The Belgian GP Watchlist
Get the inside track with five things you need to know as we prepare to race at Spa-Francorchamps
Published
16 JUL 2026
Est. reading time
3 min
Atlassian Williams F1 Team are in Belgium for the tenth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Nestled deep in the Ardennes Forest, the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is a firm favourite of drivers and fans alike, serving up high-speed corners, dramatic elevation changes and famously unpredictable weather.
Here are five things to look out for at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Ready for rain
No Belgian GP preview would be complete without mentioning the weather – and this year looks set to be no exception.
Spa's location in the Ardennes gives it a microclimate all of its own, and it's not unusual for one part of the 7km lap to be soaked while another stays bone dry.
The forecast is changing all the time, but at the time of writing, rain looks a certainty for Friday's practice sessions, giving both drivers and engineers plenty to think about as they build their programmes for the weekend.
Whether the showers stick around for qualifying and the race remains to be seen, so keep a close eye on our Live Feed for the latest from the ground.
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Power play
After Monaco became the first race of the season without a single Straight Line Mode section less than two months ago, Spa sits at the opposite end of the spectrum.
There will be five SLM zones around its 7.004km lap, the most demanding energy challenge the new generation of cars has faced yet.
“Spa is the most energy-sensitive circuit we've encountered so far this year, by some margin,” explains Paul Williams.
“The approach to Eau Rouge can be varied by trading off deployment profile, energy optimality, and the ride-height gains available from the setup on the run up the hill.
“We expect to utilise the full energy pack window: full at Turn 1, depleted by Turn 5, then full again at the Turn 14 exit before emptying by Turn 18. This leaves Sector 2 significantly starved of energy, with superclipping likely on both low and high-fuel runs.”
In short, just how the teams deploy and recover energy around this lap could prove just as decisive as outright pace, so expect plenty of talk about deployment strategies across the weekend.
Belgian brilliance
Williams have enjoyed plenty of historic moments in Belgium over the years.
Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann won the race in 1980 and 1981, respectively, while Nigel Mansell secured P1 in 1986.
But no Williams driver can compete with Damon Hill's record on this track, after he triumphed in both 1993 and 1994.
George Russell's performance in the pouring rain of 2021 is certainly worth a notable mention. He qualified in P2 that year, which secured him a podium finish when the race was unable to be run in full on Sunday.
Instantly recognisable...
Savour Spa
This weekend kicks off the final double header before Formula 1's summer break, but it's also worth soaking up every moment at Spa, as visits to the Ardennes are about to become a little rarer.
From 2027, the Belgian Grand Prix moves onto a rotational deal, alternating with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for its slot on the calendar.
Spa will feature on next year's schedule before making way for Barcelona in 2028, with the two venues then continuing to swap year on year until 2032.
It means fans of this legendary circuit should make the most of each visit while they can.
The longest lap
At 7.004km, Spa-Francorchamps is comfortably the longest circuit on the calendar.
From the La Source hairpin, drivers plunge downhill before attacking the iconic Eau Rouge and Raidillon sweep, climbing the equivalent of a 13-storey building in a matter of seconds on the run towards Les Combes.
With around 100 metres of elevation change from the lap's lowest point to its highest, and 19 corners to master, there are few greater tests of driver and machine anywhere in the world.
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