STAVELOT, Belgium — The Spa-Francorchamps Circuit, next stop this weekend on the Formula One schedule, is a demanding circuit for brakes, according to the Brembo technicians.
On a scale of 1 to 5, the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa is rated 4 on the difficulty index by the Brembo engineers.
People rate the Belgian track as the most complete in Formula 1 because in just over 7 km (4.35 miles) it has corners and straights with a range of characteristics. One of its distinctive features is the three braking sections where drivers press down on the brake pedal for at least 2.7 seconds, something not shared by any other track on the calendar.
110 by seven
Despite being the longest track of the Championship, drivers employ their brakes at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit eight times per lap, and only once in the final five turns. The brake system is in use for 14.5 seconds each lap, amounting to 14 percent of the total duration of the race.
However, for three consecutive turns – from the seventh to the ninth – the drivers need to brake, even though in two of these they are used for less than half a second. The individual loads on the brake pedal are significant, exceeding 110 kg (242.5 lbs) in seven turns.
From the start to the checkered flag, each driver applies a total load of less than 42 metric tons, one of the lowest figures of the Championship, alongside Silverstone.
Less than 213 km/h (132.4 mph) in 3 seconds
Of the eight braking sections in the Belgian GP, four are classified as demanding on the brakes, three are of medium difficulty, and the remaining one is light.
The most challenging braking section is the first turn. The single seaters arrive at 286 km/h (177.7 mph) and drop to 73 km/h (45.4 mph) in just 128 meters (419.9 feet).
The Formula 1 drivers need to brake for 3.14 seconds, applying a force of 133 kg (293.2 lbs) on the brake pedal with a deceleration of 4.2 G.
