FORMULA 1 - 2010

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Mansell returns to stewards' panel

Nigel Mansell will reprise his role as a race steward at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, the FIA have announced.

The 1992 World Champion formed part of the stewards' panel at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone earlier this year and has now been handed the role for a second time.

The Briton will be joined on the panel by Lars Osterlind, Garry Connelly and Yves Bacquelaine.

The Briton is a former Belgian GP winner, having triumphed in the race in 1986.

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DO YOU REMEMBER THIS?

There's nothing like a crash to bring an end to a driver's grand prix. Or in this case, an end to so much more...

The driver is Jacques Villeneuve and it was the 2006 German Grand Prix at the Hockenheim circuit.

Villeneuve, the winner of the 1997 World Championship title, was racing for BMW-Sauber when he crashed out of the German GP on lap 31.

Nothing unusual there as drivers often crash.

But little did Villeneuve know that as he climbed out of the cockpit of his F1.06 it was to the last time he climbed out of a Formula One car.

With the team claiming that Villeneuve was injured in the crash, test driver Robert Kubica filled in for him in the Hungarian GP, finishing a solid seventh - although he was later disqualified.

However, Kubica's impressive race proved to be JV's downfall as the team wanted a "shoot-out" between the French/Canadian and Kubica to see who would continue to race.

JV said no and walked away from BMW and Formula One.

But he may yet return...

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Williams preview the Belgium GP

Rubens Barrichello: "Spa is a great racing circuit. I took my first pole there and have won at Spa while racing in the lower categories so I'm looking forward to it. It's always a challenging track and I imagine it will be even more so now we are carrying full tanks. It can be quite tricky in terms of car set-up because it's so long, and you need to have a car fast enough to take on corners like La Source and Eau Rouge.

"It really all depends on the aero efficiency of the car as to what your lap time is. Drivers tend to go for quite different downforce levels at Spa so there's always opportunities chance to overtake. This race will be my 300th in Formula One. I feel very privileged to have been in the sport for such a long time and it feels great to reach this milestone. I still think I am at the top of my game and plan to continue being competitive long past my 300th GP!"

Nico Hülkenberg: "After Hungary, I spent some time analysing the race weekend with my engineers and have some good data. It was nice to go into the shutdown period with a good result on the score sheets - it's allowed me to fully relax and I've since had a really nice few weeks' break. It also gave me some time to increase my training schedule in preparation for some quite demanding races that lie ahead of us now.

"Next up is Spa, a track I obviously haven't had experience of in an F1 car, but it's such an iconic circuit I'm really excited to get going! We've definitely made progress with the pace of the FW32 in recent races and I definitely feel that I've upped my qualifying and race performance. This gives me the confidence to feel quite positive about the remaining third of the year."

Sam Michael, Technical Director: "Spa is a fantastic circuit and a definite challenge for the engineers and drivers. Sectors 1 and 3 require low drag, while Sector 2 requires maximum downforce, so a well compromised set-up is crucial for getting a quick lap time. Spa is a real driver's circuit and one of the greatest layouts we have on the calendar.

"We will have new front and rear wings, plus some mechanical changes for the FW32 for this race. We’re also looking forward to celebrating Rubens' 300 Grand Prix in Belgium, an impressive achievement!"

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[/b]Renault preview the Belgium GP: Team Q&A

Spa is a unique circuit in the F1 season. What challenges does it present?

RK: Spa is quite different to all the other circuits we run at because, although we use lower downforce levels similar to Canada, this circuit has many more high-speed corners. That makes it tricky to balance the downforce level with getting good top speed, which you need because there are two very long sections at the start and end of the lap, where you spend a long time at full throttle. Often, this is a circuit that throws up some surprises, and suddenly cars that haven’t been quick all year can be good in Spa. From the team’s point of view, we will be running the f-duct for the first time this weekend, and we hope it will work straight away so that we have as much practice time as possible to extract the maximum performance from this system.

Will the f-duct change the approach to this race?

RK: We have seen a tendency for cars running the f-duct to use higher downforce levels than normal, because they can stall the rear wing and still generate good top speed. I think that will change the approach to Spa, too, because teams will be able to run quite a lot of downforce and still achieve good top speed. Although this is a circuit we all like driving on, it’s still a track where car performance is very important.

What do the drivers find so enjoyable about Spa?

RK: It’s definitely a circuit all the drivers enjoy and we all look forward to driving there. It’s a bit different to the other circuits: we have this combination of low downforce levels and high-speed corners, there are a lot of corner combinations where they flow from one exit to the entry of the next and the circuit is quite wide so you can choose different lines. It’s a good circuit for racing, too, because the long straights can give good chances to overtake, and that can make the races quite interesting.

You had a tough afternoon in Hungary. What will your approach be to the final part of the season?

RK: After such a long break, I’m not thinking about the last race but more on what’s coming up. It will be a tough end to the season, because we have just two more races in Europe followed by some long trips to Asia, South America and the Middle East. I’ve been out of luck in the last three races, with no points in Silverstone or Budapest, so I would like to get back to how we were racing earlier in the year: scoring regular points and fighting for good positions. I think the target for myself and the whole team will be to close the gap to the top teams during these races.

Vitaly, let’s look back to Budapest where you finished fifth, your best result in F1. You must have been very happy with your performance…

VP: It was a very satisfying weekend. We thought that we would be quick because our car works well on this sort of track. The car was easy to drive and I found a good balance with my engineers so that I could get the most from the car. It was a weekend where everything came together; we improved step-by-step; and I didn’t make any mistakes. It was nice to begin the summer break after a race like that.

What have you been up to during the last three weeks?

VP: I took some holiday to relax and saw my family and friends. Then I did some sports: waterskiing, jet-skiing and football, just to have some fun. It was nice to have a break and get refreshed, but I’m always ready to get back in the car. I also spent some time looking over videos of old races this year to analyse some things – the good and the bad – to see what I could learn and where I can improve.

Spa is always a favourite with the drivers – what do you think of the track?

VP: It’s a circuit I know quite well from my GP2 experience and I’m happy to be going back there. For the set-up, it’s really important to have a very good aerodynamic balance because the track has so many high-speed corners and you need good stability in the corners. Hopefully we will have our f-duct working well for this weekend so that we can be as competitive as we were in Budapest, even though Spa is a circuit with completely different characteristics.

What are your expectations for the weekend?

VP: Anything is possible. If everything comes together: me, the car, and the team, the results will come as well. But we still have to wait and see how the f-duct works in free practice and how the car behaves in the high-speed corners. We know our car is already quite stable in the fast corners, but it’s difficult to match the Red Bulls and the Ferraris. So it’s difficult to know what to expect, but we will try our best.

Eric, let’s look back on Budapest where both R30s qualified in the top ten and showed good pace over the weekend. Were you satisfied with the performance of the car?

EB: It was very good to see the relative pace of the car and to see both drivers qualify in the top ten. However, the outcome of the race was a mixed one because we missed the chance to get both cars in the top six. Also, we are here to fight everyone and it’s clear that Red Bull are still much quicker than us. So we know that we still have a lot of hard work ahead to improve our pace if we want to fight with them.

