The Belgian Grand Prix has secured a brand new contract that can hold it on the System 1 calendar for 4 out of six years from 2026-2031.
It’s the first deal of this kind signed by F1, which is searching 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.
Nevertheless, in 2028 and 2030 Belgium will probably 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 need to hold their races, although 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 could need to revive it sooner or later, and F1 can be exploring methods of returning the French and German races to the calendar.
France is the birthplace of motorsport, whereas Germany can be one of many oldest venues, however each have turn into 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 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 new circuit being built outside the capital Kigali, which won’t occur earlier than 2028 on the earliest.
Thailand can be thinking about a race, however that might doubtless 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 stated: “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 essential extension.
“Spa-Francorchamps is rightly lauded by drivers and followers alike as one of many most interesting race tracks on the earth and it has performed host to some unbelievable moments over its many seasons in System 1.
“In recent times it has undergone important work to enhance the ability and total fan expertise, and I wish 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 workforce’s contracts with F1 dictate a most of 25 races a yr.
These offers should be renegotiated for the interval beginning in 2026, F1’s subsequent regulatory interval, however there’s widespread settlement that the game is already on the higher restrict of what’s attainable by way of the calendar, and the utmost variety of races isn’t anticipated to vary within the new contracts.
