“The Spa circuit is defined by the surrounding nature and it’s one of my
favourite tracks. I was very happy to have won there last year,” he
said. “Spa offers every type of racing corner; ultra-fast, medium-fast
and slow chicanes, that alternate with fast straights. The difference in
altitude and the unpredictable weather really make the track a big challenge.”
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton said he is excited for how close the season run-in
stands to be.
“There’s no team with a clear advantage, although we’re all pushing hard
to catch Fernando’s points tally,” he said. “There’s still
everything to play for.
“It’s going to be an extremely tough, tactical and interesting finale to
the season.”
The 7.004-kilometre (4.352-mile) circuit is the longest track on the calendar
and – along with Monaco – the most demanding.
Corners such as Eau Rouge and Blanchimont push drivers and tires to the
absolute limit.
“Spa is the best track to have after a break and it’s extremely
rewarding for drivers at that venue. It’s obviously remained pretty much
unchanged for some time and it has a lot of character,” Vettel’s Red
Bull team-mate Mark Webber said.
“It’s one of the classic tracks where you feel like an F1 car belongs on
the circuit. We’re looking forward to going there and challenging for the
victory.”
Because of the vast size of the track, different microclimates lead to
variable weather conditions – meaning it can be raining on one part of the
track and sunny at another.
Hamilton, who won at Spa in 2010 – ahead of Webber – is brimming with
confidence after heading into the month-long summer break with a victory
from pole at the Hungarian GP last month.
“My win in Hungary was a fantastic way to go into the summer break. It
had the added bonus of sending the whole team away for their holidays with a
positive feeling in their hearts,” Hamilton said. “It’s also given
me the hope and assurance that we can come back for the final nine races
with a real chance to go for both world championships.”
Raikkonen is one point behind Hamilton and, although seeking his first win of
the season, the 2007 F1 champion has been driving consistently with five
podium spots, including second place behind the British driver in Hungary.
A win for Hamilton or Raikkonen on Sunday would continue to throw the
championship open and increase the pressure on Vettel.
“Given the unpredictability of the sport, I think it’s still difficult
to predict accurately who’ll win the next grand prix,” Hamilton said. “But
I reckon the coming few weeks ought to give us a much clearer idea of the
destination of the world title.”