Vitaly finished fifth in Budapest, his best result in F1. You must have been very proud of his performance?

EB: The whole team was very happy with Vitaly and it was his best weekend so far. He and the team prepared the car well during free practice to be ready for qualifying, and then he had a faultless race. It was a complete weekend without any mistakes and I think this is as much as you can expect from a rookie driver.

What will this result do for his confidence as we enter the final third of the season?

EB: I’m sure it will give him a boost. Now it’s up to him to capitalise on this so that he can repeat this performance on a regular basis.

One of the most significant updates of the season has been the blown floor. Do you feel the team is now able to extract the maximum performance from it?

EB: I think we still have some improvements to make in terms of the set-up on the car, but overall we are getting a considerable gain from running the blown floor. The drivers also seem happier with the balance of the car.

The team will introduce its f-duct this weekend. How big a challenge has it been to introduce this device?

EB: It has been a huge challenge. To begin with we decided to focus our development on the blown floor and on other aero upgrades, which is why we are only introducing our f-duct in Spa. It’s not an easy device to get right, but the one we have now looks promising in terms of the simulation results we have seen at the factory. But we still need to test it on the car, and this will be the priority on Friday. It’s clear that Spa will be a circuit where the f-duct should bring big gains.

Can we expect the R30 to be as strong at Spa as it was in Budapest?

EB: Let’s say that on paper the f-duct should be a big step forward in terms of lap-time gain, so we are obviously keeping our fingers crossed that we can maintain the pace that we had in Budapest.

Formula 1 has just come back from its summer break. Is the team feeling refreshed?

EB: I think that the development pace in Formula 1 is so intense these days that it’s a very sensible idea to give the team a break in the middle of the season. It means that everybody can come back ready to fight until the end of the season and push hard with our development for 2011.

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Toro Rosso preview the Belgium GP

Sebastien Buemi: "After Budapest, I returned home to Monaco to 'decompress' as they say in French! I spent the first two days of the break giving a lot of thought to how the season had gone so far, specifically, what I could do better in the upcoming final seven grands prix. From there, still in work mode, I travelled to Faenza to meet up with the engineers before the factory shut-down, to debrief fully on the last race, analysing the good and the bad and which direction to go in once the racing resumes.

"After that, it was back to Monaco for a couple of days of training to get some fitness 'in the bank' for Spa, although I also managed some beach time, relaxing in the sun. The racing might have stopped, but there was still quite a lot of travelling, as my next destination was my home country, Switzerland, where I was attending a friend's wedding. A short trip after that, as I went to Austria where, along with Jaime, we underwent an evaluation of our physical condition, as well as being put through some mental aptitude tests. I spent the week there and the trip coincided with the Champions League football match between Red Bull Salzburg and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

"Unfortunately, the Red Bull team lost and they will have a tough time when they play the Away leg next week. I was surprised to find that even though it's the middle of August, Red Bull's ice-hockey team was playing a pre-season tournament and Jaime and I were introduced to the crowd on the ice. Finally, I went back home to Monaco for a mixture of training and relaxing, as you can see from the photo of me surfing, because it's always useful to do some watersports before Spa!

"I think the break was a good thing, even if I like racing so much that the more I drive the happier I am. Having a rest before the final push of the last seven races is a sensible idea. As for the Belgian weekend, of course I am looking forward to it: last year, our lap times were pretty competitive at Spa. My aim is to try and score points and everyone in the team is very motivated to get the most out of this weekend and start the final leg of the season with a strong performance."

Jaime Alguersuari: "After the last grand prix in Hungary, I went home to Barcelona and didn't do very much apart from some training, but then the holiday really began as I spent the next four days in Ibiza, which is where our family usually head for in the Summer. I DJ' ed while I was there and had a good time, totally disconnecting from racing for a short while, spending time with friends and family. At the end of that week, I headed to Fuschl in Austria, where Red Bull puts its athletes through a physical and psychological evaluation.

I spent four days there with Sebastien and it went well, in that my fitness level was the same as it had been pre-season, when you are normally in the best condition, before all the race travel and other commitments tend to interrupt your training programme. From Austria I flew to Italy and although driving a Formula 1 car is off limits, I did manage to get some driving in, with a karting session and since then I have stayed in Italy, travelling to Faenza where it was nice to spend time with some team personnel away from the working environment.

Along with my girlfriend, we took the opportunity to do the tourist thing in Italy, visiting Lake Garda, where we tried a thermal spa and the cities of Florence and Verona. I will now be staying in Faenza with the team and travelling down to Spa with them on Wednesday. I can't wait! Even if we have had three weeks without a race, I have thought about Formula 1 every single day - it's impossible not to.

"As for Spa, I think the track should suit my driving style perfectly, as it consists mainly of high speed corners, which I really like. We will be having our own battle in our part of the pack and if our closest rivals have tended to look stronger than us in medium to high downforce configuration, I am hoping that the lower aero downforce levels required at Spa might see us run more competitively. This is a circuit where you can make a difference as a driver and anything can happen here, so I'm hoping that a points finish will be on the cards come the end of Sunday afternoon."

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WEBBERS LAP OF SPA:

SPA LAP

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I wonder if they'll do any better with this than with the Commonwealth games venues?

I highly doubt that Magaste...

Where do they plan to build this venue, ontop of the populous?

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Rubens looking forward to milestone GP

Rubens Barrichello is confident of putting up a good showing at Spa this weekend, a race which will be his 300th GP.

Barrichello made his debut for Jordan in 1993 and has since raced for Stewart, Ferrari, Honda, Brawn GP and now Williams, claiming eleven race victories and 68 podium finishes.

"This race will be my 300th in Formula One. I feel very privileged to have been in the sport for such a long time and it feels great to reach this milestone," said the 38-year-old.

"I still think I am at the top of my game and plan to continue being competitive long past my 300th GP!"

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is also one that holds special memories for the Williams man.

"Spa is a great racing circuit. I took my first pole there and have won at Spa while racing in the lower categories so I'm looking forward to it," he explained.

Having bounced-back from an indifferent start to the season to claim fourth spot in Valencia and fifth place at Silverstone, Barrichello's season has tapered off a touch, finishing twelfth in Germany and tenth in Hungary.

The Brazilian is well aware of the challenges of the circuit but is confident there will be opportunities for Williams to make their mark.

"It's always a challenging track and I imagine it will be even more so now we are carrying full tanks," he said.

"It can be quite tricky in terms of car set-up because it's so long, and you need to have a car fast enough to take on corners like La Source and Eau Rouge.

"It really all depends on the aero efficiency of the car as to what your lap time is. Drivers tend to go for quite different downforce levels at Spa so there's always opportunities chance to overtake," he added.

MIKA: Rubens has been around for ages and I really do hope he does well this race to commemorate his 300th GP in style. One of the very best wet weather drivers in F1's history IMO and is always pushing hard. For once, no one can take the spotlight away from this very unique milestone. Well done.

