Belgian Grand Prix 2026

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps was laid out in 1921 as a roughly 14.9 kilometre triangular circuit linking the Ardennes towns of Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot, designed by Jules de Thier and Henri Langlois van Ophem on public roads. With too few entries for the planned car race, the 1921 premiere ended up being a motorcycle event, with car races following from 1922. The first major endurance race, the 24 Hours of Spa, was held as early as 1924.

Spa-Francorchamps has been part of the calendar since the first Formula 1 World Championship in 1950, and has hosted the race without interruption since 2007. After several short one-year deals, a new agreement secured the race’s future until 2031, though on a rotating basis: from 2027 the Belgian Grand Prix will only be held every second year.

A major reconstruction in 1979 shortened the track drastically into a shape already close to today’s layout. At 7.004 kilometres and 19 corners, Spa-Francorchamps is the longest circuit on the current Formula 1 calendar. Its centrepiece remains the Eau Rouge-Raidillon complex, named after the Eau Rouge stream, which formed the border between Belgium and the German Empire until 1920. Following the fatal accidents of Anthoine Hubert in 2019 and Dilano van ‘t Hoff in 2023, the run-off areas and barriers around Raidillon have been reworked several times.

The record winner at Spa is Michael Schumacher with six victories, who also made his Formula 1 debut here in 1991. Oscar Piastri won in 2025. The circuit is notorious for its Ardennes microclimate: rain and dry conditions can occur simultaneously on different parts of the track, which regularly makes racing at Spa unpredictable.