McLaren previews this weekend's F1 race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium

2015 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX PREVIEW

Round 11/19 21-23 August 2015 #BelgianGP #McLarenLIVE

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps snapshot

Fernando Alonso "After the long summer break, I can't wait to get into the car in Spa and go racing again. Hungary was a positive race for us but we know Spa will be challenging on a number of levels, so we'll be pushing to get the most out of the weekend." Jenson Button "I've really enjoyed the holidays, but I'm keen to get back in the car. Spa is an incredible circuit - every single lap feels sensational - so I'm looking forward to enjoying myself this weekend." Circuit lowdown Few circuits are more revered than the mighty Spa-Francorchamps. The track has been synonymous with Formula 1 for more than 60 years, and, with an average speed of 230km/h (143mph), it's breathtakingly fast. At more than 7km, the undulating circuit is the longest on the 2015 calendar. However, the existing layout is only half the length of the original design, which featured in the inaugural world championship of 1950. The current track - opened in 1983 - retains much of the original high-speed challenge, as well as many of the iconic corners like La Source, Eau Rouge and Blanchimont. More than 70 per cent of the lap is spent at full throttle, which places an emphasis on the power unit and on the car's aerodynamic efficiency. There is also the unique situation of the machinery having to cope with a 1.7g compression at the bottom of Eau Rouge, which can prove a test of reliability over the 44-lap race distance. The weather forecast is notoriously unreliable in the Ardennes region of Belgium. Temperatures of around 20 degrees are expected, but it's harder to predict the chance and the location of the rain. If wet weather comes it can affect only one section of the track - often several miles from the pitlane - which creates considerable strategic challenges. In the event of dry conditions, the drivers have Pirelli's Soft (Option) and Medium (Prime) tyres at their disposal. These are the same compounds that were used at last year's race, when two pitstops were the norm for most cars. Should a Safety Car appear early in the race, a one-stop strategy is also possible. McLaren has an indelible link with Spa-Francorchamps because it was here, in 1968, that the team won its first world championship grand prix. The team now has a total of 14 wins on Belgian soil, the most recent victory coming in 2012.

Facts & figures

It's all about: the race Start time 1400 (local)/1200 (GMT) Race distance 44 laps (full world championship points awarded after 75% distance/33 laps) 2014 winner Daniel Ricciardo 2014 pole position Nico Rosberg 2m05.591s 200.766km/h (wet) 2014 fastest lap Nico Rosberg 1m50.511s 228.162km/h Safety Car likelihood Chances of a Safety Car High. There's an 80 per cent chance that the Safety Car will appear in Sunday's race - that's largely due to accidents at Spa occurring at high-speed Don't put the kettle on The start, when new FIA rules mean there will be more input from the drivers; and laps 13 and 28. Last year's race was won with a two-stop strategy and, changeable weather aside, the same looks likely in 2015 Weather forecast Changeable. Spa-Francorchamps is located in the Ardennes Mountains, which have a notoriously fickle microclimate It's all about: the track First race 1950 Circuit length 7.004km/4.352 miles Run to Turn One 265 metres Longest straight 2.015km, from La Source to Turn 5, Les Combes Top speed 322km/h on the approach to Turn 5 DRS zones Two - on the approach to Turn 1 and, again, on the approach to Turn 5 Key corner Turn 10, a 180-degree double-apex left-hander. The entry is fast (294km/h) and blind, and the drivers need to be totally committed in order to be fast Pitlane length 390 metres, which is quite long. The time loss isn't that great because the cars staying on-track have to negotiate the La Source Hairpin Major changes for 2015 None It's all about: the car Fuel consumption 3.35kg per lap, which is high Full throttle 70% Brake wear Low. There are only nine braking events around the lap Gear changes 48 per lap/2112 per race

