Belgian GP: 5 big questions that need answers this weekend

The Belgian Grand Prix weekend is here, with F1’s summer break now in the rear-view mirror and the final charge towards the end of the season firmly on the horizon.

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is a hugely popular venue with both fans and drivers and we’ll hopefully get a classic race, and certainly one that banishes the spectre of 2021’s ‘non-race’ for good.

Again this weekend here in Spa, we’ve had typically changeable conditions and cool temperatures and so that, as ever, brings a challenge to the drivers alongside the immense sections of track like Eau Rouge-Raidillon and Blanchimont.

What are the big questions that need answers this weekend at Spa, then? We take a look…

Can Mercedes challenge for victory?

Lewis Hamilton has said that Mercedes are ‘a long way off‘ of the pace at the moment as we head into Saturday at Spa but they’ve shown they can improve quickly over a weekend and their race pace has been very good.

Indeed, Hamilton was very strong in Hungary last time out before the summer and with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc set to start near the back of the grid thanks to penalties relating to engine component changes, a good chance has presented itself to the Silver Arrows.

Where will Max and Charles finish?

Both Verstappen and Leclerc need to put in recovery drives this weekend, and it’ll be interesting to see how they approach their respective surges through the field.

Leclerc is 80 points behind Verstappen and so has everything to gain but also knows an incident when carving through will dent his rather crumpled championship hopes even further, whilst Max knows he will score decent points as long as he keeps his nose clean as the car is quick.

Who’ll benefit from the cool conditions?

It’s touching 20