Nestled deep within the forests and rolling hills of Belgium’s Ardennes region, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is widely regarded as one of the greatest racing circuits in the world. Originally created in 1921 by linking public roads between Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot, the original layout stretched nearly 15 kilometers and quickly earned a reputation for high speed and high risk. While the modern permanent circuit introduced in 1979 reduced the length to 7.004 kilometers, Spa remains the longest track on the Formula 1 calendar and has retained the character that has made it a favorite among drivers for more than a century.Â
Audi Revolut F1 arrives at Spa-Francorchamps looking to build on another productive weekend at Silverstone, where the team again demonstrated the pace to compete in the midfield despite narrowly missing out on a stronger points haul. With both Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto continuing to extract more from the R26 and the team refining both race execution and reliability, Audi enters the Belgian Grand Prix in the fight for regular points. Spa’s high-speed layout, long straights and demanding elevation changes will provide another benchmark as the team continues its development through the midpoint of its debut Formula 1 season.Â
R:10 SCHEDULE
| DAY/DATE | ACTIVITY | LOCAL TIME | CET | EST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 17 Jul | Practice 1 | 13:30-14:30 | 13:30-14:30 | 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM |
| Fri 17 Jul | Practice 2 | 17:00-18:00 | 17:00-18:00 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Sat 18 Jul | Practice 3 | 12:30-13:30 | 12:30-13:30 | 6:30 AM – 7:30 AM |
| Sat 18 Jul | Qualifying | 16:00-17:00 | 16:00-17:00 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM |
| Sun 05 Mar | Grand Prix | 15:00 | 15:00 | 9:00 AM |
R:10 RACE INFORMATION
AUDI REVOLUT F1 | FORMULA 1 SERIES
R:10 TEAM RACE PREVIEW
Audi Revolut F1 Team will tackle one of the most iconic venues in the Formula One calendar as it travels to Spa-Francorchamps, aiming to build on the encouraging progress shown in recent events. An eight-place finish at Silverstone added the first points since the season opener and marked another positive step in terms of performance and execution. For the team, the focus is on carrying this momentum into the opening leg of the final double header before summer break.
TEAM QUOTES
Allan McNish, Racing Director
“Silverstone was another positive step forward for our team. We have been consistently operating at or near the front of the midfield battle and being back in the points after a couple of races finishing just outside of them was a deserved reward for all the work that’s been going on behind the scenes. Most importantly, there were encouraging signs to take from the weekend as a whole: we have been moving in the right direction over the last few events, and now the challenge is to keep delivering at that level consistently. There is a positive atmosphere within the team, and everyone is pushing in the right direction: Spa is a demanding circuit, and a different challenge for our cars compared to Silverstone, but another good opportunity to continue our progress.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Car #27
Ending the race early at Silverstone with a gearbox issue was a tough one to take, especially as we were in a position to fight for points before we had to retire. On the positive side, our pace has really been heading in the right direction over the last few races. We’ve been consistently fighting towards the front of the midfield, and that’s something we want to build on. Now it’s on to Spa – one of the classics on the calendar – and I’m looking forward to getting back out there. If we can put together a clean weekend, we’ll give ourselves the best chance to come home with a solid result.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Car #5
“Scoring points at Silverstone was a great result for the team and a nice reward for all the work that’s been going on. It’s also a further motivation boost as we head into the final back-to-back before the summer break: we have been making moderate progress over the last few races and it’s important that we keep taking those steps. Spa is an amazing circuit to race at, and I’m looking forward to getting back out there, continuing to learn how to unlock the most from our car, and hopefully fighting for another strong result.”