Zoom Haug looks at the Spa-Francorchamps factors

Norbert Haug, Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, went to Valencia with hopes that the McLaren team would win the European Grand Prix and bring its consecutive victory tally to four. Ferrari put an end to that by taking the win at the urban circuit's inaugural Formula One event.

Haug looks back at the Valencia race, speaks of the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, and reflects on the final third of the 2008 season. As usual, Haug also uses his love of numbers to underline his take on each subject.

After three wins in a row for McLaren Mercedes, the team took positions two and four in Valencia. Did you expect more?

"Yes indeed, we wanted to win. Nevertheless, our result in Valencia is no reason for us to feel disappointed. We scored 13 points which continues the trend of the previous three races. Since Silverstone, we have scored 55 out of 72 possible points in those four races and reduced the gap to the top of the constructors’ ranking from 33 to eight points."

What are the challenges of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit?

"The track of Spa-Francorchamps is the longest on the Formula 1 calendar at over seven kilometres, and, after Monza, where we will race one week later, the one with the second highest average speed of all Grand Prix circuits: in qualifying last year, this was 238 km/h. At both of those circuits, the engines are put under the highest strain of the season. The longest full-throttle part starts at Eau Rouge and leads all the way up to Les Combes; it is 1,900 metres long and takes almost 24 seconds.

"In addition, there is another, 1,600-metre-long full-throttle section between corners 14 and 18 which lasts 21 seconds. Apart from long straights where the cars reach speeds of up to about 320 km/h, Spa has every element to make a circuit interesting and challenging, from long and demanding corners like Pouhon and Stavelot to the tight hairpin La Source which can be taken at a speed of 70km/h."

"Drivers and engineers have to consider these completely different sections when they work on the set-up. The weather often plays tricks here on the teams and when it rains, then not necessarily everywhere around the track. If there were to be a poll among the drivers as to which is the most demanding track, Spa would certainly be the circuit with the most votes."

Spa marks the beginning of this season's final third. What can we expect until the final race in Sao Paulo?