Spa Franchorchamps

The Belgian Grand Prix is the most awaited race in the Championship for quite a considerable number of people out there who dug up their ass every second Sunday of the month to enjoy 1 and a half hours action of high speed racing.

Among the drivers who actually demonstrate their will out on the racing track, one man singles out to be at a higher pedestal than others when it comes to charging through the ardennes forests at 18000 RPM, full throttle.

Kimi Raikkonen, winner of Spa four times in the last 5 races, not to forget that he almost pulled it off in 2008 as well, only for some unwilling force determined to prove a point that even someone like Kimi can fall, and he did, crashing out on the penultimate lap to hand over the win to his much slower teammate.

Those at Ferrari responsible for making the 2009 car will remember the feat the Iceman achieved last year, winning the grand Prix and holding off a much faster force in Giancharlo Fisichella. It was the only victory Ferrari achieved in 2009. In a car which was only good enough to compete in Formula 3 races, our boy from Finland displayed why he is known as the King of Spa.

It is very common for drivers to have tracks which suit them more than others. While Felipe Massa enjoys Bahrain and Turkey, Senna was the master of Monaco. Schumacher, barring his car exploits, had a special love for Magny Cours, whereas Lewis Hamilton loves driving where Champions are known to having crashed at the much renowned Wall of Champions, circuit Gilles Villenueve.

For Kimi, Spa singles out to be the track where given a competitive machinery, 9 out of 10 times he will make the other drivers seem like amateurish Go Kart prodigies, hoping to come good when the King is at work. Ask Michael Schumacher, who suffered a similar fate in 2004 when he was outpaced by the Iceman at his happy hunting ground.

The track has a beautiful layout starting with the ever spectacular corner “Eau Rouge”, climbing uphill at the speed of 180 MPH, through which you arrive at the long straight where the engine is muscled upto its limits, shouting in anger at 18000 RPM as the world witnesses the raw power of a Formula 1 engine.

Undoubtedly, it is the most beautiful track to drive at, with free fast flowing corners, a perfect recipe for those who enjoy their laid back style of driving.