F1 | Belgian GP – Preview

Tre weeks after the last grand prix and a July rich in events, Formula 1 is ready to turn on the engines again and get to  a circuit that has written important pages of the motoring as Spa-Francorchamps.

A circuit in which the drivers have still a central role, differently from many other realities, more or less innovative.  A racetrack that is always fascinating and very demanding for tires. After last season, Pirelli has made some corrective actions, and it will present itself on the track with the Medium, Soft, and SuperSoft tires. At Ferrari, they bet decisively on the softer tire compounds, and they will bring just a set of Medium tires for each driver.

A track in which the engine, along with the weather, has an important role, and McLaren should have an updated power-unit at its disposal that could help Alonso and Button in reaching the point zone again, keeping their growth in view of the last grand prix.

At this point of the season, some teams wonder if they should to keep developing their 2016 cars or focus on the next season that will be at the center of important technical changes that could lead, guessing the right design of the car, to a change of the forces on the field. This is the first question for Mattia Binotto. Ferrari is struggling for the second place in the World Championship along with Red Bull, but if they want to have some more ambitious plans, it is possible that they sacrifice the current season, especially in the imminence of so important changes. They can keep developing those components useful also in 2017.

At Manor, they will have the newness of Esteban Ocon, winner of Formula 3 and Gp3 titles in the last two years. They have two interesting young drivers and they are focusing their efforts to defend the tenth place in the standings against Sauber, thanks also to the backing of Mercedes.