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Changes made to Spa track

The FIA have announced a number of alterations to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

The biggest change has been made to the Les Combes chicane; in an effort to deter drivers from cutting the chicane bumps similar to those used in Barcelona, Valencia and Monza have been laid on the run-off area.

A large area of grass behind the apex curb at Les Combes has also been replaced by asphalt while the gravel behind the kerb on the exit from turn six has also been replaced by asphalt.

The other change is to the exit of turn one where the artificial grass has been extended and widened to the end of the run off area.

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Massa looking to build on good form

Felipe Massa says he is hoping for "something good" at the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend as Ferrari continue to return to form following their slump earlier in the season.

Boosted by upgrades to their F10 chassis, the Scuderia have shown a resurgence during the last two races, with Fernando Alonso winning the German Grand Prix before finishing second behind Red Bull's Mark Webber last time out in Hungary.

The Spaniard's win at Hockenheim was of course clouded by the controversy surrounding Ferrari's use of team orders but Massa, winner at Spa two years ago, prefers to concentrate on the team's renewed momentum.

"The last time I raced here was in 2008 when I won, but it's not just because I won that race that I love this track," said the Brazilian, who missed last year's race after suffering head injuries during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. "Everyone just loves to race here.

"I think all the drivers look forward to racing on this fabulous circuit. It is high-speed, requiring less downforce than at many of the other tracks and fortunately, in the last few races, we showed that we have returned to being very competitive, even better than we had expected.

"So I am very hopeful of something good this weekend."

Massa has scored two seconds and one third place so far this season but has not won a race since the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Even with his accident, such a poor return is bound to put a Ferrari driver under pressure but Massa says he's used to dealing with such expectations.

"You know, for myself and for Ferrari, we have been in this sort of situation before and we know how to deal with the pressure - simply by concentrating on the job in hand," he said.

"Now we must build on the way we ended up just before the summer holiday break, being competitive and putting ourselves back in the fight."

Ferrari's return to prominence is a timely one given the tight championship battle developing and they also have strong recent form at Spa, having won the last three races there.

With three teams in the championship running, Massa said it was impossible to judge who had the edge heading into the weekend.

"It is very hard to predict what could happen, as the small differences between the top teams means that performance has been very much track-specific, in terms of who had the slight advantage over the rest," he said.

"So, as usual, I think we need to wait and see how free practice goes before knowing what to expect.

"Personally, I am feeling really motivated to get back in the cockpit because, even if I enjoyed the short holiday, I have to say I missed driving my race car - and I can't think of a better place to start again than at Spa.

"Even if it rains - and when didn't we see water at Spa? - it is still a very enjoyable track to drive and actually it can be good fun in the wet. We just have to make sure we are ready to make the most of whatever the weekend throws at us."

Massa is currently sixth in the title race led by Webber on 161 points with Lewis Hamilton, who took the chequered flag at Spa in 2008 only to be later disqualified, second for McLaren on 157.

Webber's Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel is third on 151 ahead of defending champion Jenson Button of McLaren on 147.

Alonso stands fifth with 141 points while Massa has 97.

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Kubica: Our race rests on the F-duct

Robert Kubica believes that Renault's performance at the Belgian GP depends on how well their F-duct performs.

The team is introducing the F-duct for the first time this season, and are hoping to capatalise on the long straights of the Spa circuit where the reduction in downforce created by the F-duct will allow the car to reach higher speeds.

"We hope it will work straight away so that we have as much practice time as possible to extract the maximum performance from this system," explained Kubica.

"We have seen a tendency for cars running the f-duct to use higher downforce levels than normal, because they can stall the rear wing and still generate good top speed.

"I think that will change the approach to Spa, too, because teams will be able to run quite a lot of downforce and still achieve good top speed. Although this is a circuit we all like driving on, it's still a track where car performance is very important," he added.

Renault have been one of the surprise packages this season, with the team making fifth spot in the Constructors' Championship their own, thanks largely to the 89 points that Kubica has accumulated.

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Alonso keen to retain momentum

Fernando Alonso is confident that Ferrari can pick up from where they left off before the summer break.

After a string of below-par performances, the Scuderia bounced-back to produce a one-two in Germany after which Fernando Alonso claimed second place in Hungary with Massa a further two places behind.

The Spaniard is now looking to build on his pre-vacation form.

"I have a good feeling following on from the positive results obtained in Germany and Hungary," Alonso told Ferrari's official website.

"As the saying goes, we have to keep the momentum and that should be our aim in Spa, to ensure we carry on the way we started just before the holidays.

"The Hockenheim and Budapest results were important not just in terms of the classification in both championships, but also for the confidence it has given us. We have to keep pushing on this way."

Alonso's hopes of continuing the upward trend are helped by the fact that the next two races - at Spa and Monza -are both races he not only enjoys but are ones that should suit Ferrari.

"I am happy that the return to racing means going to two particularly special venues which host the Belgian and Italian Grand Prix," he explained.

"The Belgian track is possibly the most appealing of the entire season, while Monza will be something special for me, given that it will be my race debut as a Ferrari driver in front of the Italian crowd, in addition to the circuit itself having played such an important role in the history of motor sport," he added.

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Villeneuve happy to start from the back

Jacques Villeneuve is not fazed by the possibility of becoming the latest F1 backmarker should his team's bid to enter F1 next year be successful.

The former World Champion has submitted a joint bid with former GP2 squad Durango to become the thirteenth team on next year's grid, and should it be successful Villeneuve has signaled his intention to pilot one of the team's cars.

The Canadian is no stranger to building a new team, having been part of the birth of British American Racing, and he is under no illusions as to where the team will start life in Formula One.

"It's okay to be a backmarker as long as you have a long-term plan, backing and financials that allow you to build a project," said Villeneuve.

"When we built BAR, if you just have something in place that's barely alive and that could only work for maybe a year, then no, because all you have is the stress and because you have a bad year, you cannot build on it.

"But if you have a long-term in place, that's fine because it's part of the building process."

Villeneuve says he expects to discover sometime before the end of August whether his bid has been successful, stating that the bid presentation on the 13th August had gone well but that it was impossible to tell where the team currently stood.

"Everyone looked satisfied but, at the same time, we were in front of a panel which was not unlike being in front of a judge," explained the 40-year-old.

"We were not awaiting any reaction on their part. We do not know if anyone else made a presentation so until we get a formal reply, we will not know how it was received and perceived. I know that we made a good presentation.

"We are happy with what we have in place. We have no doubt on how things will move forward if the response is positive.

"This being said, we still need a positive response because it's an all or nothing situation. If it works, it's great. If not and we get a negative response, everything that we put in place will have been done for nothing. There is no middle ground."

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Neale: Now it's a development race

Mclaren's Jonathan Neale admits that the remainder of the season will be a race between the teams to find even the slightest technical advantage.

With the title race incredible close, with Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari all boasting Championship contenders, the McLaren managing director concedes that the title could be won or lost as a result of the smallest technical improvement.

