The fourth round of the season takes place at the iconic Belgian track on the same weekend as the classic 24 hour race. Rafael and Maya have the podium and points in their sights.
The 7.004 kilometre-long Spa_Francorchamps track oozes history. Over the years, it has been modified to meet current safety standards but it’s never lost its original appeal as one of the most complete and demanding tracks in the world. For all drivers, especially youngsters, the Ardennes circuit offers a true challenge, with all sorts of corners to put them to the test.
Aiming for a straightforward weekend. Rafael Camara comes to Belgium lying ninth in the championship. The 18 year old Brazilian has finished in the points in four of the six races, including one podium placing. He had to retire from one race when he was the innocent victim of a collision and in general, he has been very consistent. The main problem Camara has faced has been his qualifying results, which have often been affected by bad luck: yellow or red flags at crucial moments or traffic wiping out the benefit that running new tyres should have brought. So the aim this weekend is to have a straightforward time on track, without any upsets, so that he can perform to his true potential. “I think that, for various different reasons, Rafael has not been able to get the results he deserves,” commented the head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Marco Matassa, “especially as at some tracks this season, your start position is vital if you are aiming for the podium and it’s something we have seen at several races. This variable will have less of an impact in Belgium, although qualifying well is still important. Maya also needs to have a straightforward weekend. She knows the track having raced here in Formula 4 and that’s important when you’re talking about Spa-Francorchamps.”
Unusual timetable. The Belgian weekend will run to a different format to the usual one, because Formula Regional is on the same card as the Spa 24 Hours, meaning that the action starts a day earlier. Qualifying for Race-1 takes place on Thursday at 19.20 CEST and 19.40 for Groups A and B respectively, while qualifying for Race 2 is on Friday morning at 9.45 and 10.05 for the two groups. Friday also sees the first race, which starts at 14.50. Then the second race brings things to a close on Saturday at 9.30.