The Belgian Grand Prix has secured a brand new contract that can maintain it on the Method 1 calendar for 4 out of six years from 2026-2031.
It’s the first deal of this kind signed by F1, which is looking for to search out methods of accommodating new occasions in an already crowded calendar.
The contract dictates that the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit will host races in 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2031.
Nonetheless, in 2028 and 2030 Belgium might be changed by one other race.
The small print of which different venues will rotate with Spa are but to be confirmed.
Barcelona, in Spain, and Imola, in Italy, each wish to maintain their races, despite the fact that they’re out of contract after this yr.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is being changed because the venue of the Spanish Grand Prix by a brand new circuit in Madrid from subsequent season.
The Dutch Grand Prix’s deal ends after 2026 however organisers within the Netherlands might wish to revive it sooner or later, and F1 can also be exploring methods of returning the French and German races to the calendar.
France is the birthplace of motorsport, whereas Germany can also be one of many oldest venues, however each have turn out to be unviable in current seasons.
France returned to the schedule in 2018 however fell off the calendar once more after 2022, whereas Germany has not hosted a race since 2019.
A return of the Turkish Grand Prix, final held in 2021 after returning to the calendar in 2020 on account of the pandemic, can also be an possibility.
Rotation of European races additionally offers F1 an possibility so as to add new races exterior the game’s European heartland, which at the moment accounts for about one third of the calendar.
F1 is engaged on a race in Rwanda, in central Africa, on a brand new circuit being constructed exterior the capital Kigali, which won’t occur earlier than 2028 on the earliest.
Thailand can also be thinking about a race, however that will probably not be earlier than 2030. The prospects of a return of South Korea to the calendar, which had been explored in each Seoul and Busan, are diminishing.
F1 president Stefano Domenicali mentioned: “The Belgian Grand Prix was one of many races that made up our maiden championship in 1950, in order we kick off our seventy fifth anniversary yr it’s becoming that we will share the information of this vital extension.
“Spa-Francorchamps is rightly lauded by drivers and followers alike as one of many most interesting race tracks on this planet and it has performed host to some unimaginable moments over its many seasons in Method 1.
“In recent times it has undergone vital work to enhance the power and general fan expertise, and I want to pay tribute to the promoter and the Authorities of Wallonia for his or her dedication and passionate assist for F1 in Belgium.”
Final yr introduced F1’s longest ever season, at 24 races, a schedule that continues this yr, which begins in Australia on 14-16 March.
The staff’s contracts with F1 dictate a most of 25 races a yr.
These offers need to be renegotiated for the interval beginning in 2026, F1’s subsequent regulatory interval, however there may be widespread settlement that the game is already on the higher restrict of what’s attainable when it comes to the calendar, and the utmost variety of races will not be anticipated to alter within the new contracts.