"It's very close in the championship at this stage," Neale explained during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in.

"We under-performed in Hungary and the gap to Ferrari and Red Bull was significant, which has caused us to go back and take stock.

"The coming races will be a straight development race - as we knew they would be at the beginning of the year with so many drivers so close. It depends on what we can invent between now and the end of the season."

The next two races at Spa and Monza should suit the McLaren's more than the Hungaroring did, but Neale is well aware that the Woking-based team will have to have made significant improvements if they are not to suffer the same fate in Singapore in late September.

"Given our performance in Hungary, going back to circuits with similar characteristics would be concerning, but we're working very hard to do something about that. We expect an upgrade package for Singapore, and if the title race is as close as it is at the moment, we'll expect to be taking a development package to the last race," he said.

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Schumi: I can win another title

Michael Schumacher has reiterated that he not only hopes but truly believes that he can win an eighth World Championship.

The German has been criticised for returning to the sport after a three-year absence, with his results not meeting the expectations of many fans and pundits, with the former Ferrari man yet to stand on the podium in 2010. However, Schumacher insists his return was not a mistake.

"[it was not a mistake] because I enjoy what I'm doing and because I believe in being able to reach my goal - to win the title," he told the official Formula One website in a joint interview with Bernie Ecclestone.

"I have to accept that it will take time. Of course we all in the team believed that we would be more competitive this season. Unfortunately that's not the case," he added.

Asked why he is optimistic about his chances for next year, Schumacher simply replied: 'Because we know and understand the problems that are haunting us now.'

Jenson Button has stated that he feels partly responsible for Schumacher's woe, having moulded the 2009 Brawn GP (now Merc GP) car around his style, but while Schumacher admits this is the case, he insists that with time this will change.

"Every driver has his own driving style and you have to work with the team so that you feel comfortable with the package. I achieved that with Ferrari. But that doesn't happen overnight. It is no secret that at the moment our car has characteristics that don't suit me. Now it is up to us to change that. Then the situation will be different," he explained.

In an apparent attempt to defend Schumacher's performance, Ecclestone said: "When people say that Nico Rosberg is faster than Michael I tell them Nico still has to prove himself. Not so Michael. For Nico fourth places are still important - not for Michael. Only winning is what counts for him. Whether he finishes fourth or 14th doesn't really matter for him. Let's be serious, why should he push to the limit for fourth places?"

However, Schumacher seemed to feel quite differently about the situation.

"I cannot leave that statement unresolved. I always drive at the limit. I do that for myself," said the 41-year-old.

The German concedes that he is not matching the performances of his team-mate, Nico Rosberg.

"With how the car behaves at the moment I am not driving at his level. At least not in qualifying. In the race it's very equal. I know precisely how I can change that fact - and I am working on it."

Schumacher admits that he never believed he could ever claim seven World titles, and acknowledges much of his success came as a result of having a good team around him who provided him with a winning car.

"No, nobody can be that narcissistic," he said.

"Even in my wildest dreams I could not imagine winning more than one title, if at all, because as a driver you depend heavily on the competitiveness of your car. We are not tennis players or other lone sportsmen where it is only your own talent that makes or breaks it.

"But I love it the way it is - that you are part of a team where you have to put performance together like a jigsaw puzzle to be successful, and where everybody needs to be motivated by the others," he added.

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Virgin Racing preview the Belgium GP

Timo Glock: "I’m really looking forward to racing at Spa this weekend, and I'm sure everyone else is looking forward to getting back on track too after the break. Spa is a fantastic circuit - a challenge both in terms of car set-up and in predicting the weather. It looks that it's quite likely to be wet at some stage over the weekend, which means that being on the right tyres at the right time will be crucial. This gives us a great opportunity to show how much we've developed as a team, and as always we'll be aiming to outqualify and finish ahead of the other new teams."

Lucas di Grassi: "This weekend I'll be racing a Formula One car at Spa for the first time which is going to be an amazing experience and one that I am really well prepared for. We've done a lot of laps in the simulator and I finished on the podium here last year in GP2, so I have a really good feeling about the place. We've made some big steps forward with the car recently so we are in very good shape. It will be interesting to see what the weather does throughout the weekend and there could be a great opportunity to achieve a surprise result."

John Booth, Virgin team principal: "It's been nice to have a bit of a break but we are all raring to get back to racing, especially as this weekend's race is at Spa. It's a real racers' circuit and we are relishing the challenge of our first Grand Prix there. This weekend is the start of the seven-race run towards the end of the season, during which we intend to build on our recent results and performance improvements and deliver on our goal of being the best of the new teams. Both of our drivers have had some great races here in the past and we are looking for a good result with both cars this weekend."

Nick Wirth, Virgin technical director: "Spa is one of the classic Formula One tracks and a great venue for Virgin Racing to start the final part of our debut season. The extreme 3D nature of the circuit, the long straights plus the wide variety of corner speeds, represents a good set-up challenge. We’ve learned lessons from our experience in Montreal, and have a new updated low-downforce aero package based on the latest developments that we’ve introduced recently. In addition to the new aero parts, we have continued to develop the mechanical package, so we’re looking forward to continuing our recent strong progress. As ever, we’ll be keeping a careful watch on the weather during the weekend, but we should be in good shape, wet or dry."

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Feature: A 'typical Friday' at the track

Friday at a Grand Prix is always a hectic time, even though the end-of-day press release usually just talks about a ‘normal Friday’. There’s a massive amount of work to shoehorn into just three hours of track time. Tyre compounds need evaluating, data needs collecting, and the drivers must find a good set-up direction for the rest of the weekend. But what exactly does it all involve?

To tackle these tasks, both Robert and Vitaly usually work together and pool their data to ensure the team gets through the workload. Of course, there are some things that both drivers need to assess, such as the feel for tyres, but it’s not necessary to repeat everything with each car.

On Friday, the cars run with varying fuel loads across the sessions, usually starting with low fuel runs to allow the drivers to assess set-up changes and get an understanding for the car. The high fuel runs will be used to assess tyre degradation, brake wear and race pace, and will help the engineers plan the race strategy. In this way, the team works with both qualifying and the race in mind.

As well as dialling the car into the track, Friday represents the only real chance to test and validate new upgrades. For example, the team developed some new gearbox parts recently and ran them on the car on three different Fridays before finally racing them. Of course, the main development item in Spa will be the validation of the f-duct to see if its performance matches the factory simulations.

Perhaps the main challenge facing the team on the first day of practice is evaluating the tyres compounds, especially because the allocation is so restricted. In FP1 just one set of prime tyres are available, which can only be used in this session, while for FP2 there are just one set of primes and one set of options. Each driver never has more than one set of each compound available during either of the Friday sessions, which means fresh rubber is always in short supply.

In terms of tyres for this weekend, Bridgestone has supplied the hard and soft compounds because Spa’s high-speed corners always produce high degradation rates. And it’s not uncommon to have low ambient and track temperatures at Spa, which could make it difficult to get heat into the tyres and get them working at their best.

