The second half of the season begins at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, which in the past has produced some classic races.

From a betting point of view, the downside of this race is the weather and the unpredictable nature of it. At the time of writing it looks like it could be a dry weekend, but that can change quickly in this part of the world. It may be a risk but I’m going to base my predictions on a dry weekend – so here goes!…

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ONE – Looking at the previous winners of the Belgian Grand Prix, you will notice that Kimi Raikkonen appears a very impressive four times. Although the last win was in 2009 and his form this year hasn’t been the greatest, I still feel that the Finn has a great chance of finishing on the podium on Sunday afternoon – it would be a great way to celebrate his extended stay at Maranello too.

Kimi Raikkonen to finish on the podium – 7/4 (Ladbrokes & Skybet)

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TWO – Force India have enjoyed Spa in the past, especially in 2009 when Giancarlo Fisichella surprised the F1 paddock with pole position and a very strong second place in the race. So which Force India driver should I choose to finish in the points? Nico Hulkenberg has been outperforming his team-mate recently, but his odds are too short for me, so I’m going for Sergio Perez to finish in the points.

Sergio Perez to finish in the points – 11/10 (Ladbrokes)

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THREE – Romain Grosjean had probably one of the lowest moments in his F1 career after he caused the crash at the start of the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix. Thankfully the Swiss-French driver has improved since then and in my opinion is in a strong position to achieve a top-10 in qualifying, with Mercedes power in the back of the Lotus around the power track that is Spa.

Romain Grosjean to reach qualifying session three – 5/4 (Ladbrokes)

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Good luck and remember to bet responsibly.

♦ Kyle Cumbers is a member of the NRF1 Podcast crew. Follow Kyle on Twitter @kcumbers

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