Formula One will awake from its mid-season slumber at this week's Belgian Grand Prix.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at five talking points as F1 roars back into action at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit.
HAMILTON SET FOR GRID PENALTY
Lewis Hamilton may be 19 points ahead of Nico Rosberg, but he is set to start the second half of the campaign on the backfoot after Mercedes confirmed on Wednesday that it is probable he will suffer a grid penalty in Belgium. The penalty, which could see Hamilton demoted to the back of the field, has been lingering over the Briton like a bad smell after he suffered a raft of engine woes in the opening rounds of the season. The Spa-Francorchamps Circuit is the longest on the calendar, and is expected to offer Hamilton arguably the best chance of salvaging a decent result. Rosberg, who has scored 62 fewer points than Hamilton since they both crashed out of May's Spanish Grand Prix, will now know that only a victory on Sunday will suffice if he is to get his stuttering title campaign back on track.
BUTTON INSPIRED BY TEAM GB
Jenson Button is hoping to draw on the success of Great Britain's triumphant Olympics team as he starts what could be the final nine races of his 17-season grand prix career. Button's future remains in limbo with McLaren to take a decision on their driver line-up in September. Williams is also an option for Button should McLaren choose to replace him with their reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne. "The summer break has been great, and a chance to rest, recharge and spend time with friends and family," said Button, 36. "I spent most of it in the United States, but I still managed to keep up with Team GB's efforts in the Olympics - incredible. It's been a great summer of sport and I'm hoping for more positive results as we start the second half of the season."
PALMER MADE TO SWEAT ON RENAULT FUTURE
Button's countryman Jolyon Palmer also faces an uncertain future. The 25-year-old, competing in his first season, has shown moments of class in an uncompetitive Renault, but could be sidelined after just one year. Like McLaren, his Renault team are set to discuss their options for 2017 in September. "We have two drivers that are motivated so the second part of the year is to keep track of expectations and see where we are," Renault team principal Fred Vasseur said. "In reality we won't take any decision before September. We will take a decision when we are ready."
OCON HAS CHANCE TO IMPRESS
A driver in contention to replace Palmer at Renault is Esteban Ocon. The 19-year-old Frenchman will be given his chance to impress when he makes his grand prix debut in Belgium. Ocon, a member of the Mercedes driver development programme, has been handed his chance with Manor after Rio Haryanto, sponsored by the Indonesian government, ran out of money to fund his seat. Ocon, who had been on loan to Renault as a test driver, will team up with Pascal Wehrlein - another driver highly thought of by Mercedes - for the remainder of the campaign.
VETTEL TO HEADLINE RACE OF CHAMPIONS
Sebastian Vettel will headline the annual Race of Champions at the end of the year. The two-day tournament, which pits drivers head-to-head from a number of different racing formats, will this year take place in America for the first time having been staged at London's Olympic Stadium in 2015.
Source: PA
