Zolder hard on brakes

We quizzed the top-3 drivers Friday after provisional qualifying for the Champ Car Grand Prix of Belgium on their impressions of the Zolder circuit and whether there would be a place to pass. All three agreed it was a fast circuit and two of the three was not sure if they could pass, but Simon Pagenaud felt that with three long straightaways ending in tight corners, Zolder would be hard on the brakes.

“For the first turn you go from seventh gear to third gear," says Simon Pagenaud. “For the chicane at the end of the back-straight you also go from seventh to third, then into Turn 10 it’s sixth to second gear and for the last chicane before the pits you go from seventh gear to second.

“It is a tough racetrack to pass on, but it’s also a very tough racetrack on brakes. I think at the end of the race some people will be struggling with their brakes and that may provide some passing opportunities, especially in Turn 10