Spa is a compromise. Sector 1 and sector 3 are nearly all full throttle and want no wing at all. Sector 2 is fast, flowing corners and wants a lot. You cannot have both, so you pick a side.
This F1 2017 setup picks the straights and keeps just enough rear wing for Eau Rouge. It is a time trial setup, saved with 10 kg of fuel.
F1 2017 Spa setup
| Setting | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 1 | 6 |
| Differential (on / off throttle) | 95% | 90% |
| Camber | -2.50 | -1.00 |
| Toe | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Suspension | 7 | 7 |
| Anti-roll bar | 9 | 1 |
| Ride height | 6 | 5 |
| Tyre pressure | 23.0 psi | 21.5 psi |
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel load | 10 kg |
| Brake pressure | 75% |
| Front brake bias | 54% |
| Ballast | 11 |
In F1 2017 the wings, suspension, anti-roll bars, ride height and ballast all use a scale from 1 to 11.
This setup was collected for the site in 2022 from a fast time trial lap, like the rest of my F1 2017 setups. Use it as a base and adjust it with the table further down.
Why this setup works at Spa
The lap is 7.004 km, the longest of the season. From the exit of La Source to the braking for Les Combes you are flat for a very long time, uphill.
The wings. 1 and 6. The gap between front and rear is big, and that is on purpose. The rear wing at 6 holds the car in Eau Rouge and Blanchimont, the two places where a loose rear means a big crash. The front at 1 keeps the drag down. The cost is understeer in the medium speed corners. Pouhon and the corners after it are where you feel it.
The bars. Front 9, rear 1. The rear bar is as soft as the game allows. With a small front wing the car already wants to understeer, so a soft rear is not there for balance. It is there for confidence: the rear rolls, grips and tells you what it is doing in the fast corners.
The ride height. 6 at the front and 5 at the rear. A click higher at the front than most of my F1 2017 setups. That is for the compression at the bottom of Eau Rouge, where the car is pushed hard into the road.
The ballast. 11, all the way to one end of the scale, the same as at Baku and in Austria. I would leave it alone unless the balance feels wrong after you have tried the wings.
Brakes and differential
Brake pressure is 75% with 54% at the front. There are only three real stops on the lap: La Source, Les Combes and the Bus Stop. 75% is easy to control without ABS, and with this little front wing you do not want to lock a front tyre and miss the corner.
The differential is 95% on throttle and 90% off throttle. The 90% off throttle value is high. It makes the rear very stable when you lift, which is what you want at 300 km/h into Blanchimont or over the top of Raidillon. In the slow corners it makes the car a little lazy to rotate. At Spa that is a fair trade.
What to change
One change at a time, three laps, then decide.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Understeer in Pouhon and through sector 2 | Front wing 1 to 3 | The front wing is at the minimum. Two clicks give a lot of front grip for little drag |
| You have to lift in Eau Rouge | Rear wing 6 to 7 | More rear downforce in the compression, and a rear you can trust over the crest |
| Slow on the Kemmel straight against the AI | Rear wing 6 to 5 | Less drag. Only do it if sector 2 already feels easy |
| Rear tyres lock or the rear moves into Les Combes | Front brake bias 54% to 56% | More front bias settles the car in the biggest stop of the lap |
| Wheelspin out of La Source or the Bus Stop | On throttle differential 95% to 80% | The two slowest corners both lead onto long straights. Clean traction is worth more than a locked axle |
| The car bottoms out in Eau Rouge | Ride height 6 / 5 to 7 / 6 | The compression at the bottom pushes the floor into the road |
For a race
In a race the front wing at 1 is the weak point. With a full tank the car understeers more, and the front left tyre takes a beating through Pouhon lap after lap. Before a 25% or 50% race I would change this:
- Front wing 1 to 3. Less understeer, and a front left tyre that lasts the stint.
- On throttle differential 95% to 80%. Better traction out of La Source and the Bus Stop when the rear tyres are worn.
- Rear wing: leave it at 6. You need the straight line speed to attack and defend on the Kemmel straight.
- Fuel. The 10 kg is a time trial number. In a race the game sets the load for the distance.
If rain is on the way, go up two clicks on both wings. Spa in the wet with a front wing at 1 is not fun.
Where the lap time is at Spa
- La Source. The most important corner. Brake late if you like, but be patient in the middle. You need the car straight and the throttle flat as early as you can, because everything from here to Les Combes depends on it.
- Eau Rouge and Raidillon. With the rear wing at 6 it is flat in the 2017 car. Turn in early on the left, let the car climb, and keep the steering smooth over the crest. If you correct the wheel at the top, you lift, and a lift here costs you all the way up the straight.
- Les Combes. The biggest stop and the best place to pass. Brake in a straight line and take the kerb on the right, then the left, without running wide on the exit.
- Rivage. A long downhill right. The car understeers and you have to wait. Early throttle here just sends you wide.
- Pouhon. A fast double left. One lift on the way in, then back on the throttle and hold the line. This is where the front wing at 1 hurts.
- Stavelot. The last real corner before a full throttle run to the Bus Stop. Use all the kerb on exit.
- Blanchimont. Flat. Do not think about it.
- The Bus Stop. Brake hard, turn right, then left. Give up a little on the entry and think about the exit. The main straight and La Source are next.
One thing I tell drivers about corners like La Source and Stavelot: the corner before a long straight is the one that counts double. You carry the gain or the loss for the whole straight.
Spa in 2017
The real 2017 Belgian Grand Prix was round 12 of 20, on 27 August. Lewis Hamilton took pole in 1:42.553 for Mercedes. It was the 68th pole of his career, which equalled Michael Schumacher's record. He won the race with Sebastian Vettel right behind him for Ferrari, and Daniel Ricciardo third for Red Bull.
More F1 2017 setups
All 20 tracks are in my F1 2017 setups table. The round before this one is the F1 2017 Hungary setup, which is the opposite of Spa with both wings at 11. The next is the F1 2017 Monza setup, where the rear wing goes all the way down to 1.
For the same track in other games, here are my F1 2018 Spa setup and my F1 25 Spa setup. The values do not carry over from one game to the next.
FAQ
What is the best wing setup for Spa in F1 2017?
Front wing 1 and rear wing 6 for time trial. For a race I would go to 3 at the front to save the front left tyre.
Is Eau Rouge flat in F1 2017?
Yes, with the rear wing at 6 or more and a smooth steering input. If you have to lift, add one click of rear wing.
What differential should I use at Spa in F1 2017?
95% on throttle and 90% off throttle for time trial. For a race, open the on throttle value to around 80%.
Why does my car understeer in Pouhon?
The front wing is at 1, the minimum. Go to 2 or 3 and the front will hold the line through both parts of the corner.
Does this setup work with a controller?
Yes. I would raise the front wing to 3 and lower the on throttle differential to 80% so the car is calmer on the triggers.
Where can I overtake at Spa in F1 2017?
Into Les Combes at the end of the Kemmel straight with DRS, and into the Bus Stop at the end of the lap.
How long is the Spa track in F1 2017?
7.004 km. It is the longest lap of the season, and the real race is 44 laps.