The Friday set-up programme for Spa is likely to see quite a bit of experimentation with aero levels. Both the first and final sectors are dominated by straights where top speed is important, while the middle sector requires downforce to cope with the high-speed corners such as Pouhon. The team will therefore experiment to see which direction brings the biggest gains in lap time.

And what about the greatest corner of them all? These days Eau Rouge is no longer the challenge it once was, simply because the cars have so much grip available. That’s not to say it shouldn’t be treated with respect on Friday morning, but it won’t take long before the cars are taking it flat.

At the end of the Friday sessions there’s still plenty of work to be done. The team can change anything on the cars overnight and it’s not uncommon to see the mechanics burning the midnight oil as they strip and rebuild the cars. The occasional all-nighter isn’t out of the question either. The usual routine involves a change of engines and gearboxes to fit the race units, as well as replacing radiators and some suspension components. And of course, it’s the time to make those important set-up changes that are needed for Saturday morning.

The final Friday challenge is trying to interpret the timesheets and gauge competitiveness. It’s certainly not an easy task, with lap times on low and high fuel loads varying by as much as four seconds, but the engineers usually have a fair idea of the pecking order by the end of the day. By looking at the short and long run pace of others, an assessment can be made of overall competitiveness.

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Belgian Grand Prix preview

Red Bull pole-axed the opposition at the Hungaroring four weeks ago. Will Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel turn in a repeat performance at Spa-Francorchamps?

That could turn on the consequences of the FIA’s revised front wing test. The teams’ cars will be subjected to heavier loads to make sure they aren’t bending too much at high speed.

The RB6’s front wing was drooping noticeably in Hungary and this is how many people believe it extracted the one-second-per-lap performance advantage it had over Ferrari.

But if the new test fails to clip Red Bull’s wings, Ferrari and McLaren could be in for another weekend of watching the RB6s disappear into the distance.

Vettel goes into this weekend knowing he’s started the last four races from pole position but has only won one of them.

That’s been the story of his season: despite having set seven pole positions he’s only won twice.

You wouldn’t bet against him taking another pole position at Spa – he was very quick here during the race last year – but what he really needs is 25 points on Sunday.

Webber, meanwhile, will be hoping to avoid the misfortune that spoiled his race last year. He picked up a drive-through penalty after being released into the path of Nick Heidfeld.

McLaren suffered its worst result of the season so far at the Hungaroring.

How well it fares at Spa should provide an indication of whether its drivers will be able to stay in the running for the championship over the final races.

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button won’t have to do much to improve on their performance at the circuit last year – both were taken out before they’d completed half a lap.

Ferrari is back in the title hunt and has good form at Spa, winning the last three races here (although Hamilton was the winner ‘on the road’ in 2008).

Perhaps surprisingly, Fernando Alonso has never won the Belgian GP, but he’s in good form at the moment and within striking distance of championship leader Webber, making it a genuine five-way battle for title honours.

The sensation of last year’s race was Force India, with Giancarlo Fisichella taking a shock pole position and chasing Kimi Raikkonen hard for the win, but the team is playing down its chances of repeating that performance this weekend.

Nonetheless, the prodigious straightline speed the Mercedes-powered VJM03 has shown all season should pay dividends in the mostly flat-out first and third sectors of the Spa lap.

Sauber seems to be in the ascendancy at the moment, getting both cars home in the points for the first time this year in Budapest.

The C29 was quick at Catalunya and Silverstone – two other tracks which feature several high-speed corners – so Spa should also suit it.

You’d be hard pressed to find any driver who doesn't relish the spectacular Ardennes circuit.

Even if Sunday’s race turns into a procession, it’s great to see F1 cars in action at a venue where they can really show what they’re capable of.

The seven kilometre trip around Spa is packed with drama – from the rollercoaster of Eau Rouge, through the dizzying speed of Pouhon and the quick-fire change of direction at Fagnes.

If you’ve never been to an F1 race before, Spa is a great place to start.

The steepness of the climb out of Eau Rouge and through Raidillon – and the speed with which an F1 car changes direction there at 190mph – has to be seen to be believed, while the plunging valley section is also a spectator’s delight.

As well as being one of the best circuits F1 visits – probably the very best – Spa’s weather often keeps the teams guessing as well.

We’ve seen countless times in the past here that a few drops of rain can transform a race into an instant classic.

The sheer length of Spa makes for a couple of complications – not least in qualifying, where drivers have to get out of the pits extra-early in time to get all their laps in.

It also makes life more difficult for race strategists, as the cars come by the pits less frequently meaning there are fewer opportunities to make a pit stop. At least traffic shouldn’t be too great a problem.

During Michael Schumacher’s three-year retirement, when he was dwelling on a return to F1, this must have been one of the races he most wanted to come back for.

Since his first race here for Jordan in 1991 Schumacher has had a great affinity with Spa.

After that attention-grabbing debut qualifying performance he won six times at the track and captured his last world championship here in 2004.

He returns this year desperately hoping for something to show from his comeback season.

Worse, he knows that whatever he does on Saturday he is doomed to start 10 places further back in punishment for his dangerous driving in Hungary.

But if we’re going to get a glimpse of the old Schumacher magic anywhere this year, it’s surely going to happen at Spa.

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A very wet weekend at Spa

The Formula One teams can look forward to a wet and wild weekend in Belgium - at least that's what the forecast is saying for now.

Heavy rain fall has been forecast for Friday's two practice sessions with a high of just 17'C while Saturday could see a repeat, although slightly colder.

As for Sunday's grand prix, the rain is expected to lighten up a bit but it should still fall throughout the day. Meanwhile, the high for Sunday is just 12'C and that could play havoc on the drivers' attempts to get heat into their tyres.

But, then again this is Spa so expect the forecast to change, probably within the next few minutes...

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Chandhok to get Red Bull run in Korea

He may race for a rival team but Karun Chandhok will complete a demonstration run of the new Korean circuit in a Red Bull racer.

Chandhok, who drives for the Hispania Racing, will take part in the September 4th event, called 'Circuit Run 2010', as both Red Bull drivers, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, will be unavailable.

"Red Bull Racing and I know each other from my days on the junior programme," the Indian driver said.

"The team's regular drivers weren't available due to other commitments, so I was happy to fill in.

"It'll be a real honour to be one of the first people to drive around the new Korean circuit.

"The layout looks quite good fun on paper and I look forward to driving a winning team's car there next weekend."

The inaugural Korean Grand Prix will take place on October 24th, the third last race of this year's Championship.

MIKA: I love how Chandhok slips in the "Driving a winning teams car". In your face HRT!

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Sutil determined to beat Schumacher

Adrian Sutil is determined to beat Michael Schumacher this season as he targets a solid top ten finish in the Drivers' Championship.

With seven races remaining on this year's calendar, Sutil is sitting in tenth place in the Drivers' Championship on 35 points, just three behind Schumacher.

