Formula 1 2022 14 2022-08-28 2022-08-28 https://r2.thesportsdb.com/images/media/event/thumb/0fheni1643207063.jpg https://r2.thesportsdb.com/images/media/event/poster/5go1qz1643140790.jpg The 2022 Belgian Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 Rolex Belgian Grand Prix 2022) was a Formula One motor race held on 28 August 2022 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium. The race ran over a distance of 44 laps and was the 78th overall running of the Belgian Grand Prix, the 67th time the event has been held as part of the Formula One World Championship and the 55th World Championship race held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The race was won by defending winner Max Verstappen. This was also the 350th Grand Prix entry for Alpine driver, Fernando Alonso. Background The event was held across the weekend of the 26–28 August. It was the fourteenth round of the 2022 Formula One World Championship. The race marked the beginning of the second half of the 2022 championship following the summer break. A technical directive was introduced at this round to limit the amount of porpoising and bottoming out, following safety and legal concerns in the first half of the season. The FIA's proposal was for a specific addition to Article 3.15.8 of the technical regulations, addressing the flexibility of the plank underneath a car. The changes were initially proposed to come into force at the French Grand Prix in July, before being pushed back in order to give teams enough time to comply with the directive. In the build up to the event, drivers including Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly and Sergio Pérez expressed sadness that the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps could be omitted from the calendar for the 2023 championship and beyond, hoping the 2022 race would not be the last Formula One race at the venue. Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen described the circuit as his "favourite" and stated that it would be "a shame" to see the circuit dropped from the calendar in future seasons. Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner urged Formula One to "ringfence" classic venues such as Spa-Francorchamps, Silverstone and Monza to prevent them dropping off the calendar. Race organisers said renewing the contract for the race to be held in future seasons would "not be easy". In response to this, Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali stated there was still a chance that the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps could be included on the 2023 calendar. An agreement for the Belgian Grand Prix to be on the 2023 calendar would be reached. The event featured five former Belgian Grand Prix winning drivers entering the event, these being four-time winner Lewis Hamilton (2010, 2015, 2017 and 2020), three-time winner Sebastian Vettel (2011, 2013 and 2018), and one-time winners Daniel Ricciardo (2014), Charles Leclerc (2019) and Max Verstappen (2021). Following concern over fan behaviour at previous races, particularly at the Austrian Grand Prix, the race organisers urged for "respect for everyone" and imposed restrictions on spectators to combat disruptive behaviour, banning attendees from bringing items such as glass, alcohol, weapons and smoke flares to the circuit. Despite contractual uncertainty surrounding his Formula One future at the time of the race, Alpine reserve driver Oscar Piastri continued to provide his team with in-weekend simulator support from the team's base at Enstone in the United Kingdom for this race. 1448323