As Formula One resumes its 2021 season at Spa Francorchamps, here is everything that you need to know ahead of the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix.
After a cracking Hungarian GP at the start of the month, all ten teams reconvene deep in the Ardennes Forest at Spa Francorchamps as an uncertain second half of the season get underway with the calendar largely unclear beyond the end of September due to travel restrictions and Coronavirus pandemic.
Lewis Hamilton enters this race with an eight point lead over Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings, thus setting up a tasty looking race which could well be key to igniting momentum for upcoming rounds.
There meanwhile are several other battles in the championship to watch out for across this weekend and beyond, so here is a full guide to the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix.
Track Guide
Circuit: Spa Francorchamps
Laps: 44
Race Distance: 308.052km
Tyre Compounds: C2, C3 & C4
Schedule
| Date | Session | Time (BST) |
| Friday 27 August 2021 | FP1 | 10:30am |
| Friday 27 August 2021 | FP2 | 2:00pm |
| Saturday 28 August 2021 | FP3 | 11:00am |
| Saturday 28 August 2021 | Qualifying | 2:00pm |
| Sunday 29 August 2021 | Race | 2:00pm |
Five Key Pointers
- Straight-line speed will be key around Spa Francorchamps given the many straights spread across the circuit, although cornering and braking will just be as crucial to nailing the perfect lap.
- With several teams likely to have already switched focus to next season, whoever opts to bring upgrades here could certainly shake the pecking order in the various battles on the grid.
- Mercedes face a race strategy headache if Lewis Hamilton finds himself in a Red Bull sandwich and Valtteri Bottas is unable to overcome a five-place grid penalty to assume the wingman role.
- With rain forecast throughout the weekend and Spa Francorchamps being a long wide circuit, timing could well be key if wet weather arrives in Qualifying or the race.
- Max Verstappen is likely to take a power unit based penalty during the second half of the season, meaning that Spa Francorchamps might be the best place due to its easiness in overtaking in race.
Last Time Out
Lewis Hamilton blitzed his way to victory at 2020 Belgian Grand Prix ahead of Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo as the top four all held position from lights to flag, whilst Antonio Giovinazzi and George Russell retired after the Italian crashed at Campus with a loose tyre hitting Russell’s Williams car.
Race Recaps
If missed any of the 11 previous rounds of the 2021 season, please click on the links below to catch up on the missed action.