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Formula One is back after the mid-season break as the teams head to Spa for the Belgium Grand Prix. Join The Roar for a live commentary of qualifying at 10:00pm (AEST).
After a four week break for the mid-season, Formula One returns at one of the most historic events on the calendar.
Spa has been around in the calendar since 1950 but it hasn’t been a part of the calendar for every single year of the championship.
From 1972-1984 – apart from 1983 when it was held at Spa – the Belgium Grand Prix was not held at the famous circuit.
It was also not held in 1957, 1959, 1969 and 1971.
Since 1985 though Spa has been part of the calendar and it has seen some greats of the sport win at the venue.
Michael Schumacher has won at the venue six times, Ayrton Senna has won in Spa on five occasions, and Jim Clark has won it four times.
Of the current drivers in the field, Kimi Raikkonen is the most successful, with four wins at the venue. His last win was in 2009 when he was with Ferrari. He will be looking to repeat that feat this weekend after a horror year for the Finnish driver.
Other current drivers who have won in Spa include Vettel (twice), Massa, Button and Hamilton.
Hamilton will be looking to repeat what he did in 2010 this weekend as he battles with his team-mate for the championship.
The margin is just 11 points between the two and Hamilton has done well in the last two rounds to bounce back from horror qualifying sessions.
Qualifying tonight looks to be a Mercedes affair after dominating this year. They have taken 10 of the 11 pole positions on offer with Rosberg winning 6 of them.
If practice is anything to go by then it will be a Mercedes 1-2 for the race. In practice 1 and 2 yesterday, Rosberg was quickest in P1, with Hamilton the quickest in P2.
In both those practice sessions the team-mate finished second when one of the Mercedes drivers topped the session.
The only thing that looks likely to stop the duo is mechanical problems or rain. Rain is forecasted for the session and that could be a nuisance to the teams and drivers.
Others in contention for pole position include Red Bull, Williams, and Ferrari. Williams look the most likely to do it but will need to be quicker than what they were in practice.
They were over a second behind the Mercedes duo in practice and need to improve significantly to be a shot at qualifying.
If it rains then the Red Bulls are a chance to cause a surprise. Daniel Ricciardo finished 2nd in Australia in qualifying when it was a wet session.
He will be one to look out for if the skies start to open.
It could be a big session if it rains in Spa with plenty of drivers in contention for pole.
If it doesn’t then Mercedes will look to continue their dominance of qualifying this year.
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