What did we tell you… The break flew by, didn't it?

If you've been following us on the McLaren App over the past three weeks, you'll have seen we spent the summer shutdown exploring the grounds of the McLaren Technology Centre.

We wandered the Boulevard and admired our favourite machinery, dug out the inflatables for a day of sunbathing on the lake, and spent some time in the digital post room looking through all of the artwork you've sent us. We then capped our holiday off with an excursion to Unit 2 and lost ourselves in some history.

Safe to say, we're well rested and raring to get back on track, and where better to return than Belgium?

We gathered the thoughts of Lando, Daniel and Andreas when they were at the factory on Tuesday, and have included them below, as well as some key stats, tips for what to wear and a heads up on what to watch for.

Key info

Round	14
Where	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
When	26 - 28 August
Follow	TEAMStream and the McLaren App for LIVE commentary and team radio

What they say

“I’ve enjoyed the last few weeks off from the busy F1 calendar. I’ve played some golf and made sure I’ve taken the time to really relax so I’m ready to go for part two of the season. We’ve got some work to do in the fight for fourth in the championship but I’m ready to get stuck back into the battle.

“Spa is always a great challenge for the teams and the drivers. I’m in the factory this week so I’ll be fully prepped to get behind the wheel and I’m looking forward to getting back in the car to see what we can do. With my mum being from Belgium, Spa feels like another home race for me, so it will be great to see the fans and hopefully score some points in front of them. Fingers crossed the weather will hold out a bit better this year!”

“I’m looking forward to heading back to Belgium. The track at Spa is an exciting one and you always get a thrill going through the fast corners, particularly Eau Rouge into Raidillon. Mixed with the long straights and iconic features, we can really push the cars. There’s also always a good atmosphere so it's a nice track to return to after a few weeks off.

“I’m feeling recharged after the summer break. I’ve spent some time in the US resting and resetting with friends and I feel ready to hop back in the car and give everything for the remaining nine races. After the news, my full focus is now on the rest of the season and to make sure I leave on a high. Let’s get back racing.”

“The team are feeling rested and ready to tackle the second half of the season head on. Spa is an exciting challenge as there are a multitude of ways to play it from a strategy and engineering perspective. It also holds some nice overtaking opportunities for the drivers to take advantage of and the track isn’t like many others on the calendar.

“I know the team are excited to get back out there and kick start the triple header. Whilst the intense three weeks in a row has its challenges, it also provides a good opportunity to quickly gain momentum and take the fight to the Alpines, hopefully scoring some points with both cars. After the news about Daniel, we now switch our full focus to this race weekend. We still have an important fight in the Constructor’s Championship ahead of us and we look forward to battling this out with Daniel and Lando.”

What the stats say

Our history in Belgium really does go way back. It was at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit where Bruce McLaren scored the team's first grand prix victory, winning from sixth place in 1968.

We're the second most successful side in the history of the race, and hold the record for most consecutive wins, with a huge haul of five between 1987 and 1991. The latter four of those were taken by Ayrton Senna, after Alain Prost had started the run. The most recent of our 13 Belgium Grand Prix wins came courtesy of Jenson Button in 2012, the British racer converting his sole pole position for McLaren.

Lando's Belgium Grand Prix success has been mixed – he won there in his European Formula 3 days, and added a podium during his sole season of Formula 2, but since stepping up to F1 has only managed a highest finish of seventh, so he'll be hoping to better that this season. 

Daniel's often enjoyed his trips to Spa, with points in seven of his 11 races at the circuit, including a victory in 2014, and podiums in 2016 and 2017. The track hosted his joint second-best result of last season, as he notched fourth place for us.

Session times

Free Practice 1	14:00 local / 13:00 BST / 12:00 UTC
Free Practice 2	17:00 local / 16:00 BST / 15:00 UTC
Free Practice 3	13:00 local / 12:00 BST / 11:00 UTC
Qualifying	16:00 local / 15:00 BST / 14:00 UTC
Race	15:00 local / 14:00 BST / 13:00 UTC

What to watch out for

As the longest circuit on the F1 calendar, a lot.

In fact, the track is so long – and the weather in Belgium so unpredictable - that it isn't unusual for it to be raining in one section, and dry in another.

There's 7km of track for cars to make their way around in Spa and it's packed full of challenges. The most iconic of which is the Eau Rouge and Raidillon combination - a pulsating downhill drive followed by tough left and right-handers that head uphill - that features an elevation change of 35 metres from its lowest to the highest point. 

Spa-Francorchamps doesn't only ask questions on track, but off it too. One of the primary discussions each season at the Belgian track centres around the level of downforce that teams opt for: lower downforce and straight-line speed are more beneficial in the first and final sectors, while higher downforce will have you more competitive around the corners in the technical middle sector. The 2022 regulations will only complicate this matter, but deciding which is more suitable for the MCL36 will be key. More on that decision here.

We won't quite find the track as we left it, following the addition of gravel traps and extended run-off areas at Eau Rouge and Raidillon, as part of safety-led improvements. There's also a sparkly new grandstand at the top of the iconic corner, while sections of the track have also been resurfaced.

What to wear

We loved soaking up the sun during the shutdown, but unfortunately, summer can't last forever, and you'll want to be prepared for the wet and windy days that are bound to come.

The first of those may arrive as soon as this weekend given that the weather at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is infamously unpredictable from one part of the track to the next. So, we'd suggest stocking up on the wet-weather essentials to ensure you're not caught short if the heavens open, as is predicted.

A water-resistant jacket is an absolute must, and ours are lightweight enough to be carried around if it does remain dry. We'd also recommend one of our umbrellas for that very same reason. 

McLaren Creators

Every week, our social channels and the MTC post room are chock-a-block with amazing art pieces that our fans have created and sent to us. Going through them always warms our hearts, and so we wanted to share the love.

Whether you're a skilled sketcher, a budding paper mache artist, or prefer to paint by numbers, our new McLaren Creators segment will highlight our favourite pieces from our inspired fanbase.

This week we're spotlighting Elsa's awesome McLaren artwork.

"It wasn't until I was 13-years-old that I started drawing. I was inspired by Marvel comics and started sharing my drawings on my Instagram. When I turned 16, I realised that I wanted to be a graphic designer and at 18, I entered a school that would allow me to make that dream come true. That's when I started following Formula 1, and I was immediately hooked on McLaren. The positivity that the team exudes makes me smile, and the community that has been created around it is very caring.

"During the vacations, the teachers at my school advised us to practice realistic and multi-technique drawing. So naturally, my first drawing was Lando's 2021 McLaren, and then Daniel's. I then drew Daniel's helmet, and I realised at that time that I was doing pretty well. Thanks to these three drawings, I started to draw much more and gain confidence in myself. I also started drawing on a tablet, where I discovered a new technique I quickly adopted to make more realistic drawings. I am proud today that my work is recognised and that I can share it with other people who are passionate about Formula 1."

Want to have your works of art featured in our preview and on our channels? Send us your creations by tagging McLaren and using the hashtag #McLarenCreators.

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