Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Belgium

The Spa-Francorchamps track in Belgium is the longest circuit used during the Formula One World Championship series. At 4.3 miles a lap, this circuit takes an F1 car nearly two minutes to complete, which is a long time in F1 terms. Because of the length of the circuit a complete race is only 44 laps.

This track is a great favourite of the drivers because of the fast, challenging corners, particularly the Eau Rouge corner, but there are some concerns over the high speeds and the overall safety of the track. This was emphasised with the very fast, terrifying crash of Luciano Burti in the 2001 race.

However, the vast majority of the drivers would not want to see any major changes made to the layout of the circuit as they relish the challenge. The cars travel at up to 205 mph, but it is the overall speed of nearly 150 mph that puts such demands on the cars and the drivers.

The cars are on full throttle for 63% of the circuit and the skill at this circuit is knowing which corners can be taken at full throttle and when the drivers need to “lift off”.

The circuit is an awesome track with wonderful scenery and a great atmosphere with some spectacular changes in gradient around the circuit. It is unusual for a Grand Prix circuit to have so many changes in gadient and this produces extra challenges for the drivers and the cars. There are quite a few places where drivers can overtake other cars, but they do need to be close behind the other car and the drivers do need to be positive and brave.

The teams never have the opportunity of testing on this circuit and the all of the set ups for the cars have to be determined during the practice sessions or from past information.

The big uncertainty at this circuit is the weather. The Ardennes are renown for having their own micro-climate and the weather can change very quickly and most years it rains at least once during the weekend. Because of the high speeds, when it

does rain visibility is a real problem when two cars are following closely behind each other. A lot of the teams pay a small fortune to try to obtain accurate weather forecasts and this information is very fiercely protected.

This circuit nearly always produces memorable races with some wonderful overtaking moves. The weather adds an element of unpredictability and when it rains during qualifying it can result in some very unusual line ups for the start.

The Spa circuit has a great reputation for racing and this is well deserved. This is a race not to be missed.

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Bridgestone to quit F1 in late 2010

Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone Corp said it would quit Formula One next year, dealing a further blow to the sport after the recent withdrawal of other high-profile firms due to the global downturn.

Japan's Bridgestone Corp has said it will end its tyre supply contract with Formula One after late 2010, citing a changing "business environment."

Bridgestone said it would end its contract as the official tyre supplier to the FIA, raising questions over who would replace it after French rival Michelin pulled out in 2006 and US maker Goodyear left in 1998.

"Bridgestone today announced that it will not enter into a new tyre supply contract with the FIA Formula One World Championship series," the Tokyo-based tyre and rubber industry giant said on Monday in a statement.

The move comes after Toyota Motor pulled out of hosting the Japanese Grand Prix, while Honda has sold its team as the companies struggled to fight off the global recession. There have also been casualties in other motor sports.

Bridgestone has supplied tyres to F1 for 13 years and has been the exclusive supplier to the series since 2007.

Its current contract expires at the end of the 2010 season.

Bridgestone, battered by a global auto industry slump amid the economic downturn, said it was "addressing the impact of the continuing evolution of the business environment."

Bridgestone, which vies with Michelin to be the world's top tyremaker, posted a net loss of 38.34 billion yen (420 million dollars) for January-June, a turnaround from a year-earlier profit of 37.24 billion yen.

Last month Bridgestone said it would shed nearly 900 jobs in Australia and New Zealand as it closes plants amid the worldwide slump in demand for cars.

Toyota Motor in July pulled out of hosting the Japanese Grand Prix at its Fuji Speedway circuit from next year.

Honda has sold its Formula One team while Suzuki and Subaru have withdrawn from the world rally championship. Motorcycle maker Kawasaki has exited the MotoGP and Mitsubishi is quitting the Dakar Rally.

The Japanese tyremaker, which also makes industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods, said it would redirect its resources toward new technologies and strategic products.

"The business environment is changing greatly," company spokesman Makoto Shiomi told AFP.

"We need to concentrate our management resources on strategic areas and technological innovation," he said, adding that one of the priorities would be development of more environmentally friendly products.

He added that Bridgestone was "not in a position to judge" which company would be the next official tyre supplier for Formula One.

Bridgestone says on its website that in 2009 it made about 40,000 Formula One tyres for 10 racing teams in its factory in Kodaira, a western suburb of Tokyo.

It also says online that its F1 exposure has boosted its brand recognition over the years.

"In 1996, Bridgestone's brand recognition in Europe's five largest countries was 13 percent, but by 2003 it had risen to 34 percent," the company says.

"In recent years the arrival of Bahrain and China to the F1 championship has enabled Bridgestone to increase its activity in the Middle East and Far East."

So who will be next, michelin,goodyear umm i wonder??