Formula 1 is gearing up for its last race before the summer break at Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix. Daniel Ricciardo, driving for Visa Cash App RB, shared his thoughts on the upcoming challenges.
Spa is not only the longest track in F1 but also home to Eau Rouge, a corner known for its danger. Many drivers have called for changes after fatal accidents there. Speaking in Hungary, Ricciardo gave his take on the controversial track: “I mean, it’s still an exciting track. I think it’s one of those ones where we’ve all driven a lot of times now. So just naturally, you’re not as excited as the first time you ever drove there and did a region as you say in dry conditions,” he said. “Eau Rouge, it’s pretty easy now. But Spa rains probably 50 per cent of the time and in the wet, Eau Rouge is a fricking scary corner and it’s a real corner. So it depends on the weather.”
In 2014, Ricciardo won his third F1 race at Spa while driving for Red Bull. He finds Eau Rouge challenging but has another favorite spot: “Its pool is really cool. That one is a real corner. It’s seventh, just probably with a little lift in quality,” he explained. “So is it still a great circuit? It is, but maybe the challenge is 20 years ago. Maybe there were three or four challenges on the track. Maybe now there’s two.”
Is Eau Rouge too dangerous?
When asked about past accidents and safety margins at Eau Rouge, Ricciardo said: “I don’t know if it was last year, but recently they definitely made some changes pushing the barriers away.” He mentioned Lando’s big qualifying crash in ’21 and noted that adjustments were made afterward due to severe accidents.
“The corner is still fun,” he added thoughtfully. “It’s not nothing.” Fans might wonder if such iconic corners should remain risky or be altered further for safety.
Ricciardo believes that holding flat out through Eau Rouge during races can still be thrilling yet scary when following closely behind another car with less downforce: “Trying to push all the barriers away… I think that sort of corner and with a track that does get mixed conditions… I think it’s right,” he concluded.
What do you think about these changes? Should iconic tracks stay dangerous or become safer?
