When does 2022 F1 season return and how can I watch Belgian GP in UAE?

The Formula One 2022 season returns after a summer break with the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend.

Spa-Francorchamps will witness the resumption of the battle for the driver's championship between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes also staging a mini comeback.

This will be the start of a hectic second half of the season, with nine races over 12 weeks for the F1 championship. Red Bull's Verstappen has taken a seemingly insurmountable 80-point lead over Ferrari's Leclerc and looks set for a second world title.

However, anything can happen. Especially because it was Leclerc who took a sizeable lead early in the season before Verstappen capitalised on some serious errors from Ferrari to pull in front.

Although Ferrari have had the fastest car for much of the season, they have squandered that advantage with bungled strategy calls, driver errors, engine and other technical failures.

20. Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri) earns $750,000 a year, according to spotrac, making him the lowest paid F1 driver in 2022. AFP

Before the summer break, Verstappen recovered from a spin to win the Hungarian Grand Prix from 10th on the grid.

Leclerc was hampered by another bit of questionable pit-lane strategy as he came in sixth, giving Verstappen a huge lead.

Mercedes' recovery after a terrible start to the season due to "porpoising" issues has revived seven-time champion Hamilton's hopes. The 37-year-old's run of five consecutive podium finishes, including two successive seconds, shows the team are competitive now.

Belgian Grand Prix

August 26-28, 2022. Qualifying on Saturday from 6pm UAE time and race on Sunday from 5pm.

Spa-Francorchamps

Formula One fans can watch the F1 action on MBC’s streaming platform