Preview of the GP at Spa
Formula 1 returns to the University of driving at Spa-Francorchamps for the tenth round of the 2026 season, the penultimate before the long summer break. The track is one of the most loved by fans and drivers, but in this World Championship it arrives on the calendar almost like a sacred monster which, due to its characteristics as a very fast and super technical circuit, is also feared by engine manufacturers for the battery charging demands. Beyond the more purely technical concerns, Spa is still Spa and so there are certainly plenty of topics to follow the whole weekend with some attention in the middle of the Ardennes forest. Need a little help? Here are five reasons not to miss a single minute of the Belgian weekend.
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Ferrari seeking confirmation after Silverstone
Two wins and a terrible performance in three races: this is the haul collected in recent weekends by a Scuderia Ferrari that so far has been inconsistent. Winning and convincing in Barcelona, very slow in Spielberg despite the new engine developed with the ADUO, again and surprisingly able to fight at the top – and even win with a bit of luck – at Silverstone. The challenge at Spa-Francorchamps is certainly crucial: the track is very fast but besides rewarding the power unit’s horsepower, it is one of those where having a good chassis and excellent aerodynamics can make the difference. So it will be interesting to see if, after the English coup, also at the Belgian GP, on another track theoretically terrible for the Maranello engine, the Red car will manage to surprise the competition with the electric energy delivery and defend itself proudly.
Kimi Antonelli seeking redemption
In recent races Andrea Kimi Antonelli has outclassed George Russell, but has scored very little due to mechanical failures in Barcelona and Silverstone and the controversial Q3 finish in Spielberg that paved the way for his teammate’s victory in Austria. Despite the performances, the numbers clearly show a reopened World Championship, with George having scored 61 points in the last 3 GPs compared to Kimi’s 15, now “only” +25 in the standings. The margin is still wide, but the course must be reversed on a track historically favorable to Russell: he achieved his first career podium in the farcical 2021 race, surprisingly won in 2024 only to be disqualified after the checkered flag. Conversely, Antonelli was excluded in Q1 last year and ended Saturday in tears: winning the internal battle here would be a near knockout blow.
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Has Leclerc really regained his feeling?
Speaking of teammates, Charles Leclerc started the Silverstone weekend off slow, bitterly disappointed by Lewis Hamilton’s performances, only to overturn the setup of the SF-26 thanks to a modification he himself called “philosophical” which allowed him to regain some confidence. The Monegasque was then perfect in Sunday’s race, relaunching himself in the internal duel at the Ferrari garage after some difficult races. However, the fact remains that, looking at the trend from Canada onwards, Hamilton is still the most in-form driver in the Maranello garage and so for Charles it will be crucial to confirm the good things shown at Silverstone to prove he has really turned the tide and that the British GP was not an isolated episode.
A crucial test for the Macarena wing
The 2026 Formula 1 cars, as is known, are particularly hungry for electric energy and it is also for this reason that those who wrote the regulations provided for active aerodynamics with the aim of reducing drag on straights and “saving” some battery in fast sections. From this point of view, the appointment with Spa-Francorchamps promises to be one of the most delicate of the entire calendar, so much so that the FIA has planned no less than five “Straightline Mode” zones where movable wings can be opened. This is emblematic of how energy management is – at least on the eve – particularly problematic on the long straights of the Belgian track, but also a unique opportunity for the Federation to evaluate the controversial so-called “Macarena” rear wing of Red Bull, whose malfunctions have already caused two accidents involving Max Verstappen in a few days. A decisive test to say the least…
Why Spa is Spa
If the sporting themes are not enough to glue you to the TV – and maybe to the minute-by-minute updates on FormulaPassion.it – for all the sessions of the Belgian GP, there is also the fact that the Belgian GP is held precisely at Spa-Francorchamps. Much like “Sanremo is Sanremo,” Spa is Spa: a circuit that with the hairpin of La Source, the Kemmel straight in the middle of the Ardennes forest, the sinuous central sector characterized by the double left corner of Pouhon, and then Stavelot, Blanchimont and the Bus Stop, beyond even the overused admiration for Eau Rouge and Raidillon, needs no introduction. It is a weekend for racing lovers in every sense, where you forget about batteries, charging, movable wings and let yourself be captivated by a layout that is that of a global Cathedral of sport. Unmissable just for this.
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