Deep in the Ardennes Forest, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium is the ideal return destination for Formula One after its summer break.
Iconic, hilly, fast and technical, Spa is one of the most demanding and challenging tracks in world motorsport, with a perfect car balance required. Do you take off as much wing as possible and try to make your moves down the Kemmel Straight, or on the run up to Blanchimont? Or go for a more conservative approach and utilise all of the 20 corners?
Modified several times since its inaugural World Championship race in 1950, the track still boasts a public road, which is used for day-to-day travel whenever race cars aren't bellowing around.
Thankfully, the fearsome, mostly deserted 14.1 kilometre track is no longer used; with the modern day circuit more akin to the layout used from 1981 onwards, with additional tweaks here and there in the interests of safety.
Spa has hosted many iconic moments for the sport; the 1998 race livened up by the typically temperamental weather. A 13 car pile-up at the start, followed by Michael Schumacher clattering into the back of David Coulthard whilst lapping him - the Scot masked by the appalling spray. To top it all off, Damon Hill recorded his first victory in nearly two years and the the first ever for Jordan Grand Prix, to the delight of effervescent team boss Eddie Jordan.
In 2000, Mika Hakkinen pulled off one of the most audacious overtaking moves seen in F1, using Ricardo Zonta's BAR as a dummy to deceive Schumacher down the Kemmel Straight. It hasn't all been bad for the 7 seven times World Champion here; he made his debut, claimed his maiden win and secured his seventh title here in 1991, 1992 and 2004 respectively.
La Source, Eau Rouge, Raidillon, Pouhon, Stavelot, Blanchimont and the Bus Stop. All household corner names - let's take a flat out look of this breathtakingly brilliant track.
Track layout
Get a clean a run as possible out of the Bus Stop to maximise acceleration down the short pit straight, drift to the left hand side of track and brake at the 100 metre board for the tight right hairpin of La Source, the site of several opening lap crashes down the years. The exit is uber-important; get the car straight and move up through the gearbox as you cascade down the hill towards the death-defying Eau Rouge/Raidillon complex.
Flat out all the way through, climbing back up the hill, left, right, left, being as delicate on the wheel as possible, otherwise a huge accident is waiting for you - ask Jacques Villeneuve, Zonta and Kevin Magnussen about that matter.
Fly down the Kemmel Straight, open the DRS and take a breather, before braking at 100 metres for the fourth gear chicane of Les Combes. Be as smooth as possible to the right and the left, drag the car to the extreme left to open up the next right of Turn 9, slightly lifting as you go through it.
Down another small hill to Bruxelles, a deceitful third gear corner. A responsive front end is vital, due to the negative camber of the long right wanting to push you out wide. Patience is a virtue here, before a short squirt of throttle takes you to Turn 11. Dab the brakes, back down to third and thread the car through. It's easy to run wide - try to resist that as there's a barrier in close proximity.
Next, feel the G-Force pulling at your neck as you negotiate Pouhon. Down one gear to sixth, throw the car in for this awesome double apexed left hander taken at around 150 miles per hour - it's a wonderful place to experience the full capabilities of a modern Formula 1 car.
Brake at 75 metres for the Fagnes chicane - a left-right medium speed complex that can be easy to get wrong. Stay tight for the first part in order to open up the longer second section.
Dart to the left and brake at the start of the kerb for Stavelot, a third gear corner taken at around 85mph. From here, you'll intersect with the public road, reaching over 200mph to Blanchimont, a flat out left kink that saw Max Verstappen pass Felipe Nasr with a well crafted move in 2015.
The Bus Stop was heavily altered after 2005, no longer the exhilarating four part double chicane, it's now a clumsy, second gear right-left chicane that breaks the beautiful flow thus far.
It's the final corner, so make the most of it. The lap time is made under braking, but get the line right and blast towards the line. The longest track on the calendar has been completed.
Statistics
Most wins for a driver: Michael Schumacher - 6
Most wins for a constructor: Ferrari - 13
Lap Record: 1:47.263 - Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2009
Did you know?
Behind the barriers at Blanchimont, an eight metre drop awaits. Luciano Burti almost found that out the hard way in 2001 after colliding with Eddie Irvine.