Did you know? Heavy rain prior to the start of the 1997 Belgian Grand Prix resulted in F1's first ever Safety Car start. Technical words of wisdom Matt Morris, director of engineering "Spa-Francorchamps is one of the classic old-school circuits. It's long; it's undulating and it's high-speed - all of which combines to make it one of the great challenges on the calendar. There are two high-speed sectors, in which there are long periods of full throttle, and one twistier sector. Car set-up is therefore a compromise between straight-line speed and cornering grip, and getting that balance right is a challenge. "This is also a race at which you need to think on your feet because the weather is notoriously unpredictable. The conditions can change very quickly, which usually spices things up!" Our most memorable Belgian Grand Prix: 1968 The 1968 season started well for McLaren. Denny Hulme scored the team's first podium at the Spanish Grand Prix and everyone arrived at Spa-Francorchamps hoping to be competitive. Adding to the feeling of optimism was Hulme's performance in the Indianapolis 500 the preceding weekend. ‘The Bear' finished fourth in the 500 and he arrived in Belgium feeling bullish about the team's chances. He qualified fifth and Bruce McLaren sixth. The race highlighted the demanding nature of the original 14km Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Brian Redman had a horrifying accident on lap seven and a spate of reliability issues shaped the remainder of the 28-lap race. Hulme enjoyed a dice for the lead with Jackie Stewart, until he was slowed by a driveshaft problem. Stewart than ran out of fuel on the penultimate lap, handing a victory to Bruce McLaren - the last of his illustrious career, but the first for his team.

McLaren at the Belgian Grand Prix

Wins 14 (1968, 1974, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012) Poles 11 (1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2012) Fastest laps 8 (1974, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1999, 2004, 2010)

Team talk #14 Fernando Alonso Age 34 (July 29 1981) GPs 243 Wins 32 Poles 22 Fastest laps 21 Best result in Belgium 2nd (2005)

"It feels great to be back. I enjoyed a relaxing break over the summer shutdown, but I also trained hard and I feel in the best shape to start the second half of the year. After Hungary, we were all really encouraged by the outcome; although we were fortunate to have had some good luck, we still battled hard and finished the race with a positive result. "Spa will be tricky for us, due to the configuration of a track that requires power, downforce and a big chunk of the lap spent at full throttle. But, from a driver's perspective it's a spectacular circuit and the fans there also make it a truly special place. It's a place at which I won when I was in Formula 3000, but never in Formula 1. I've enjoyed some really exciting battles there, and I'm looking forward to this weekend for some more. "The next few races will be important for us: we need to continue our forward momentum, and, with the addition of some tweaks to the car and power unit, we will be looking for more progress and good correlation between the simulator and our on-track performance. That might not necessarily appear above the surface in either Spa or Monza, but we'll keep pushing development forward at each race."

#22 Jenson Button Age 35 (January 19 1980) GPs 275 Wins 15 Poles 8 Fastest laps 8 Best result in Belgium 1st (2012)

"What a place to resume the second half of the season! It's such a great place to come to after the break - Spa is a circuit I've always loved right from the start of my racing career, and every lap around this incredibly special circuit is still hugely exciting and puts a massive grin on my face. It's genuinely a circuit like no other. "I'm really looking forward to getting back into the car and seeing where we stand among our nearest competitors. We can't pretend that we're expecting a huge jump forward in performance - especially at this circuit, as it doesn't suit our car's characteristics - but, after the break, I'm feeling refreshed, positive, and ready to continue the solid progress we've made so far. "I love Spa, I won there back in 2012, and, even when I'm not battling for the lead, I really enjoy the racing there as it usually produces fantastic grands prix. It's a privilege as a Formula 1 driver to be able to go to the circuit in the morning, get in the car, and race through some of the most legendary corners in motorsport."

