Belgian GP: Williams Racing Grand Prix Preview

After a four-week break from racing, the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship resumes this weekend, returning to the iconic venue of Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix. Set in the rolling Ardennes, the historic track covers an impressive 7.004km, whilst also encompassing an elevation change of approximately 100m between its highest and lowest points, contributing to what’s considered one of Formula One’s most testing circuits for both the car and driver. Belgium’s notoriously unpredictable weather only adds to the excitement; it’s not uncommon for conditions to differ around the track, resulting in the additional challenge of varying grip levels.

The Grand Prix marks the start of the season’s second triple-header, with the teams travelling onwards to The Netherlands followed by Italy.

Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance:
After a short break, the season continues at one of the very best tracks on the calendar. Spa offers a unique 7km layout with a great mix of corners, some long straights and plenty of elevation change, with each of the three sectors that make the lap having their own distinct personality. Overtaking is common and the weather is often mixed, usually making for an exciting race.

The tyre compounds are from the middle of Pirelli’s 2021 range and are the same as we used at the last event in Hungary. The demands on the tyres are high in Spa and managing them well will be key to a successful race.

The FW43B worked well in both Austria and Silverstone and given the similarities between these circuits and Spa, we are hopeful that we can build on the strong result in Hungary and consolidate our position in the Championship.

Nicholas Latifi:
It was great to unwind and recharge over the summer break, but I’m super excited to get back behind the wheel now. Spa is definitely one of the tracks on the calendar that is very fast and flowing which I like, and it’s always a great track for racing so I’m looking forward to that. We’re carrying a lot of positive momentum after the last race, but we know we still have a job to do each time we show up at a track and we’ll take one race at a time. I can’t wait to get going!

George Russell:
The summer shutdown was great but even after one week off, I was raring to go again. After a strong points haul for the team in Budapest, we are entering the second half of the season in great spirits. We are now focused on delivering the best possible performance at Spa this weekend, and the rest of this triple-header, with our aim being to increase our points tally.