Martin Brundle reveals sneaky F1 'cheat' at Belgian Grand Prix

Martin Brundle has revealed the sneaky way F1 rivals have previously gained an advantage at the Belgian Grand Prix.

F1 fans have become accustomed to the start/finish straight placed before La Source (Turn 1) since the layout changes in 1981, with the original start taking place on the downhill straight before Eau Rouge.

Speaking during FP1 on Friday at Spa-Francorchamps stood on track at La Source, Sky Sports pundit Brundle revealed how drivers used to utilise the corner to gain an advantage.

“This reminds me, this piece of track we’re standing on here, because the pits were down the hills where the F2 is now,” he said.

“We used to fake a problem, come up here, Keke Rosberg started it, do a uey (U-turn) and then carry 50 miles an hour more into the start/finish line into Eau Rouge as a little bit of a crafty move, crafty cheat if you like to get a faster lap time!”

Spa’s F1 changes over the years

Spa has undergone several other revisions over the years, mainly in a bid to enhance driver safety.

Following Ayrton Senna’s death at Imola in 1994, a slow chicane was added at Eau Rouge but was removed the next year and instead replaced with additional run-off areas.

In 2007, the bus stop chicane - the final section of Spa named after the bus stop that stood on the old track layout - was redesigned to form a double hairpin, alongside the construction of new pit facilities.

Over the years, a safety debate has emerged over the Eau Rouge/Raidillon part of the track, which has seen fatal accidents throughout its history.

F2 driver Anthoine Hubert was killed in a killed in a crash at Raidillon in 2019, with Dilano van 't Hoff also losing his life at the corner exit in 2023.

The F1 paddock gathered on the circuit at Spa on Thursday to pay tribute to those who have lost their life, where Pierre Gasly laid down flowers at Hubert’s memorial on the track.

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