Eric Boullier Racing director, McLaren-Honda "After a well-deserved summer break for the whole team, we're all ready and raring to go at the start of the second half of the season. We had an encouraging race in Hungary leading into the summer break, and we now feel refreshed and determined to continue improving our form as the rest of the season progresses. "We've persevered through some tough moments, but the positivity and steadfast commitment to McLaren-Honda's future success are evident in every single member of this team. Our drivers, too, have been unwavering in their support and are working hard to keep pushing us forward, extracting the maximum from the package at every opportunity. We're also incredibly grateful for the support of our partners, who are incredibly loyal, and who are united behind our development programme. In the second half of the season, our fight towards the front will continue, and we'll work hard to build on our steady, solid progress in pursuit of performance. "Spa is a truly spectacular circuit - arguably the best on the calendar for many - but, given the unique power and downforce package required, the track won't play to our strengths. Therefore, of course, we must be measured in our optimism, and we will need to wait for Singapore and beyond before we can see the fruits of our labours reflected on track." Yasuhisa Arai Honda R&D senior managing officer - chief officer of motorsport "After a well-deserved and positive result in Hungary, the summer break was good rest for the trackside team, while Sakura continued on with the power unit development. "As we planned, Honda has updated our combustion characteristics to further improve our power units for Spa and the second half of the season. This weekend's free practices will be important to test the pairing of the power units to the cars. The Belgian race, however, will surely be a difficult one for the team and drivers, with expected grid penalties and a long and unforgiving power circuit. "Nevertheless, McLaren-Honda's focus is to improve race by race. We know we can learn a lot from the circuit for immediate future, and hope that we can come out of the weekend with some positives."

McLaren previews this weekend's F1 race at the Hungaroring in Hungary.

