Formula One news

Spa engine preview - 73 per cent full throttle

Along with Monza, Spa is the most demanding circuit of the season for the new V8 engines, which have never been raced here. The test session earlier this year was an important one in order to verify the engine's operation around the long lap.

The duty cycle is particularly severe, with 73% of the lap spent at full throttle (only Monza exceeds this figure, with 77% of the lap). Furthermore, this includes two prolonged full throttle periods of over 20 seconds. The most challenging of these is undoubtedly the run of approximately 23 seconds from La Source to Les Combes, which includes Eau Rouge. This sequence exposes the engine and its ancillaries to extreme positive and negative vertical 'g' forces through the compression and over the crest that follows. This is a factor teams take into account when designing their lubrication systems, in order to avoid problems with oil feed under the extreme loadings.

Spa is also the longest lap of the season, and the circuit has a very high fuel mass penalty. Under the current qualifying regulations, this means that an engine with good fuel consumption can be a particular advantage.

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