FIA shares exciting news ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix
The FIA has shared some important news that will affect drivers at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa.
In the 10th race of the Formula One season, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli is still leading the Drivers’ Championship, with his teammate George Russell close behind. Antonelli has been pushing hard at the top, but his lead got much smaller at the British Grand Prix, where he finished 16th after a five-second penalty for going off track.
Charles Leclerc took advantage of this by winning his first race of the season at Silverstone, and his Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton finished third after a great start. Ferrari is starting to come back strong after a tough 2026, with Hamilton closing the gap to just 32 points in the standings. This sets the stage for an exciting battle at Spa.
Before the race, the FIA confirmed that a new straight-line mode will be allowed going into Eau Rouge. This is a big change because five active aero (SM) zones will be added at Spa—the most since the season began in Australia. This straight-line mode adjusts the car’s wings to reduce drag on the long straights, helping them go faster.
This active aero system is replacing the old DRS system this season. However, it won’t be allowed through the Eau Rouge/Raidillon section itself. But for the first time in 14 years, movable wings will be used between La Source and Eau Rouge, thanks to a new SM zone there.
At Spa, the five active aero zones give drivers power boosts similar to the old DRS system when they are close behind another car. This “Overtake Mode” will also be available on the start/finish straight.
For 2026, the cars use a mix of 50% internal combustion and 50% electric power, which has caused some problems for drivers. Max Verstappen and others have spoken out about the challenges this brings. Since Spa is the longest track on the calendar, it is expected to be especially tough on the power units.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso has also raised concerns. He says some drivers might run out of power deployment in Sector 2 if they save energy on the long straights. “Silverstone and Spa use a lot of energy, and you can’t use deployment on all the straights,” Alonso said. “At Spa, if you use deployment from Turn 1 to 5, you’re done for the rest of the lap. You need to save some for the straights from Turn 14 to the Bus Stop. But if you use deployment on those two straights, there’s a long Sector 2 with no deployment at all. And with less power this year than last year or even F2, that’s a real challenge.”
All in all, the Belgian Grand Prix is shaping up to be a thrilling race with new tech and tough strategy ahead!