BELGIAN GP SPA RACE 07 DANIEL RICCIARDO RACE DRIVER #3 Daniel Ricciardo has his gloves off as he prepares for the next triple-header of the 2020 Formula 1 season. First-up, Spa-Francorchamps where the Australian is targeting a return to the points. Q&A What is there to say about the legendary What is your record like there? Spa-Francorchamps? It’s been a good track for me in Formula 1: I’ve had podiums, a Spa is so iconic. I think everyone knows why it’s a great place to win, so it’s been a successful one in the past. Last year we were race and one of the jewels in the Formula 1 crown. Nowadays, having a strong weekend, but then took some damage in Turn I actually get more of a thrill from racing there rather than 1. The year before I also had damage at Turn 1. Really, if you can in qualifying. We’ve done so many laps there in the high- get out of Turn 1, you’re doing alright! It’s one of those first corner downforce cars that a bit of that single-lap rush has gone. Eau hairpins where it’s a recipe for chaos. This year it might be cleaner Rouge is full throttle and in race trim with a big tank of fuel in as we’re not coming off a break, we’re warmed up so hopefully it someone’s slipstream, it becomes a real corner where you’re will be more straightforward. sliding on four wheels, which is pretty epic. There’s also Pouhon and Blanchimont, which are not that easy in race conditions. It’s How are you feeling with the triple-headers? a place where you can overtake, you can defend and it’s high- It’s strange actually as you’re the most race fit you’ve been speed racing. It’s so intense and I really like it. because you’re in the car so much. In the car I feel as strong as I ever have. It’s the days off when you feel it. In between races, you feel flatter and more fatigued and there’s not a whole lot of training going on. It’s really resting and recovering. We’re driving so regularly our body is maintaining a lot of that race fitness. Spa is so iconic. I think everyone knows why it’s a great place to race and one of the jewels in the Formula 1 crown. Daniel Ricciardo ESTEBAN OCON RACE DRIVER #31 Spa-Francorchamps has provided Esteban Ocon with some of his favourite Formula 1 memories. From making his debut there in 2016, to qualifying in the top three in 2018, it’s been a special one for the Frenchman, who aims for a strong run this weekend. Q&A What makes Spa-Francorchamps so challenging? How do you evaluate the past three races? It’s a demanding circuit for performance and the three It was good to come away from the races with points scored, sectors are all very special. I think we can perform well even though we missed out in Spain. The car felt good in in Spa. Anything can happen in the race, so it’ll be an Silverstone and we definitely made a step from Hungary. I interesting weekend and we’ll aim to do our best. think we have a bit of work to do, but I know we’ll get there. I have new parts on my car, which should help performance. It’s been a special place for you in the past, Formula 1 I’m looking forward to that and I feel fresh after a week off debut in 2016, top three in qualifying in 2018, what do and ready to race. you remember about those moments? I made my debut in Formula 1 there, so Spa is full of nice memories. I would say it’s a unique track in the way you can develop as a driver. I remember being there in my first year in single-seaters and everything felt so big with those legendary corners. Then, the more you go through the junior categories you feel the difference year after year until you reach Formula 1. It felt like a good track to make my Formula 1 debut! Of course, qualifying third on the grid is one of my best memories in Formula 1 so far. It was at a crucial time when I needed to prove I deserved to be in Formula 1. To stand in the top three with Lewis [Hamilton] and Sebastian [Vettel] was something special. I think we have a bit of work to do, but I know we’ll get there. I have new parts on my car, which should help performance Esteban Ocon KEEPING PACE RÉMI TAFFIN, ENGINE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR , RENAULT DP WORLD F1 TEAM It’s been a busy start to the season for the Renault E-Tech 20 power units as Engine Technical Director Rémi Taffin previews the next trio of races, starting in Belgium this weekend. Q&A What are the main challenges of Spa-Francorchamps? It’s rewarding for the efforts we’ve put in last year and this year. We’re back to the Spa is a challenge because it’s a long track and it has a lot of wide-open throttle performance level we needed to achieve last year, and we’ve made sure to correct time. It certainly pushes the engine to the limit but, as always, it’s something we the gremlins we had at the first part of last season. The hard work is paying off this validate on the dyno. Probably the most challenging thing about Spa will be the year. For the race team, especially, it’s been very intense with the triple-headers. The weather! It’s very unpredictable. This year, it looks like it will be wet and quite cold. If turnaround has been challenging but they are doing exceptionally well. it’s wet or dry, we’ll ensure the engine is working as expected and, in every corner at Spa, it correlates to what our drivers want. We’re heading to three power sensitive Will there be some challenges with the latest technical directive on circuits during this triple header. Esteban will have new engine parts added to his engine modes? car from Spa. It’s the same specification than his first engine, just brand new, as per On paper it won’t be too difficult. We will adjust the ratio between qualifying and the the regulations on freezing engine spec development through to next season. race. The rules, so far, said we could run modes differently between qualifying and the race and, as always, we try to optimise the rules. Now the FIA has given us a new What are the main assessments from the first six races? directive to be applied from Monza onwards, so we’ll try to adapt, reoptimizing and After six races, the engine is behaving as expected. The level of drivability and validating the area where we need. It’s the same work, just a different output. performance is there and it’s about getting the most out from it. The midfield is We’ll have less power in qualifying, and more power in the race, so it’s a new close and it’s a matter of milliseconds to get into Q3. We can’t let any milliseconds tra de-off. We understand the concern of the FIA and we will work alongside them to go aside and that’s the work of our race team. The work done at the factory has achieve their request. been good so far with good reliability and performance. The race team is there to extract the final percentage from our package each race weekend, which is really important these days. BELGIAN GP PREVIEW ZHOU AND LUNDGAARD READY FOR EMOTIONAL SPA RACE WEEKEND “It was a pretty decent weekend in Spain with some ups and Renault Sport Academy Drivers Guanyu Zhou and Christian Lundgaard head to Spa- downs. Race one was a rollercoaster with an engine problem before the race, which my mechanics did an amazing job to fix and Francorchamps as the FIA Formula 2 Championship gears up for an emotional race get me out there. The podium was a gift for them! The second weekend. race was tough, up to fifth, before a small puncture put us out of the points. Spa is coming up next. It was a tough one last year with what happened so I’m sure it’s going to be very emotional It’s almost one year to the day since Academy Driver Anthoine Hubert tragically lost his life. this weekend. I’m looking forward to keeping the good momentum Both Zhou and Christian are feeling motivated for a good result in Spa this weekend. we’ve had so far this season, building more points in Spa and having some decent results in the championship.” GUANYU ZHOU “Barcelona wasn’t what we expected, and we were playing catch- up after a poor qualifying. Spa is coming up and it’s going to be an extremely tough weekend mentally after what happened last year with our friend Anthoine. In terms of the weekend, I think if we can be in a good place straight away in practice and qualifying, we’ll be fine. I have the belief in the team to deliver a good car. So far, we’ve learnt from Barcelona, so I’m not too worried about performance at Spa and I’m ready for it.” CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD BELGIAN GP PREVIEW SPANISH GP PREVIEW BUSINESS END FOR PIASTRI IN FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONSHIP “Barcelona was a very mixed weekend.