The Force India driver, though, has failed to score in the last two events, something he intends rectifying this weekend in Belgium.

And while doing that, he hopes to also take ninth place off Schumacher, as the Merc GP driver will be at a disadvantage due to his Spa grid slot penalty.

"We want to fight for the top ten," Sutil told Germany's Bild.

"There are now some good tracks for our car. In Spa and Monza we will have advantages. And I want to catch the man before me in ninth place.

Asked if he firmly believed he could overhaul Schumacher, the man in ninth place, Sutil said: "Absolutely.

"He is just three points in front of me and must start the next race ten places further back. Maybe I can use Spa to move ahead of him."

As for next season, Sutil is refusing to commit his future to Force India, saying he wants to fight for the World title but doubts that he can do it with his current team.

"That would be a dream (winning the title with Force India) but it is probably unrealistic," he said.

"There are several options for 2011, but right now I want to concentrate on this season and not talk about next year."

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Hamilton: Still more to come from the car

Lewis Hamilton is adamant McLaren can yet match the pace of the Red Bulls and Ferraris, they just need to unlock into their car's potential.

McLaren have fallen behind their World title rivals in recent races, even losing the lead in both Championships to Red Bull Racing at the Hungarian GP.

A DNF for Hamilton, only his first retirement of the season, meant he was not able to challenge Mark Webber and subsequently dropped to second place in the Drivers' Championship, four points behind the Aussie.

Hamilton, though, is confident McLaren can return to race winning form, they just need to achieve the full potential of their MP4-25.

"Every time I have gone to the track I've done the Friday and Saturday and my comments are 'this is the best the car has felt over this track', but it's still not quick enough," said the 2008 World Champ.

"We believe there is still some untapped downforce in the car that we have not been able to use at the moment, or at least draw out.

"The team is working flat out to try and pull that out, and I am trying to do everything I can to encourage and pay very close attention to what is going on and keep a close eye on everything."

F1's summer holiday, though, did not help McLaren's cause as the team, like their rivals, shut down their factory for two weeks, putting any possible developments on hold.

"I don't think anything will change after the shutdown," said Hamilton. "I expect the car to be the same as after the last race.

"We have to do some more tests while here on Friday and Saturday to get more information back to understand where extra time and extra downforce is, and only when we do that can we really move forward.

"It is not starting again, it is continuing. We have to do everything we can to not allow them to pull too far ahead."

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Button: Eau Rouge is F1's version of chicken

Jenson Button believes "big b***s" will be required to tackle one of the most fearsome corners in F1 this weekend.

The legendary Eau Rouge represents a different challenge to the 24 drivers on the grid for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix around Spa as they will have up to 150 kilos worth of fuel on board.

That makes the uphill left-right sweep an even more hair-raising proposition than normal, particularly if running side-by-side with a rival.

Due to the weight there is a serious risk of bottoming out, the car losing grip and with it increasing the chance of a collision should there be a duel through the corner where speeds can hit 180mph.

"With 140 to 150 kilos in the tank it's going to be pretty tough, really tricky," said Button.

"We need to make sure people know where the edge of the circuit is because you're going to get a lot of people trying to go straight.

"They'll be thinking it won't get noticed because it's a massive benefit, so we need to make that clear to (FIA race director) Charlie Whiting beforehand, which I will do.

"The first lap is pretty manic anyway, with a wide start but then it narrows up at turn one.

"Then you have Eau Rouge, side by side through there on 150 kilos hitting the floor, it's going to be pretty crazy.

"It will be a buzz. You have to have big b***s, and I've brought them this weekend.

"It will be F1's version of chicken going through there. It will be a case of how stupid can you be, rather than how brave.

"But at least there is a bit of run off on the exit and if you do have to go side by side you can take avoiding action.

"Hopefully I'll be so far in the lead that it won't really matter."

Button goes into the race 14 points behind Championship leader Mark Webber and without a win since mid-April, a run of eight races, when he took the chequered flag in China.

There is hope, that despite being trounced by Red Bull in the last outing in Hungary almost four weeks ago, that McLaren can claw back some of the deficit so glaringly lost in Budapest.

The reason being that Spa is a relatively low downforce circuit, so aiding the McLarens in comparison to Red Bull and Ferrari.

The flipside is that if McLaren are not as strong as they hope here and in Italy, then the titles will start to slip away from them.

After recovering from the tonsilitis he suffered during the recent summer break, reigning World Champion Button added: "This is a good circuit for us, as well as Monza for the next race.

"I'm very happy these two races have come at this point because it gives us time to work on developing the car for the last five where you have to run a lot more downforce.

"I can't see any reason why we can't be competitive here because we don't have the excuse that we don't have enough downforce.

"So if we don't score heavily at these next two races then it will hurt us a lot.

"It doesn't end the Championship if we don't score well here and we're not leading, but they are important, and it will make the last five even more difficult."

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Thursday's Belgian press conference

Pedro de la Rosa, Seb Buemi, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Seb Vettel attended the opening press conference at Spa...

Q: Gentlemen, first of all, what did you do during the break? Pedro, with the family I guess?

Pedro de la ROSA: Yes, it has been a very good break. I was always with the family. We went to Majorca, on holiday, where we normally go. Great time I must say, very good. I did a lot of cycling and realised how bad I am at that, but it was very good.

Sébastien BUEMI: I think everybody is the same. I spent some days in Switzerland with my family and then in Monaco and I was one week in Salzburg for some fitness tests, just to check out where we are in the middle of the season. It has been a good break and it was good to relax a bit.

Lewis HAMILTON: For me I went straight from Hungary to the States and spent time out there with some friends and with the girlfriend, so it was good training, good weather, lots of sun and good food.

Michael SCHUMACHER: I have been home with the family. I just took it easy.

Q: Nothing more than that? Lots of riding?

MS: No, other stuff but all from home.

Q: Sebastian?

Sebastian VETTEL: I think like the majority of the drivers, a bit of holiday in the beginning and then as soon as I was back I tried to get back into the rhythm. Lots of training. The weather wasn't always fantastic in the centre of Europe, but the usual stuff I guess. Then I tried to prepare to come back here.

Q: Pedro, the improvements that Sauber have made, can you maintain those?

PdlR: Well, we hope so. We have introduced quite a lot of changes since Valencia, already for Valencia and since and I think that we have raised our game. We are a lot more competitive, not only in high speed tracks like Silverstone but also in low speed tracks, corners, which were our weakest point like Hungary. That was good for us as we realised that all the changes had worked and we were targeting the right places and we were suddenly a lot more.... We have increased or widened our window of competitivity which is very important.

Q: And yet it was suggested that here you might be hurting a little bit on the straights?

PdlR: Yeah, we still have to do a lot to improve. Don't get me wrong. We have improved our competitivity but we are still lacking in other areas. One of them is top speed. There are two sectors here - sector one and three - where you will rely heavily on top speed. Pretty sure that sector two will be quite good for us though.

Q: Sébastien, one of the things that I believe you did during the break was a certain amount of self-analysis; having a look at how the season had gone so far. Any changes for the rest of the season?

