F1: Spa demands both power and speed

To win the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa a driver must have a powerful engine and a car that gets down the straights at high speed.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Teams typically bring a low downforce setup to Spa to reduce drag and increase top-end speed.

However, with rain in the forecast for qualifying and the sprint race on Friday and Saturday, a higher downforce setup will be desirable, but on Sunday the forecast for rain reduces and if the race is dry, a low downforce setup will win the day.

The problem for teams is that the cars are locked down in parc ferme rules after qualifying and changes to the car are extremely limited – so it’s going to be a real crap shoot.

Engine power just as important.

While the effect of power unit performance on lap time at last week’s Hungarian GP was limited, with a relatively low stress level for the PU, the opposite is true for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.

At this track, engine power makes a significant difference, given its high-power sensitivity.

Efficient energy recovery is even more important on this 7 kilometer long track, with several full power sections where the MGU-K can struggle to deliver its 120kW all the way to the end of the straights.

Those ERS and turbo systems the best capable of grabbing more of this energy will have a significant advantage, and a modified ERS deployment strategy can boost car performance for several laps.

The combustion engine and the turbo both have to deal with the long full power sections, when they reach high-temperature levels, while the battery is stressed by the long discharge in the section from Eau Rouge to Les Combes.

Will Red Bull’s DRA advantage return at Spa?

Red Bull’s loss of DRS advantage over the past few races has not been due to the removal of “clever tricks”, but more due to car setup choices at different downforce levels – and especially beam wing configurations.

Red Bull have much confidence in their floor and diffuser performance that it can get away with running a single beam wing often, with more downforce.

Thus, when the DRS is open, drag levels are lesser than rivals, who run double beam wings, which gives the big DRS discrepancy effect.

Red Bull’s advantage should return at Spa this weekend, as the team will more than likely steer clear of its double beam wing and opt for the single element.

The truth for Red Bull’s competitors is that they must also change the drag ratio between the main wing and the beam wing if they hope to compete. But to do so, they must have confidence that they can trim the beam wing without sacrificing overall downforce.