Lewis Hamilton insists Spa-Francorchamps is “a circuit that should not be missing” from the Formula 1 calendar. After this year, however, it will become only a rotational venue, appearing on the annual F1 schedule only every other year from 2027 with the sport’s bosses having made the decision to fit in other, potentially more lucrative host circuits.
After this weekend’s action at Spa, one of the most historc motorsport circuits in the world, the Belgian Grand Prix will return in 2027 but not the following year. It will be missing again in 2030 before returning in 2031, which is when its current contract ends. The Spa race’s future beyond that point is uncertain.
It is a favourite venue for fans and drivers alike and seven-time world champion Hamilton, who is chasing a sixth win in Belgium this weekend, is among those who believes the circuit’s place on the F1 schedule should be untouchable – even if he does concede that he cannot recall much about his five previous victories at the storied circuit.
He said: “Honestly, I don’t remember any of them. I can’t for the life of me remember when I won here… but it’s a track we all love. It’s one that the drivers really love, and one that the fans, I think, really love as well. It’s just a great experience. The weather’s always up and down. This is a circuit that should not be missing.”
Spa-Francorchamps is set to share a bi-annual spot on the calendar with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The latter was, for many years, home of the Spanish Grand Prix, but has been replaced this season by a new street circuit in Madrid which has now adopted that moniker.
Hamilton last week got a first taste of that new track when he drove on a filming day there, after circuit bosses invited Ferrari for a test event. While he had some positive things to say about the new circuit, he made it clear he would much prefer not to race there if it meant F1 could keep going to Belgium and Barcelona on an annual basis.
Hamilton asked reporters: “What’s it going to be biannual with? This one and Barcelona, and the Madrid stays always… Hmm. Barcelona and here are definitely the best two.”
He added of the Madrid circuit: “We only had a few laps, so it did feel very, very dusty, but that should be expected for a new circuit. There was no grip, so your tyres were basically just covered in dust the whole time. It looks like a track that’s going to be probably a qualifying lap sort of circuit. There’s not really any straights, so it looks like it could be quite a difficult place to go to.
“I’m sure when the grip picks up and the track is clean, I’m sure it will be even faster. We were definitely having a lift through [the banked ‘Monumental’ corner] because, as I said, it was super slippery. But it was a really cool experience to see a new circuit and be one of the first to experience a new circuit.”