Why the Belgian Grand Prix at famous Spa might end up being the least exciting race of the season
After a disappointing finish at Silverstone, which ended under the safety car, Formula 1 is getting ready for another weekend that might be full of crashes but not much excitement.
The British Grand Prix had the chance to be one of the best races of the year, with a last-lap showdown similar to Abu Dhabi 2021. But the FIA decided to add another lap behind the safety car after the cars lined up, letting Charles Leclerc cruise to the win. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton’s risky tire change didn’t pay off, dropping him a spot on the podium.
Now, the focus turns to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, which usually offers action-packed racing, especially when Max Verstappen finds his groove on this overtaking-friendly track.
However, the F1 community is worried that the new engine power management rules, including a straight-line mode near Eau Rouge, might make this race one of the dullest of the year. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, despite struggling in one of the slowest cars this season, sparked a debate by pointing out a big problem with the hybrid engines. He said that in some parts of Spa, F1 cars might actually have less power than F2 cars.
Alonso explained, “If you use energy early in the lap, you won’t have any left later, making parts of the track very weak in power. That’ll be a real challenge.”
Williams and Haas teams also share these worries. Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu said Spa is a tough track, and they need to make the most of every session after two tough weekends. Williams added they expect energy to run out in crucial sections, which could hurt performance.
This isn’t to blame Spa, which is a fan favorite, but it highlights pressure on the FIA. They removed DRS in favor of bigger batteries and an ‘overtake’ mode, but many say this change makes the racing worse. Even Max Verstappen has criticized the system, comparing it to playing ‘Mario Kart’ and calling for a bigger engine power share, like 80% engine and 20% battery.
Spa, with its long straights, will be a real test for these rules. Verstappen, who has won here many times, says the energy limits will make it tougher to get full power on the long runs.
Last year, Spa saw an exciting one-two finish for McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, but this year that’s less likely since McLaren is slower compared to Mercedes and Ferrari. Even with a big engine upgrade, McLaren boss Andrea Stella admits Spa will be very challenging.
“There will be a lot of energy management needed,” Stella said, adding that drivers’ feedback from Silverstone shows how unpredictable speed differences can be. Since Spa has even longer straights, managing power will be even harder.
Still, most teams face the same challenges, so we might get a slower but still chaotic race. Mercedes looks set to benefit the most, as they’ve had the best straight-line speed this year. So expect the Silver Arrows to be flying again at Spa.