Belgium Grand Prix 2010
Preview

Torque, acceleration, angular momentum, gravity – all of these concepts may help if you are a student going to give an examination but perhaps not when you have that steering wheel lodged between your palms and a sly glance at your speedometer shows it hovering around 320kmph. No need to call for the pits though as it’s not for us but the Vettels, the Alonsos and the Hamiltons to prove their mettle and to show their merit on the second half of the season as Formula One resumes after the four week summer break with the Belgium Grand Prix.


The Spa Francorchamps is a very demanding circuit for the drivers and is known to produce classics throughout its history; the steep gradients are more like hillocks and the famous corners like Eau Rouge sets the adrenaline pumping, the most of the track requires a driver pressing on the pedal for a longer period of time, the track also requires a medium to high downforce due to medium to highspeed corners and low speed chicanes; throw in a few gearbox failures, susceptible climate and a surprise coup in the positions like the Force India did last year and we might be in for a scorcher of a ride with the championship being so delicately placed. The difference between the top of the Driver’s Championship Mark Webber and the 5th placed Fernando Alonso is a mere 20 points with Hamilton, Vettel and Button feeling up the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place respectively. In the constructor’s championship Red Bull Racing is at the top with 312 points owing to the superlative performance of their drivers Mark Webber and Sebastien Vettel but snapping on their heels is McLaren-Mercedes on 304 points with Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button riding the team’s fortunes and a win here for any of the top 5 drivers could potentially see them go first.




The Red Bull Racing has a superior chassis which has given them an advantage in almost all of the circuits but its Renault engine may fail to support it this time owing to the long straights, the Ferrari team on the other hand will hold the advantage due to its engine power and they have also been able to catch up with the F-duct and the diffuser system but then again the form of Fernando Alonso has been a bit of a worry for them. One would say McLaren-Mercedes is the most balanced team out of the whole lot but one gets the feeling that this race will more be about grits, confidence, grabbing chances and holding on to them rather than the car specifications helping out the drivers. So, don’t be surprised if you see a certain man named Michael Schumacher smiling his way to the podium for the 7th time in Spa for all you know this maybe the rise of the legend again.

Soham Sarkhel