The 2019 Belgian Grand Prix takes place this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, one of the most popular tracks on the Formula One calendar.

Back from the summer break, Lewis Hamilton is looking to rubber stamp his sixth Drivers’ Championship after an enthralling win at the Hungarian Grand Prix before the break.

Teams are still in the process of making decisions for their seats in 2020, but there was one notable move during the season’s hiatus.

Red Bull, after growing frustrated with Pierre Gasly, called up Thai-British starlet Alex Albon, sending Gasly back to Toro Rosso for the final few weeks of the campaign. Albon has the opportunity to lock himself in alongside Max Verstappen for next season.

This weekend is a big opportunity for the Ferraris to pick up their first win of the 2019 season. Sebastian Vettel is under pressure unlike he has been in his Formula One career before – the four-time world champion is 3/1 to stand atop the podium on Sunday.

We’ve got a few F1 betting tips, but let’s start with some Belgian Grand Prix history…

 

Belgian Grand Prix: Brief History

Away from Spa, the Belgian Grand Prix has been held in various different locations since its first Grand Prix in 1925.

Races were held in Nivelles and Zolder during the 1970s and 1980s, and the 1946 edition – the year after the Second World War had come to an end – was hosted in Bois de la Cambre.

The last Belgian Grand Prix not held at Spa was in 1984. Since then, only twice has the Belgian Grand Prix been absent from the Formula One calendar.

Once was in 2003, when there were issues with the country’s tobacco advertising laws. The second occasion was 2006, as there were major renovations being done at the track that were not completed in time to be included in the Formula One schedule.

The Belgian Grand Prix has sadly been the scene of numerous fatalities, with the fast corners and challenging conditions often contributing to accidents.

In the Formula One era, two drivers have died at the Belgian Grand Prix. Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey were two of three fatalities in the 1960 Formula One season – both drivers suffered fatal injuries in the race at Spa.

Many of the greatest ever drivers have enjoyed success at Spa. Ayrton Senna was masterful at the track, but perhaps his most famous moment was when he and Nigel Mansell took each other out of the race.

Just a few years later, a young German by the name of Michael Schumacher won his first ever race at the Belgian Grand Prix.

It was a race that Schumacher, like Senna, excelled in. The seven-time world champion passed Senna’s all-time win record at Spa, and sealed his seventh title at the famous track in 2004.

 

Belgian Grand Prix: Spa

Originally designed in 1920, Spa is one of the favourite circuits for both drivers and fans. The fast corners – particularly in sectors one and three – and the video-game setting in the middle of the Ardennes Forest make for spectacular racing.

The hilliness of the track provides its own challenges, while the changeable weather can cause some strategic conundrums.

Tweaks have been made to the layout of the track. Chicanes have been added and removed on a regular basis as race organisers look to maintain Spa’s old-school excitement and keep it safe.

For instance, a chicane was put in after the tragic events of Imola in 1994, but it was taken out for the 1995 race.

The original Spa circuit used public roads and was the fastest in Europe. Lifting off the throttle was rare, with corners regularly taken at well over 100 miles per hour.

Drivers were mentally fatigued quickly with the challenge of Spa, and it began to develop a reputation as a seriously dangerous track. In 1969, the Formula One drivers boycotted the race over safety concerns.

Some drivers, regardless of their individual success, were not keen on racing there any more because of the risk. Eau Rouge and Radillion is the most well-known part of the lap, testing the drivers’ judgement with limited visibility of the exit of the corner.

Leading straight into an uphill straight, misjudging that section can ruin a lap.

 

Belgian Grand Prix: Recent Winners

2018 – Sebastian Vettel

2017 – Lewis Hamilton

2016 – Nico Rosberg

2015 – Lewis Hamilton

2014 – Daniel Ricciardo

 

Belgian Grand Prix: Most Wins

6 – Michael Schumacher

5 – Ayrton Senna

4 – Jim Clark, Kimi Raikkonen

3 – Damon Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel

 

Belgian Grand Prix: F1 Betting Tips

It’s been a very disappointing season for Ferrari so far, but the Belgian Grand Prix represents their best chance of a victory.

The Ferrari power unit remains the best on the grid, and should give them a significant advantage over the Mercedes and Red Bulls this weekend.

Vettel hasn’t won in 12 months, and Charles Leclerc has had a season littered with misfortune and error. Vettel has enjoyed success at Spa in the past – most notably last season.

Leclerc is still looking for that elusive first race victory after having a win snatched from his grasp by Max Verstappen in Austria.

The pressure is all on Ferrari at the moment, but we shouldn’t forget about arguably the greatest driver of all-time, Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton, like Vettel, has won on three previous occasions at Spa, and his Mercedes is the most balanced car on the grid.

Sector two will be the Mercedes opportunity to make up time on the Ferraris – the tighter corners could prove to be an issue for the Ferrari which has struggled round slower bends.

It’s not expected to be Red Bull’s weekend – this isn’t a circuit they will have highlighted as a chance of victory. But is ruling out Verstappen really a good idea?

Verstappen has been the best driver on the grid this year and was desperately unfortunate with what happened last time out. The Evens price on him to make the podium has got to be worth consideration.

Elsewhere, the Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeos of Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi are ones to watch. Raikkonen has a slight muscle injury but is expected to race.

Giovinazzi has struggled to keep pace with his veteran teammate, but his 3/1 price to finish in the top 10 is good value.

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Francisco Seco / AP Photo*

Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.