in car performance has made overtaking harder to achieve, and processional races have ensued. By introducing this compound 'step' on a sprint weekend, Pirelli hoped to add further complications around tyre choice. But while Spa's challenging, high-speed layout suited a plan to evaluate a step in the harder compounds, the Ardennes weather has always been fickle. If rain disrupts proceedings, as it did during the Miami weekend, an interesting race may eventuate anyway – but Pirelli will have to try again elsewhere. This is a more challenging process than casual observers may believe since it isn't a case of randomly substituting one compound for another. If there is too big a difference between compounds then the outcome is the same as if the gap is too small – teams will coalesce around similar strategies. Belgium was viewed as the ideal location for the experiment, but if it can't happen here, the options are running out. Read Also: 1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war To read more articles visit our website.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
F1's Spa weekend kicks off a new era for Red Bull
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, July 23 (Reuters) - Formula One's Spa weekend marks a new start for Red Bull and reigning world champion Max Verstappen as the team go racing for the first time without Christian Horner at the helm. The Briton's sudden sacking after a 20-year reign of rare success, including the most dominant of seasons in 2023, has had the sport buzzing for weeks with plenty of questions to be asked in Belgium. A Saturday sprint will be the first race of new boss Laurent Mekies' tenure and the change, and how it affects four-times world champion Verstappen's future, remains the big talking point of the moment. Horner has made no public comment and Red Bull's preview for the 13th round of the 24-race season made no mention of him. "I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim(ulator) with the team and I'm looking forward to working closely with Laurent," Belgian-born Verstappen was quoted as saying. Mekies, promoted from Racing Bulls who have handed over the reins to Alan Permane, arrives with Red Bull fourth overall and Verstappen a distant third in the drivers' standings behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. That intra-team title battle is likely to have some extra sizzle at Spa-Francorchamps as Norris seeks a third win in a row -- new territory for the Briton -- and the chance to take over at the top. The sprint format offers more points than usual and Norris, whose mother is Belgian, is only eight behind the Australian going to a high-speed track that is a favourite for most drivers. Piastri, despite his generally unruffled exterior, may also be still simmering at the 10 second penalty that cost him a win in Britain and handed victory to Norris. He will want to hit back as Formula One kicks off a Belgium/Hungary double-header -- the first fast and often wet while the second is twisty and hot -- before the long August break. George Russell, his contract expiring at the end of the season and in danger of losing his Mercedes seat to Verstappen or having him as an uncomfortable teammate, is also not short of motivation. The Briton was stripped of victory last year at Spa when post-race checks found his car to be underweight, handing victory to then-teammate Lewis Hamilton in what remains the seven-times champion's most recent win in F1. Ferrari have yet to triumph, other than a Shanghai sprint, since Hamilton moved from Mercedes to Maranello in January but they are gathering momentum. The Italian team are second overall and Charles Leclerc has secured three podiums in the last five races while Hamilton was fourth at Silverstone. Nico Hulkenberg will also be getting back to business at Sauber after an emotional first podium at the 239th attempt at Silverstone ended his unwanted record of most races without a top three finish. Sauber, the future Audi works team, are on the move and have scored the fourth most points of any outfit on the grid over the last four races.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Guardian
F1's heart and soul lies in Spa. But the clamour for glamour puts it at risk
