The Belgian Grand Prix will stay on the F1 calendar until 2025 after organisers agreed a contract extension that means there will be at least two more editions of the fabled race.
With the old deal set to expire next season, this is both good news and… slightly bewildering. Shouldn’t F1 try and lock down one of the best tracks in the world for a bit longer?
After all, the Australian Grand Prix is secured until 2037 and a bunch of other races - including Austria, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Miami, Hungary, Bahrain, Qatar and Abu Dhabi - are locked in until 2030 and beyond.
There are many reasons why F1 and Belgium aren’t entirely loved up at the moment: money (obviously), ongoing safety concerns and fears that fans aren’t getting the experience they deserve for the (eye-watering) ticket price.
Remember it’s only a couple of years ago that fans were traipsing home in the pouring rain having seen no racing, with thousands finding their cars were trapped in the muddy and waterlogged car parks. No refunds were given.
Progress has been made though: this year’s race was attended by 380,000 fans over the three days of action, up 20,000 on the year before. New grandstands have been built and the local promoter has been working hard to deliver more entertainment for attendees, including live music.
As such, rumours that Spa might be replaced with a grand prix in South Africa have long since gone quiet.
“Spa is synonymous with Formula 1 having been one of the circuits in our first ever season and is much-loved by fans and drivers alike, so I am delighted to extend our relationship with them until 2025,” said F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“The promoter has taken big strides in the last few years to improve the fan experience and infrastructure, and work is ongoing between all the stakeholders with a clear focus on delivering safe and exciting racing. I would like to thank the promoter and the Government of Wallonia for their continued support.”
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