Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc proposes safety improvements at Spa-Francorchamps circuit

Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has highlighted three crucial areas for safety enhancement at the renowned circuit, following a series of serious accidents at the Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex in recent times.

Tragedy struck earlier this month when Dilano van 't Hoff, a driver for MP Motorsport, lost his life during a Formula Regional race at Spa after being involved in a collision with Adam Fitzgerald at the exit of Raidillon.

This incident bore a haunting resemblance to the one that claimed Anthoine Hubert's life during the 2019 F2 round at the same corner, also leaving Juan Manuel Correa with severe injuries. Despite Correa's courageous return to racing, the Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex has continued to witness significant accidents across various categories.

The heart-rending loss of van 't Hoff prompted numerous Formula 1 drivers, including Max Verstappen, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, and Zhou Guanyu, to demand modifications to the track layout. However, Leclerc refrained from advocating a complete overhaul of Spa's layout and instead focused on specific safety improvements.

"I believe there are some changes that could make a difference," asserted Leclerc to reporters. "Firstly, the walls on the straights after Eau Rouge should have more space on the left and right. Currently, if you lose control of the car, you end up colliding with the walls, greatly increasing the risk of being caught in the path of other drivers.

"I think this is a modification we should consider in the future, rather than altering the layout of Eau Rouge, for instance. We can always change the layout, but it wouldn't be fair to insist that it is the only solution."

Van 't Hoff's fatal crash occurred under wet conditions, and Leclerc stressed that visibility becomes a significant issue at this blind corner during such weather. "The two major problems in these situations are visibility," explained Leclerc. "It's truly challenging to describe what we see, or rather, what we don't see - and I'm not exaggerating when I say we can't see anything. This poses a substantial problem for Formula 1 and motorsport in general, especially single-seaters.

"With the considerable downforce and spray generated, incidents are more likely to happen because we simply cannot react to what lies ahead. Finding a solution for this is far more complex, but I am aware that the FIA is actively working on it and doing their best."

Considering the forecast of rain for the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Leclerc urged the FIA to exercise utmost caution and carefully assess the safety conditions before commencing the race. The memory of the 2021 race at Spa, which ran only two laps behind the Safety Car due to treacherous conditions, remains fresh in the minds of many.

Leclerc emphasised, "The last concern is when it's safe to start a race under wet conditions. This is another topic that the FIA must closely examine, especially during a weekend like this, with expected heavy rain. We shouldn't feel pressured to start a race just because we haven't had much track time - a possibility we might face this weekend.

"Safety must always be the priority for everyone involved. As drivers, we should not complain if there are limited laps or no racing at all when it's simply not safe to do so, given everything that has occurred."

As anticipation builds for the Belgian Grand Prix scheduled for Sunday, 30 July, the motorsport community waits to see if Leclerc's recommendations and the FIA's measures will help ensure a safer and more successful event at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.