SB: Obviously when you have two races in a row it is a bit difficult to analyse well what we did well and what we did wrong, so I spent one or two days in Faenza just trying to look at it carefully. We know a little bit more where we have got to improve ourselves, especially in qualifying. This is the place where we seem to be lacking pace, especially with new tyres. We will try some new things on Friday and Saturday just to see if we can improve it a bit. If we can just start a little bit closer to the Q3 then it might help a lot in the race.

Q: Is there much more development coming from the factory? There doesn't seem to have been a huge amount in comparison to some of the other teams.

SB: Yeah, what I can say it is a big difference for us from last year to this year. Especially this year as we have got to do everything on our own, so it takes a bit of time to get things working well. We have got some good things coming for the future with the F-duct and the blown diffuser but it is still not really planned when but it will come. This is important. We just need to try our best with what we have got now and then when the new parts come we have got to get the maximum out of it. It takes a bit of time but I am pretty sure the team is giving everything to get better and this is important.

Q: Lewis, a similarly interesting comment from Martin Whitmarsh. He feels there is a lot of performance in the car which is still to be unlocked. Is that your feeling as well?

LH: I think for me every time I have gone to the track I have done the Friday and the Saturday and my comments are always 'this is the best the car has ever felt over these years at this track, but it is still not quick enough compared to others.' But we believe there is still some untapped downforce in the car which we have not been able to use at the moment or at least draw out, so we are working very hard. The team are working flat out as always to try and pull that out. I am trying to do everything I can to encourage and paying very close attention to what is going on and keeping a close eye on everything.

Q: Yet the feeling is that this circuit suits the car perhaps for exactly that reason, that you haven't got a massive amount of downforce. It is not so important here.

LH: I think it is still important here. There are a lot of high-speed corners here, so you still need quite efficient downforce I think especially with the long straights. But I think we should be a little bit better here than we were in Hungary. Hopefully. I am looking forward to getting into the car tomorrow. I hope the weather does clear up for us as it doesn't look so great out there at the moment.

Q: Michael, you have the penalty coming up but your feelings about this circuit as this is an important circuit I think in the history of Michael Schumacher?

MS: Yes, indeed. I have often called it my living room and there are lots of fantastic memories from the past and even good ones to look forward to. We have a mixed weather condition predicted for this weekend. We have the 10 places which makes it extra special and exciting to try and move forward. With mixed conditions that could help. We have worked on the car, so altogether we will try to make it as good as possible but I certainly look forward very much as this is one of my most loved tracks and special excitement.

Q: What are your expectations from the rest of the season given that the team has said that they are beginning to concentrate more on 2011?

MS: I guess that we sort of have to see where maybe we can use the strengths that the car has and where maybe it is a little bit more difficult. That is something to find out and maximise our opportunities. Naturally we want to still take as many points as possible to stay as high up in the Constructors' position as possible. These are the targets and naturally we keep on working within limits to achieve this but then yes, the focus is on next year's car.

Q: It is a bit of a balance?

MS: Yeah, exactly but in a way that is for everybody. Some decide this strategy slightly earlier than others.

Q: Sebastian, tell us about the technical challenge for Red Bull here as it has been quite interesting driving 24 seconds at full throttle with your engine balanced against the fast corners in the middle sector and then again very quick on the way back. What are your feelings about the technical balance there?

SV: Yeah, as you said a big part of full throttle here, so lots of straight lines where you cannot do much from the driving point of view. Looking back last year we were very strong in sector two. With all the corners in sector one and three we lost out. This year I think we have a better car in all kinds of conditions and also for all types of corners whereas last year I think in low speed we were probably a little bit behind. We have definitely made a step forward, so we should be strong here as well and for straight lines, yeah. Obviously it is not Hungary. There are lots of straight lines, so we will see how we will get on. But I think we will find the right balance. We don't know the weather but generally we are positive and carefully optimistic I would say.

Q: When it comes to the rest of the season we heard from Michael how Mercedes perhaps are concentrating more on 2011. Other teams perhaps doing the same thing. How do you see the rivalry at the front of the championship for the rest of the year?

SV: If you are in a position to win the championship that is where your focus is on but I can assure you that we are also working for next year. The cars will change again quite a bit, so you have to focus early enough and start early enough to be there right from the beginning. But, as I said, it is obviously a different situation for us maybe in comparison to other teams. We are in a very good position for this year and obviously the target is for everyone to win races and ultimately the World Championship. We are in a very good position to do so, so that's where our main focus is.

Q: And do you see the other two or three teams really continuing to push you?

SV: Of course. I think Virgin is obviously focusing on next year, teams like that, but the teams that still have a fair chance - Ferrari and McLaren - I think that of course they have to and they will push until the end, same as us. So they are in a very similar position. We are all very tight on points. Again, the points system this year is different, so even though it might look a big gap of ten, twenty, thirty points, it's literally nothing. Fernando, for instance, had a couple of good races in the last two or three races and from nowhere, when people said he's no longer in this championship, he's back. It shows how quickly things can change. You have to keep pushing until the end.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Ian Parkes - The Press Association) Michael, we've just been speaking with Rubens Barrichello. He mentioned that you sent him a text message today, apologising for what had occurred during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Do you have any plans to speak to him personally this weekend regarding that?

MS: I have no problem speaking to Rubens, absolutely, but there were two reasons I sent him a text and one of the main reasons was that it's his 300th grand prix. We have quite a history together, so I thought it was appropriate to congratulate him and clarify the point. He sort of felt that I wanted to push him against the wall and very clearly, this was not my ambition. I wanted to race very tightly but without any wall contact and to clarify this point, if he felt this was the case then I was sorry for that.

Q: (Dorothea Jantschke - Bild) Michael, the last third of the season starts with this race, there are a few drivers who have a chance to win the title. Sebastian is third right now, but do you think he has a good chance to be the one in the end, and if so, why?

MS: Why, I guess, is easy. His car seems to be very competitive and very strong. There have been some slightly unfortunate moments during the year, so now it's up to him to see how consistently his performances can improve and he can take the points, but certainly he's in a very good position to fight for the championship but as I said before, it's tight. You depend on your development and so many things and a bit of luck but at the end of the day it's down to you. He's had some bits of bad luck already, so let's hope for the rest of the season he can count on (good) luck.

Q: (Juha Päätalo - Financial Times Deutschland) Sebastian, if you look at the performance of your car, you actually should have a few more points. Is there anything in the rest of the season to which you personally and your team will take a different approach to avoid throwing away important points?

SV: I think, yes, we should probably have more points. We have a saying - I don't know if it makes any sense in English - but where I come from we say 'if the dog wouldn't have gone for a ****, he would have got the cat' which is basically would, could, should. It's all fine, but at the end of the day what matters are the points you have on the scoreboard. I think we're very close. Obviously Mark is leading the championship, I'm only ten points behind. We're first in the Constructors. I think, yes, you could argue we should have scored more points but then again, also other teams and other drivers are in a similar position and they should have scored more than they did, so in the end we are who we are and this is where we are at, so basically the championship starts from more or less zero now and we have to focus on every single race, obviously. With 20 races to go, or 15 races, there's obviously more chance or probably more room for mistakes and with only seven to go you know that every single one is probably more important.

