2026 Belgian Grand Prix - Spa-Francorchamps, July 17 - 19

[dans79]

Interested to see how fast these cars are through Pouhon. Eau Rouge / Raidillon is the famous "OMG!" corner challenge but Pouhon is likely to be a place where time can be found with these cars. Still amazed by the onboard of the W11 going through Pouhon absolutely flat - will we see anything close this year?

I expect regen through Raidillon, Eau Rouge, turn 9, Pouhon, maybe even after Blanchimont, given the the track has 5 SM sections.

[De Wet]

The Race:

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/why- ... elgian-gp/


Drivers saying Spa will be a "Sad" Sh*tshow.

[basti313]

Interested to see how fast these cars are through Pouhon. Eau Rouge / Raidillon is the famous "OMG!" corner challenge but Pouhon is likely to be a place where time can be found with these cars. Still amazed by the onboard of the W11 going through Pouhon absolutely flat - will we see anything close this year?

I expect regen through Raidillon, Eau Rouge, turn 9, Pouhon, maybe even after Blanchimont, given the the track has 5 SM sections.

Yes. Technically I think the easy assumption is, that they need to recharge every time the wing closes. Because it simply does not make sense to deploy into the drag. So they will clip before every interesting corner...

[dans79]

Interested to see how fast these cars are through Pouhon. Eau Rouge / Raidillon is the famous "OMG!" corner challenge but Pouhon is likely to be a place where time can be found with these cars. Still amazed by the onboard of the W11 going through Pouhon absolutely flat - will we see anything close this year?

I expect regen through Raidillon, Eau Rouge, turn 9, Pouhon, maybe even after Blanchimont, given the the track has 5 SM sections.

Yes. Technically I think the easy assumption is, that they need to recharge every time the wing closes. Because it simply does not make sense to deploy into the drag. So they will clip before every interesting corner...

I was thinking clip through any corner that is on the borderline of being flat.

[search]

about Eau Rouge, the AmuS preview said that not doing it flat out allows for lower running of the car, so clipping there makes sense also setup wise

[AR3-GP]

I think we will see more teams doing the lift off before the finish line trick in qualifying in order to optimize the 7MJ recovery + 4MJ of deployment available inside the lap.

[Just_a_fan]

I think we will see more teams doing the lift off before the finish line trick in qualifying in order to optimize the 7MJ recovery + 4MJ of deployment available inside the lap.

How does this trick work? Lifting at the very end of the lap somehow allows more energy to be used during the lap? How does the system know you're going to lift at the end of the lap? Or is it included in their deployment algorithm and thus they have to do it to stay legal?

[michl420]

I think we will see more teams doing the lift off before the finish line trick in qualifying in order to optimize the 7MJ recovery + 4MJ of deployment available inside the lap.

How does this trick work? Lifting at the very end of the lap somehow allows more energy to be used during the lap? How does the system know you're going to lift at the end of the lap? Or is it included in their deployment algorithm and thus they have to do it to stay legal?

Normaly the energy must go linear to 0 in (as an example) 6 sec. The algorithm do the same energy in the first 3 sec, and than the driver goes off the trottle. It is not more energy, but earlier in the straight. If the driver would not go off (or too late) it would be illegal as I understand it.

[SiLo]

Deploying the full 350kwh and then coming off throttle (which stops the ramp down engaging) is faster across a straight line than full throttle with ramp down 350>300>250>200 etc. Thats the idea.

[AR3-GP]

What both of them said. It's not "more energy", it's just a better distribution of the energy. In the "normal map", the energy that you can't use in the short bit before the finish line because of the ramp down would just instead get used in a less efficient speed range (top end of kemmel straight or Blanchimont). By doing the lift trick, then you can use more energy at low speed to the finish line, which is a better way to distribute it.

[deadhead]

Two different circuits

[AR3-GP]

Two different circuits

https://postimg.cc/LgvS3L20

The power of positive thoughts will be tested this weekend.

[venkyhere]

Two different circuits

https://postimg.cc/LgvS3L20

What do we see through EauRouge-Radillion, and through/out of Pouhon, the 'character defining' portions of this ckt ?
Massive recharging.
Despite which, at the end of Kemmel straight and through Blanchimont, we can see how pathetic the top speed still is. This is with SLM mode ON, mind you.
At what point are FoM/FIA/Liberty going to admit that this regulation/formula which is a bodge on a bodge on a hare-brained "lets make it 50% hybrid like road cars" premise, is a failure ? The 50% peak electric power idea in itself (thank you Mercedes, Audi) is a fundamentally flawed starting point, and no amount of band-aid jobs (that's you 60:40 2028) is going to make any of this any better.

[dren]

It has to be such an odd feeling when you're decelerating that much down the straight.

[dans79]

The 50% peak electric power idea in itself (thank you Mercedes, Audi) is a fundamentally flawed starting point, and no amount of band-aid jobs (that's you 60:40 2028) is going to make any of this any better.

50/50 would have worked fine, if the ES was like 24MJ and they allowed for much higher rates of regen.