F1: Belgian Grand Prix Preview and Betting Tips

It’s also a Sprint weekend, which means a solitary practice session before the competitive sessions begin.

There’s been much drama off track with Red Bull announcing the shock exit of team boss Christian Horner. The 51-year-old former team principal won six World Constructors’ Championships, eight World Drivers’ Championships, and 124 Grands Prix across two decades.

The Englishman was replaced by Racing Bull’s boss Laurent Mekies. The 48-year-old takes charge of the team for the first time. It remains to be seen how Max Verstappen and the rest of the team respond to Mekies’ management style in a race situation.

Back to this weekend’s action, and several teams announced upgrades to their cars for this weekend’s Belgian GP. Ferrari is debuting a revised rear suspension as it aims to extract more performance from the SF-25. Constructors’ leaders McLaren will fit a new floor, which was used in FP1 at the British GP, this weekend.

McLaren holds a 238-point lead over Ferrari in the standings, while Lando Norris’ consecutive wins saw him reduce the points deficit to teammate Oscar Piastri to eight points.

Let’s look at what we can expect from this weekend’s race.

There are several drivers in the running for the win this weekend, but before we look at who the favourites are, let’s focus on the track.

The Track

Spa-Francorchamps is the longest track on the calendar, measuring a smidgen over seven kilometres. The race is 44 laps long, while Saturday’s Sprint has a race distance of 100km.

It’s littered with iconic corners like Eau Rouge and the circuit’s fastest corner, Blanchimont. Its longest flat-out section is over 2000m long, and teams must decide on how to balance their setups. The middle sector features 10 corners that are tight and technical, and a high downforce setup will pay dividends.

The first and final sectors are fast and flowing, while the middle of the circuit is tighter and more technical, meaning that teams must decide how best to balance their setups.

There are two DRS zones to promote overtaking, but Spa has plenty of spots to execute overtaking moves, including La Source, a heavy braking zone at the Bustop chicane. Spa has all the ingredients to produce a memorable race…including inclement weather.

According to F1.com, the forecast for Saturday’s Sprint qualifying and race is partly cloudy with a slight chance of one or two passing showers in the afternoon. On Sunday, there’s another chance of a light shower or two in the afternoon during the Grand Prix.

Who Are the Favourites?

Norris might have won the last two races, but Piastri has the bit between his teeth and could pip his teammate. Spa is Piastri’s track, and McLaren hasn’t won here since 2012, when former world champion Jenson Button took the win.

Belgium’s proximity to the Netherlands means Verstappen enjoys a fair share of support at Spa. The four-time world champion has three wins here and will need an outstanding performance to beat the McLarens. It remains to be seen what Ferrari’s upgrades can do, and Mercedes will welcome the cooler weather this weekend, as that’s when they excel.

Predictions

Grand Prix Winner: Piastri

Sprint Winner: Piastri

Grand Prix Podium: Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton

Pole Position: Piastri

Top 4 and 5: Russell, Antonelli

Finish in the points: Verstappen, Sainz, Gasly

Race Winning Margin: Under 5 seconds

Fastest Lap: Piastri

First to Retire: Borteletto

First car to retire: Sauber

Most Team Points: Ferrari

Both Cars Qualify for Q3 Shootout: Ferrari

Practice 1/2/3 Winning Car: Norris / McLaren

Safety Car: No

Fastest pit stop: Ferrari