Q: (Sven Haidinger - Sportwoche) A question for all of you: which corner on the Formula One calendar is your favourite corner and why - as we're in Spa?

PdlR: I don't have any favourite, actually. They're all good. I must say that possibly the most difficult corner and challenging and also because of that, the nicest for me, is Pouhon, turn ten here in Spa. This is an absolutely fantastic feeling. It's just very fast, very quick. You just don't brake, you just let the car roll in. It should be like this, this year at least, and for me that is a very challenging corner, it's very, very difficult. Fantastic.

SB: I think what Pedro said is a good one, Pouhon is a good one, but there's also Eau Rouge, the Radillion is something special. You don't have this kind of feeling (anywhere else) when you go up the hill so quickly, so this is my favourite one if I had to choose one.

LH: I think it's very hard to... as Pedro said, I don't particularly have a favourite. I think it's very hard to pick and chose. I think if you looked at all the maps, I'm sure that you could pick out a few that you like perhaps more than others but Pouhon is definitely one that springs to mind, similarly to him.

MS: Obviously we always talk about Eau Rouge and indeed, starting here some years ago - a few - it was thrilling but in this generation of cars it's certainly a lot easier because the cars are so improved, but what is still - and it's a different track - a great excitement is Spa and it's not a single corner, but it's the first sector all together. That is the most loved place for me.

SV: I should say that I love all the bad corners that we have in Formula One because then obviously it gives you a positive or good feeling in all the nice corners. I think it's difficult to name only one corner. People often speak about circuits like here, Spa or other tracks with fast corners. In general, I think that corners where cars are on the edge, the drivers are on the edge, are probably the places that you enjoy most. We all love speed, so fast corners like we have a lot of these fast floating corners around here are the ones that I think all of us like and I like best as well.

Q: (Frédéric Ferret - L'Equipe) To all of you: as Spa is a special track and something different always happens here, do you have a special memory from this track, good or bad?

PdlR: Yeah, I'm not a specialist of Spa really because I've raced here only four times, so I don't really have extremely good or bad memories. It's been a very nice track to drive but I remember in 2001 when I qualified P10 and there was an accident and I was on a one-stop strategy then. Everyone was on a two and then the safety car came out and then there was a red flag which basically threw my race. It was strategically a bad move, to do a one-stop strategy with the red flag, but it could have been very, very good. It wasn't but I always like this track. Let's hope that this year we have something to remember about it, but I'm not a specialist here.

SV: It is just the second time that I've raced F1 here, so obviously I don't have so many memories but I won some races in small categories, so those were good ones, and last year, obviously, the first time you drive here in Formula One is always a bit special because you get some special feelings that you cannot even come close to with GP2 or whatever, so it has been a good one last year. Now we hope for some points which would make this year a pretty good race.

LH: For me I had some good races here in Formula Renault and especially Formula Three in 2005, I had a good race with Adrian Sutil who was my team-mate, passing through Eau Rouge which was quite good in the wet. But then in Formula One I would say 2008 was still quite a cool memory for me, regardless of the result. I think it was a great race and one that was definitely very interesting.

MS: Well, I like to remember '95, and probably I'm in a similar position here this weekend. Me being here in Spa, having this situation, having the memory of that year it's good, look forward.

SV: I broke my finger here in 2006. I had a crash in World Series and then for the first time I was in the medical centre here. They brought me in the ambulance to the hospital. It's not a nice experience, I don't want to do it again but it is an experience. I remember I was put into a wheelchair, even though there was nothing wrong with my legs and they gave me this funny dress like an old woman's dress...

MS: Pictures?

SV: No pictures. Yeah, it's an experience, something you obviously won't forget. The driver of the ambulance was probably more crazy than all of us together. And then, I think only two years back in 2008 there was quite a chaotic finish with a bit of drizzle at the end of the race. I think I went from P4 to P8 to P4 within one lap. It was quite special. It's a very long lap here and a lot of things can happen. You realise on occasions like this, it's always a nice track where something extra happens.

Q: (Livio Oricchio - O Estado de Sao Paulo) Lewis, do you think the championship will restart here as we saw in the last few races - Hockenheim, Hungaroring - where Red Bull, Ferrari was on one level and then McLaren a good gap behind, considering the factories were closed?

LH: I don't think anything's going to change, not immediately. Obviously we've had the shutdown, so I expect our car to be very much the same as it was in the last race. Obviously this is a good point in time where we have to try and do some more tests whilst we're here on Friday and Saturday, try to get even more information back to try and understand where the extra time is and where the extra downforce is. Only once we've done that can we really move forwards. I don't think it's restarting again, it's just continuing. These guys are going to be incredibly quick, especially the Red Bulls and we have to do everything we can to not allow them to pull too far ahead.

Q: (Walter Koster - Saarbrücker Zeitung) Sebastian, what's your gift for your team-mate tomorrow? The old man has a birthday, 34 years old.

SV: I didn't know that this was his birthday. I have brought nothing with me. I don't know. I need to find something. I think they have these free shampoos and this kind of stuff in the hotel, a last minute present. But don't tell him, of course.

[MIKA27]

Schu hopes rain will give him a boost

Michael Schumacher is hoping that typically fickle Ardennes weather conditions will give him a chance of making up ground in the Belgian Grand Prix.

The German has a 10-place grid penalty as a result of his blocking manoeuvre on Rubens Barrichello in Hungary, and is thus likely to start towards the back of the field.

Schumacher made his F1 debut 19 years ago this weekend, and his glittering CV includes six Spa wins plus one cancelled victory.

“I’ve often called it my living room,” the 41-year-old reflected on Thursday.

“There are lots of fantastic memories from the past, and even good ones to look forward to, because we have mixed weather conditions predicted for this weekend.

“Yes, we have the 10 places, so it makes it extra special and exciting to try and move forward.

“With mixed conditions obviously that could help.

“We’ve worked on the car so all together we’ll try to make it as good as possible.

“I certainly look forward very much, because it’s one of my most loved tracks, and there’s a special excitement.”

Schumacher added that he drew some inspiration from his 1995 Spa drive, when he won from 16th on the grid.

And while he admitted Mercedes is beginning to switch its focus to 2011 car development, he believes the team can still salvage some decent results from the rest of this season.

“I guess that we have to see where we can use the strengths that the car has, and where it is a little bit more difficult,” he said.

“That’s something to find out and maximise our opportunities.

“Naturally we want to still take as many points as possible to stay as high up as possible in the constructors’ [championship]. These are the targets.

“We naturally keep on working within limits to achieve this, but then yes the focus is on next year’s car.”

Schumacher also sent a text message to Barrichello today, saying that it wasn’t his intention to put the Williams driver in the wall in Hungary.