Each summer, fans descend on the Belgian countryside, braving unpredictable weather and muddy campsites for a glimpse of Formula One's most romanticised battleground. Tucked in the Ardennes forest, Spa-Francorchamps, hosting the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, is a rite of passage for drivers, a pilgrimage for fans, and for many, the heart and soul of motor sport. Since its debut on the calendar in 1950, Spa has carved itself into F1 folklore. Mika Häkkinen's audacious double overtake on Michael Schumacher and Ricardo Zonta in 2000 is one of the sport's most celebrated moves. In 2023, Max Verstappen stormed from 14th to victory in an epic comeback. Ayrton Senna won five times there, calling it his favourite circuit, a sentiment echoed by many current drivers. At 7km long with 19 corners, Spa is the longest track on the calendar and home to some of F1's most distinguished features. Nowhere is this clearer than at Eau Rouge and Raidillon, a sweeping blind uphill left-right kink that rewards precision and bravery in equal measure. Lewis Hamilton once described the thrill as a stomach-churning plunge that makes it feel like everything might come up at once. 'It's quite the rush when you're doing 200mph,' he admitted. But the same section that delivers such exhilaration has also brought tragedy. In 2019, Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert died at Raidillon following a high-speed multi-car collision. Four years later, 18-year-old Dutch driver Dilano van 't Hoff was killed at the same corner during a Formula Regional race, this time in treacherous wet conditions. The crashes were hauntingly similar: a car losing control, struck at speed by oncoming traffic cresting the hill with little visibility. With growing concerns about safety, Spa responded with changes in 2022: gravel traps were reintroduced, barriers were moved, and some runoff areas widened. But critics argue the changes did not go far enough to address the corner's inherent dangers, especially in the wet, where spray and visibility become critical factors. George Russell likened it to 'driving down the motorway in pouring rain and turning your windscreen wipers off'. And now, alongside the safety debate, Spa is also facing a battle for its place on the calendar; its future, once considered untouchable, is now under threat. In a sport increasingly shaped by commercial interests, heritage circuits like Spa are being squeezed. Its most recent contract extension confirmed the Belgian Grand Prix will remain but on a rotational basis. Spa is set to be dropped from the calendar in both 2028 and 2030, potentially alternating with new venues in Thailand, Argentina or Rwanda. For some, it's a natural evolution. For others, it's a warning sign. The release of Netflix's Drive to Survive in 2018 marked a turning point for Formula One, particularly in the United States. Under Liberty Media's ownership, the sport has seen a dramatic shift in scale and audience. Attendance at the US Grand Prix in Austin nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022, and a 2025 survey found that 73% of American fans now intend to attend a race. Now with Apple TV reportedly bidding for US broadcast rights on the back of the F1 film, the commercial juggernaut shows no signs of slowing. But the sport's growing appetite for glamour, reflected in the rise of circuits like Las Vegas, Miami and Jeddah, has raised concerns. For all the spectacle, there is a sense that Formula One is edging away from the traditions that built it. Circuits like Spa, Silverstone and Monza are now forced to compete with newer venues offering flashier packages and deeper pockets. Verstappen, Spa's unofficial home hero, has previously suggested that traditional tracks deserve special status in the sport, exempting them from rotation or replacement. F1 has always walked the line between danger and glory. But in an era shaped by commercial growth and heightened safety standards, Spa presents an uneasy dilemma. Its difficulty is part of its charm – the unpredictable weather, the margin for error, the rawness that feels increasingly rare. As the sport moves further into new markets, the question is no longer just whether Spa should stay. It is whether Formula One can afford to lose what it represents. For now, the Belgian Grand Prix remains, and this year's edition promises another compelling chapter. With Christian Horner's departure, all eyes will be on how Red Bull responds under new leadership. McLaren, meanwhile, look to extend their surge in form as the title fight intensifies. And as ever, the drivers face one of the sport's greatest challenges – a circuit that rewards bravery and punishes hesitation.
