General
Why Spa's new contract is both remarkable and logical
- Ludo van Denderen
For the seasoned F1 fan, it was news that evoked mixed feelings. Although the Belgian Grand Prix at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit will be retained for Formula One, each year the whole circus will no longer travel to the Ardennes. The fact that the circuit management and Formula One Management have arrived at this construction is both remarkable and logical.
For months, the circuit's management had been negotiating with FOM for a new commitment. The Belgians' approach was always to extend the contract for many years AND welcome F1 every season. The former eventually succeeded, but not the latter. There is a signed agreement until 2031, but in 2028 and 2030 Formula 1 will skip Spa.
The fact that the Belgians were keen to have F1 on the floor every year was dictated by the fact that they needed Formula 1's revenues to make ends meet for the annual operation. So looking at it this way, it will be a nice task for '28 and '30 to at least break even.
There was no alternative for the Spa management
But the alternative - saying 'no' to FOM's proposal - was not an option for the bosses at Spa either. In that case, there would have been a real chance that Formula 1 would not have reached a new contract at all, and the circuit would have been in serious financial trouble as early as 2026. A case of choosing eggs before your money, it seems.
Moreover, FOM seems to be giving Spa-Francorchamps extra time to secure alternative funding that will allow the circuit to keep running. After all, the decision was not made to rotate as early as 2027, but to do so only in 2028. Of course, it is also important to FOM that the Belgian Grand Prix is part of the sport's heritage, with a circuit favoured by fans and drivers.
What is going to be interesting is which circuits will the Belgian Grand Prix alternate with? The obvious ones are the tracks in Imola and Barcelona, which are keen to keep a spot on the F1 calendar. Moreover, it is no secret that FOM wants to spread its wings further outside Europe. Rwanda, South Africa and Thailand are possible new destinations for F1. Chances are that races in those countries will come at the expense of races in Europe, such as Belgium.
This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy
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