Mercedes goes all out in Belgium: "We haven't won there since 2017"

F1 News

26 August 2020 at 11:22
Last update 26 August 2020 at 11:22
  • GPblog.com

With the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, Formula 1 will arrive at the third triple header of the season. The circuit in the Belgian Ardennes always provides interesting races because of the layout, weather conditions and altitude differences. Mercedes is also keen to win, as they haven't done so at Spa-Francorchamps since 2017. So the German race stable is coming to Belgium with a clear mission, says team boss Toto Wolff.

Unfinished business

"Our next race takes us to Spa where we haven't won since 2017, so it feels like there's unfinished business as we head to Belgium," Wolff said in the Mercedes preview. "It's an iconic track and one of the fans' favourites, but finding the right set-up can be difficult because of the variety of characteristics; on the one hand you want as little drag as possible on the long straights, but on the other hand, you need a certain level of downforce to be quick through the corners."

"It's also forecast to be rainy in the Ardennes, which won't make the job any easier. This weekend will also be the first time that we return to Belgium after the tragic loss of Anthoine Hubert last year. It was a dark day for the entire motorsport community and our thoughts will be with his family and friends as we remember him this weekend."

Concorde Agreement

Less relevant to the Belgian Grand Prix, very important for Formula 1: The new Concorde Agreement signed by the teams. "We have always said that we wanted to stay in F1, so the agreement wasn't necessarily all that surprising, but we're happy that we could bring the negotiations to a positive conclusion."

"We are committed to our sport and we're looking forward to the upcoming years which will see the biggest transition F1 has ever seen. This will reward agile, open-minded teams who can adapt successfully to the demands of the new rules", said Wolff.