The FIA Formula One World Championship heads to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, home of the Belgian Grand Prix, the first leg of the final double-header before the 2026 Summer Shutdown.
Located in Stavelot, Belgium, the legendary venue will host the 59th edition of the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, a classic in Formula One's 76-year history.
Since the inception of the FIA Formula One World Championship in 1950, three different circuits have hosted the Grand Prix on Belgian soil: Spa (58), Zolder (10), and Nivelles (2).
The iconic track layout, the longest to feature on the Formula 1 calendar, spans 7.004 km (4.352 mi) over 44 laps, boasting a combination of long straights and fast corners - 19 wide-ranging curves overall.
Mostly, a driver's favorite for its high-speed nature and extreme elevation changes, featuring the uphill Eau Rouge and Raidillon curve sequence.
The long middle sector of the lap requires good downforce and the right balance, while the first and final sectors demand top-end speed, which is crucial for the lengthy full-throttle blast.
An adrenaline rollercoaster presents the highest elevation changes of the season between Les Combes (turn 7) and Stavelot (turn 15).
Also, the unpredictable weather conditions in the Ardennes Forest often pose an extra challenge for the teams' strategies.
According to Pirelli, Formula One's official tire supplier, the compounds chosen for the weekend are: C4 as the Soft, C3 as the Medium and C2 as the Hard.
The squads will also have five sets of Intermediates and two sets of full Wet tires.
Scuderia Ferrari, the most successful team at Spa with 14 triumphs, 18 in total, arrives off the back of Charles Leclerc's first race win of the season at Silverstone, the Prancing Horse's 250th at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Ahead of a full-throttle weekend, Fred Vasseur, Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, outlined: "We arrive at Spa-Francorchamps knowing that a particularly demanding weekend lies ahead.
"It is one of the most challenging races of the year because of the characteristics of the track and the way the weather can change from one moment to the next in the Ardennes."
"Once again, our objective is to maximise our result and make sure we execute every detail as well as possible from the first session to the chequered flag," he further explained.
Home hero Max Verstappen took victory three times at Spa from 2021 through 2023 with Red Bull Racing.
Mercedes' Kimi Andrea Antonelli stands as the drivers' championship leader with 179 points, followed by teammate George Russell on a 154-point tally in second.
The Maranello drivers' pair, seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton (147) and Leclerc (108), are third and fourth, respectively.
Program
The racing weekend will feature two free practice sessions on Friday, followed by the third practice session and qualifying on Saturday.
The engines will roar on Sunday as the race gets underway.
Upgrades
Last season, the track was resurfaced and the gravel run-off areas reintroduced.
This season, and according to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the Kemmel straight (between turns 4 and 5) has had rain grooves cut into the asphalt.
At turn 14, the track surface has been ground down to remove a bump, and the kerb at the apex of turn 18 has been reduced.
From next season, Spa-Francorchamps will be part of a rotation with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.