CNA
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- CNA
F1's Spa weekend kicks off a new era for Red Bull
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium :Formula One's Spa weekend marks a new start for Red Bull and reigning world champion Max Verstappen as the team go racing for the first time without Christian Horner at the helm. The Briton's sudden sacking after a 20-year reign of rare success, including the most dominant of seasons in 2023, has had the sport buzzing for weeks with plenty of questions to be asked in Belgium. A Saturday sprint will be the first race of new boss Laurent Mekies' tenure and the change, and how it affects four-times world champion Verstappen's future, remains the big talking point of the moment. Horner has made no public comment and Red Bull's preview for the 13th round of the 24-race season made no mention of him. "I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim(ulator) with the team and I'm looking forward to working closely with Laurent," Belgian-born Verstappen was quoted as saying. Mekies, promoted from Racing Bulls who have handed over the reins to Alan Permane, arrives with Red Bull fourth overall and Verstappen a distant third in the drivers' standings behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. That intra-team title battle is likely to have some extra sizzle at Spa-Francorchamps as Norris seeks a third win in a row - new territory for the Briton - and the chance to take over at the top. The sprint format offers more points than usual and Norris, whose mother is Belgian, is only eight behind the Australian going to a high-speed track that is a favourite for most drivers. Piastri, despite his generally unruffled exterior, may also be still simmering at the 10 second penalty that cost him a win in Britain and handed victory to Norris. He will want to hit back as Formula One kicks off a Belgium/Hungary double-header - the first fast and often wet while the second is twisty and hot - before the long August break. George Russell, his contract expiring at the end of the season and in danger of losing his Mercedes seat to Verstappen or having him as an uncomfortable teammate, is also not short of motivation. The Briton was stripped of victory last year at Spa when post-race checks found his car to be underweight, handing victory to then-teammate Lewis Hamilton in what remains the seven-times champion's most recent win in F1. Ferrari have yet to triumph, other than a Shanghai sprint, since Hamilton moved from Mercedes to Maranello in January but they are gathering momentum. The Italian team are second overall and Charles Leclerc has secured three podiums in the last five races while Hamilton was fourth at Silverstone. Nico Hulkenberg will also be getting back to business at Sauber after an emotional first podium at the 239th attempt at Silverstone ended his unwanted record of most races without a top three finish.
South Wales Argus
4 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Bronze believes third major final in a row proves England's mettle
The Lionesses came from behind for a second consecutive knockout fixture in Switzerland to beat Italy 2-1 after extra time in the semi-final. It means they will travel to Basel on Sunday to face either Spain or Germany in their third consecutive major tournament final. 'People say that England haven't been consistent in the past few years but getting to three consecutive major finals shows what this team is made of,' emphasised Bronze. 'We fight until the end. It probably wasn't our best performance again but Italy were a fantastic team as well, they started really well. 'It shows the fight that we have and the talent that we've got with players coming off the bench to make the difference.' Italy took the lead in the 33rd minute through Barbara Bonansea and looked set to see out the game with the slender advantage as they packed bodies behind the ball with five at the back. But the introduction of Michelle Agyemang once more proved vital to England's fortunes as she provided the equaliser in the 96th minute after just 11 minutes on the pitch. And while for fans the 19-year-old may be the surprise package of the tournament, her talent is not a well kept secret in the England camp. 'I'm not surprised [by Michelle],' admitted Bronze. 'I remember the first time she came to training I already knew this girl was destined to be part of this group. 'She did it coming on against Belgium, that was the first time for all the fans, and from that moment onwards we knew that she was going to be special. 'Obviously she needs time, she's a 19-year-old. She's doing fantastically coming off the bench and putting in performances and working hard. 'But the fact that she's 19 and she's got so many years to improve and keep getting better. It's frightening to think of the forwards and the attackers we've got at England and so many of them are so young as well.' The second difference maker would be a familiar face for Lionesses fans as 2022 hero Chloe Kelly stepped up to the plate when England won a penalty late into extra time. While the spot-kick supremo did not dispatch at the first time of asking, she was reactive enough to fire home the rebound to send her side through to the Euro 2025 final. '[Chloe] has got this attitude and this confidence that you can't buy,' said Bronze. 'She's a great teammate to have around. She's not started any of the games but every single game she's come on she's made a difference. 'She's one of those players you want on your team and not on the other team that's for sure.' It means England have now scraped through their quarter-final and semi-final, after recovering from a two-goal deficit against Sweden to triumph on penalties in Zurich. After Geneva also experienced the tumult of emotions, questions have been raised about the Lionesses' performances as they have consistently produced slow starts on the big stage. They also started their tournament as a whole slowly as they made their group stage a tough test after losing to France in their opening match. But Bronze insists belief has remained in the camp throughout, with the side focused on a trip to the St. Jakob Arena from the outset. 'We said it after the France game that we still believed we could still make it to the final,' she said. 'Maybe other people didn't believe that but losing that game brought us closer together and showed us what we needed to work on. 'We still made it to the final. Now tonight's just about recovering, obviously enjoying the moment, but we need to recover. 'We've played two 120 minutes and we want to be ready for the final.'
