|
A fast lap with Giancarlo
Fisichella
Spa is one of the longest circuits
in the grand prix calendar at nearly 7 km and is also one of my
favorites. The lap starts as you cross the start/finish line at over
260 km/h reaching a peak speed of about 285 km/h before braking for
La Source hairpin, which is taken in 1st gear at around 60 km/h. I
then accelerate down the hill passed the old pits reaching 310 km/h
before entering what is probably the most challenging corner of any
grand prix circuit, Eau Rouge. All drivers attempt to take this flat
in Qualifying but its very tricky. You need to lift on the throttle
to take this complex of corners at a minimum speed of 280 km/h. It
is important to maintain speed through this corner due to the long
uphill drag towards Les Combes, I reach around 325 km/h before
braking for the top chicane which is taken in 3rd gear at between
125-135 km/h. A short straight where I reach 260 km/h then leads to
Rivage which is a long right-hand corner taken in 2nd gear at around
100 km/h. At this corner the circuit drops away and the cars always
tend to understeer. A 3rd gear left-hand corner taken at c150 km/h
then leads to another short straight where I reach just under 300 km/h
in 5th gear before entering the very challenging fast double
left-hand Pouhon corner which I enter at 215 km/h, and accelerate up
to 270 km/h by the end of the second part. A 300 km/h straight then
leads into the Fagnes chicane, the first part of which is taken in
3rd gear at 135 km/h and the second part in 4th gear at 160 km/h.
The next corner is a 3rd gear right-hand corner taken at 130 km/h
followed almost immediately by a 4th gear right-hand corner taken at
225 km/h where the circuit rejoins the public road. From here I
accelerate hard heading back towards the pits and going through the
super fast left-hand Blanchimont corner at over 300 km/h. While this
corner is flat in Qualifying it can be quite tricky if the circuit
is damp or the fuel load is high. Very hard braking is needed into
the small chicane known as the Bus Stop, which is taken in 2nd gear
at around 90 km/h. I have to use the kerbs here in order to attain a
good lap time. A final left-hand corner is taken flat at around 190
km/h as I accelerate out of the Bus stop towards the start/finish
line.
|