Grand Prix Preview Hungary 2015 Facts & Stats: Hungaroring The Circuit After the fast sweeps of Silverstone, Formula 1 heads to the slowest permanent circuit on the calendar next weekend. The Hungaroring is tortuously twisting and narrow, and has few fast corners. To be competitive, a car needs to have aerodynamic stability and good traction. The Hungaroring was the first circuit in the world to be built specifically for F1. It was completed in just nine months ahead of its first grand prix in August 1986 and it’s been a permanent fixture ever since. Only six tracks on this year’s schedule have staged more grands prix than this 4.381km/2.722-mile track. With an average speed of just 190km/h (118mph), the Hungaroring rewards low-speed traction. However, grip levels are poor early in the weekend because the asphalt is usually very dusty and slippery. This makes life very difficult for the drivers during Friday’s practice sessions, until some rubber has been laid down on the racing line. As you’d expect on a track where overtaking is difficult, the start of the race is crucial. It’s advantageous to line up on the clean side of the grid, and the run to the first corner is 610 metres – the fourth longest of the year – so there’s a lot of jostling for position on the approach to Turn One. The combination of old and abrasive asphalt, and high track temperatures, provides a hostile working environment for the tyres. For this reason, Pirelli are taking their Soft (Option) and Medium (Prime) tyre compounds to the race. It’s the first time this combination has been used since the Bahrain Grand Prix in April. McLaren is the most successful constructor at the Hungaroring. The team has won there 11 times, which is more than one-third of the races staged at the track. It was also in Hungary that the team’s 2015 race drivers scored their maiden F1 wins, Fernando Alonso in 2003 and Jenson Button in 2006. Vital Statistics Hungarian Grand Prix 24th - 26th July Hungaroring Race distance 70 laps (full world championship points awarded after 75% distance/53 laps) Start time 1400 (local) / 1200 (GMT) Circuit length 4.381km/2.722 miles 2014 winner Daniel Ricciardo 2014 pole Nico Rosberg 1m22.715s (190.674km/h) 2014 Fastest lap Nico Rosberg 1m25.724s (183.981km/h) First race 1986 Don't put the kettle on... The Hungaroring has a short pitlane; it takes only 16s to complete a pitstop and that opens up a lot of strategy options. For the last two years the race has been won with three pitstops, so stay tuned on laps 9-12; 30-33 and 50-55. Full throttle 55 per cent Fuel consumption 2.1kg per lap, which is high Brakewear Medium. There’s a significant braking event into Turn 1, where deceleration exceeds 5g, but only 14 percent of the lap is spent on the brakes Weather Usually, it’s very warm at this time of year – 25-30 degrees. It’s unusual to see rain, but that’s what happened last year (and in 2011 and ’06). DRS zones Two – on the approach to Turn One and, again, on the approach to Turn Two Top speed 305km/h on the approach to Turn One Safety Car likelihood Low. There were two Safety Car periods last year, but, statistically, there’s still only a 10 per cent chance of a Safety Car McLaren at the Hungarian Grand Prix Wins 11 (1988, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012) Poles 8 (1988, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012) Fastest laps 5 (1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005) Team Talk #14 Fernando Alonso Age 33 (July 29 1981) GPs 242 Wins 32 Poles 22 FLs 21 “It’s funny to think that both Jenson and I won our first grand prix in Hungary. That, of course, makes it a special place for me, and a venue that’ll always hold good memories for me. I really like this place; it’s a track that you really have to attack to get a good laptime, and, although it’s often thought of as a slow circuit, the sweeps around the back of the circuit are all really satisfying, and require a lot of commitment.  The left-hander at Turn Six, in particular, is a really great corner – approached blind over a crest, and really hard to nail perfectly. “I think the team is looking forward to this race: the track will offer us a reasonable opportunity to showcase our steady progress, and I’d like to think that, if everything runs smoothly, we could have a less difficult weekend.” #22 Jenson Button Age 35 (January 19 1980) GPs 274 Wins 15 Poles 8 FLs 8 “It’s going to be a nice feeling to return to the Hungaroring with Honda power behind me, having last won a race for Honda at this very track back in 2006. Obviously, I have a place in my heart for this place – any driver’s first grand prix victory is a special event – but, that aside, it’s a place I’ve always enjoyed. “Although my race at Silverstone was extremely disappointing, Fernando’s points finish was well deserved. There’s been absolutely no let-up on the technical side – having personally seen the effort that’s been going on at MTC, and heard about the work that’s being done at Sakura, I know we’re slowly but surely getting there. “Of course, that’s difficult to substantiate without decent results, but let’s hope we can go into the summer break feeling confident about the second half of the season.” Eric Boullier Racing director, McLaren-Honda “Last weekend’s sad news about Jules Bianchi means that the grand prix circus heads to Budapest with heavy hearts. We’ll all remember his life in our own personal way, but Formula 1 will come together on Sunday to silently and respectfully mark his passing.  “The weekend’s news has firmly put things into perspective, but we head to Hungary keen to shake off the poor luck we’ve encountered in recent races. “It’s been a source of great frustration to see new components and upgrades destroyed before they’ve had the chance to be race-proven, through a series of first-lap accidents. However, the unshakeable belief and optimism of Fernando and Jenson has set the example for the whole team: they are remarkable assets, and their commitment during these times is incredibly valuable. “Honda, too, has shown a commitment that remains admirably undiminished. Together, we are showing the fighting spirit and resilience that will see us continue to improve our performance and reliability as we move back to the front. “I hope that our performance in Hungary will scratch the surface on the performance and potential that lies within our organisation – it would be great to go into the break feeling re-energised about the races ahead.” Yasuhisa Arai Chief officer of motorsport, Honda R&D Co Ltd “The Hungaroring is a twisty track that’s mostly made up of continuous slow- to mid-speed corners and various elevation changes that makes it very difficult to overtake. Each corner is technical and tight, but there is a certain flow to it that makes it different from a stop-and-go circuit. “Due to its lack of long straights and full-throttle sectors, this track is less strenuous for the power unit compared to most circuits. However, the frequent undulation requires more precise energy management and deployment at lower gears and corner exits. Getting our energy management settings right will be crucial throughout the weekend. “Our goal is to end the first half of the season with precise energy management and full use of the ERS to enable the drivers' skills to shine through at this circuit. ”