F1 Spa Blog, whether the weather is wet

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Written by Kate Walker

Sunday, 29 August 2010 12:14

The question on everyone's lips here in Spa is 'will it rain before, during, or after the race?'

While the weather conditions in Belgium can be described as variable at best, it will almost certainly rain this afternoon. But how much and when? Lotus are confident that the race will start in the dry with rain falling an hour in, while nearly everyone else is hedging their bets and counting on rain from the start.

I lack the sophisticated forecasting software used by the teams, but using a little thing called the internet I discovered that light showers are expected around 2pm local time, when the race is due to start. The forecast is for 0.8mm of rain between 2pm and 5pm, and if that proves accurate then there won't be enough rain to really affect play.

The skies over Spa are overcast, but the clouds are not threatening much more than drizzle at the moment. The downpours we've suffered this weekend have been obvious from the rapidly darkening skies, but there is a certain brightness behind the clouds as the paddock prepares for lunch.

If the race does start in the dry, then Rubens Barrichello will be the only man in the top ten to start the race on the prime tyre compound; everyone else did their qualifying lap on the option, as has generally been the case this season.

But while tyre strategy will be key this afternoon, so too is set-up. Some of the drivers – notably Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, and Nico Rosberg – have elected to count on rain and run a wet weather set-up, hoping to make up places in the rain. Both Williams drivers are expecting mixed conditions, and have set up their cars accordingly.

As I've been writing, dark clouds have begun to roll in. The residual brightness is being sucked out of the sky, replaced with a menacing heavy grey. Rain is now a certainty, but 'when' is still the question. With an hour and a half to go before the race, anything could happen. Air temperature is 14 degrees, with 73 percent humidity; the track is a very cool 16 degrees. Kate Walker Girlracer magazine

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