Spa 2026: F1 Drivers Split on Belgian GP Appeal

Spa-Francorchamps has long been the driver's circuit of choice, but F1's 2026 regulations are threatening to strip it of its defining character — and the grid is divided on how to feel about that heading into Round 10 of the F1 calendar.

The core problem is energy. With far less time spent on the brakes around the 7km layout, cars simply cannot harvest enough to power through Spa's most fearsome corners at full tilt. Pouhon, the iconic double-left that separates the brave from the rest, could be sacrificed entirely on the altar of battery management. Lando Norris, fifth in the championship standings on 97 points, was blunt about it. "It's certainly not going to be the same Spa," the McLaren driver said. "It's certainly not going to be quite the same challenge as what it's always been."

Oscar Piastri offered a more clinical read. The Kemmel straight sequence — flat from La Source through to Les Combes — will empty the battery pack completely, making the opening phase relatively predictable. "It will probably actually be simple-ish," Piastri said. Sector 3, without meaningful braking zones, is where it gets tactically complicated.

Haas driver Oliver Bearman went further, admitting he would now rather race at the Red Bull Ring or the Hungaroring — circuits loaded with braking zones to replenish the battery — over Spa or Silverstone. He does, however, believe the regulations are sharpening driver craft. "It's interesting and it's definitely teaching us a lot. As much as we like to complain, it's making us better drivers."

Lewis Hamilton, third in the standings on 147 points for Ferrari, pushed back entirely. For him, the racing product matters more than the driving feel. Monaco, he argued, proves that a spectacular venue means nothing without wheel-to-wheel combat. Spa, even if slower, still delivers that.

Norris added a pointed footnote: with Spa moving to a rotational slot and no Belgian Grand Prix scheduled for 2028 or 2030, the drivers will see even less of a circuit most of them rank in their top five. Follow live timing and session updates at our race centre when the action gets underway.

First reported by Motorsport.com.