Spa Speed Trap: Who is the fastest of them all?

Spa-Francorchamps is the longest track on the F1 schedule and - along with Monza - is one of the sport's most power-hungry venues where top speeds reach their highest levels of the season.

But the Ardennes circuit's 7-kilometer layout isn't only about top velocity, as its blend of high-speed corners calls for the right compromise between straight-line speed and downforce levels.

While Max Verstappen's Red Bull was imperial in qualifying, the Dutchman was only the seventh fastest car up Spa's Kemmel straight, which tells us all we need to know about the RB18's overall massively efficient balance.

• 2022 Belgian Grand Prix - Provisional starting grid

Alex Albon's presence at the top of the speed trap readings underscores the sleek low downforce aerodynamics of Williams' FW44.

But the Anglo-Thai's top velocity also dismisses the Mercedes engine as a factor of weakness in the miserable performance of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in qualifying, with both drivers lingering at the bottom of the speed trap numbers.

However, one could argue that the German power unit simply doesn't have the grunt to compensate for the Mercedes W13's significant level of drag?

A very harmful deficit to have at Spa.

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