The traditional Spa-Francorchamps rain is forecast for the first day of practice for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
The band of rain passing over the area can be seen in these radar images.
Conditions should improve over the following days. A slight risk of rain will remain but dry conditions are expected for qualifying and race day.
It will be a cool weekend and it won’t get warmer as the weather gets drier. While temperatures should break 20C on Friday they’ll be down into the mid-teens by Sunday.
But as we’ve seen so often in the part, conditions can change very quickly in the region.
Location of Spa-Francorchamps
2011 Belgian Grand Prix
Image © Mercedes
cduk_mugello (@cduk_mugello)
25th August 2011, 8:32
Not trying to be picky, but there’s a slight typo in your last sentence. Just trying to help – feel free to delete my comment after you’ve corrected it :)
slr
25th August 2011, 8:55
I personally want a dry race to see where every team is in the pecking order.
Rob2
25th August 2011, 9:20
Even in the dry, the temperature would play havoc with any results.
i.e Ferrari are quick in the heat and slow in the cold. Mclaren are quick in the cold, and slow in the heat.
It will likely be a Mclaren/RB weekend with Alonso doing everything he can to keep up.
Bigbadderboom
25th August 2011, 9:36
I agree can’t see ferrari featuring on the podium, but you can never rule out Teflonso, the guy is one of the few that can make something out of nothing. But I see things the same, the question is can McLaren continue their momentum and continue to improve their performance or do Red Bull have an answer? Going to be brilliant I Love Spa!!
rubber_side_down
25th August 2011, 14:14
i agree. The cool track will yield an all McLaren weekend. If its wet it will be Button in front. In the dry, Hammy’s got the edge. With the cool climate this year I think McLaren have a great chance of pulling off the championship. Take care of the tires guys.
xysion
25th August 2011, 16:57
Fernando Alonso has been on the podium in the last four races in a row and only one of them(Valencia) was not cold come race day.
The Ferrari struggles on warming it’s tyres up initally which hurts them in qualifying but on a longer lap that disadvantadge would diminish.
BasCB (@bascb)
25th August 2011, 10:37
Same here, it would be a welcome change to have a dry (almost dry?) weekend.
zim1
25th August 2011, 9:28
What the heck is with this cduk character? Constantly correcting peoples mistakes.
Relax dude, this isnt a high school!
JC
26th August 2011, 15:08
*People’s
JamieFranklinF1 (@jamiefranklinf1)
25th August 2011, 9:59
I really hope that it rains during qualifying. Rain would remove the DRS factor, and with that, Red Bull wouldn’t be nearly as quick in sectors 1 and 3, which is when I think McLaren would step up and claim their first pole of the season…probably in the form of Hamilton. But could be a 1-2.
raymondu999 (@raymondu999)
25th August 2011, 10:28
Am I the only one around who misses a 100% dry Spa race? Or even a 100% dry race period? :P
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
25th August 2011, 13:22
Nope. I also appreciate them. Gives us an idea of where everybody is. Probably not this weekend though with it set to be relatively cold.
xtophe (@xtophe)
25th August 2011, 11:56
Belgian weatherforecast has max. 15°C for the Ardennes on both Saturday and Sunday for now. Saturday looks cloudy, with the possibility of showers. Sunday looks mostly like a dry day.
Friday should have 20°C but the forecast predicts mild to heavy rain and a possibility of some stormy weather (that may aswell be at night though I think).
sato113 (@sato113)
25th August 2011, 12:11
well judging by that first radar, it’s wet all weekend preety much!
but friday night looks very wet, leaving a damp track for qualy probs.
Dougy D
25th August 2011, 12:23
Favourite circuit! Bring it on, dry or wet.
Great memories of Kimi/Lewis battle in 2008 (until Lewis was stripped).
Also first GP I ever attended in 09 (with Jenson/Lewis crashing right in front of where I was).
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
25th August 2011, 16:02
What about a Spa race without rain.This race should always have race like Hungary & Germany.
Chris
25th August 2011, 18:49
Can a general admission ticket for saturday qualifying be purchased at the track?
Thanks
Chris
James
26th August 2011, 0:03
Given the microclimate of the area and how showery much of Western Europe is at the moment, we shouldnt rule out a shower or two over saturday or sunday. A bit of rain never goes a miss at a drivers circuit. Sorts the men from the mice.