2022 Belgian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Max Verstappen leads the Drivers’ Championship by 80 points from Charles Leclerc in second, with Sergio Pérez a further five points behind in third after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Red Bull Racing leads Ferrari by 97 points and Mercedes by 127 in the Constructors’ Championship.

Previous race

Verstappen won Hungary from tenth place on the grid — Red Bull had struggled badly in qualifying, with Verstappen suffering MGU-K problems and Pérez unable to complete a clean lap in Q2. Hamilton finished second after recovering from seventh; Russell came third but was passed by Hamilton with five laps to go.

Between-race developments

A technical directive takes effect from this round to limit porpoising and bottoming out, following safety concerns raised by drivers in the first half of the season. The FIA is adding a specific requirement on plank flexibility under Article 3.15.8 of the technical regulations. The directive was originally planned to come into force at the French Grand Prix but was delayed to allow teams more time to comply.

Track changes

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps has undergone a major safety and facilities redevelopment since the 2021 race. Extra run-off has been added at Eau Rouge/Raidillon in response to several serious accidents at that section, including the fatal accident of Anthoine Hubert during the 2019 Formula 2 round. Gravel traps have been added at La Source, Raidillon, Blanchimont, Les Combes, Stavelot, and Pouhon. The track has been resurfaced with a more modern asphalt, which is expected to offset much of the performance loss from the aerodynamic regulation changes. Max Verstappen ran a Red Bull RB7 around the renovated circuit in the build-up to the event — the first Formula One car on the revised layout.

There are also ongoing discussions about Spa’s future on the calendar beyond 2022. Verstappen described the circuit as his “favourite” and said it would be “a shame” to lose it; Red Bull team principal Christian Horner urged Formula One to “ringfence” classic venues like Spa, Silverstone, and Monza. Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali stated there is still a possibility Spa will appear on the 2023 calendar.

Entrants

Liam Lawson drives for AlphaTauri in place of Pierre Gasly during FP1, making his Formula One practice debut.

Tyre choices

Pirelli brings the C2, C3, and C4 compounds (hard, medium, soft). Several drivers are taking on additional power unit components this weekend and will incur grid penalties as a result.

Practice

Sainz was fastest in FP1, Verstappen in FP2, and Pérez in FP3.