Rumor: F1 set to drop legendary Spa-Francorchamps race (Update)

(GMM) Belgian governments are throwing their weight behind efforts to save the embattled Belgian GP.

It is now largely accepted in the paddock that the fabled Spa-Francorchamps may be a victim of Formula 1’s expansion to new markets like Las Vegas and South Africa.

“The sport is growing so much that there’s a lot of new places that I guess are paying quite a lot of money to be part of Formula 1,” said Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.

“I understand that France or Spa maybe cannot afford to be in the calendar every year but I hope that at least we can go there every two years or every three years,” he added.

The local Walloon government, and also Belgium’s federal government, have now written a joint letter of support for Spa-Francorchamps to Formula 1.

Not just that, economy minister Willy Borsus says a meeting between government, circuit and Formula 1 officials took place earlier this week.

He said he is “personally involved” in the effort, as are Wallonia minister-president Elio di Rupo and Belgian prime minister Alexander de Croo.

A decision about the fate of the Belgian GP is said to be imminent, with Borsus insisting that Spa-Francorchamps “still has a future in Formula 1”.

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Sebastian Vettel has expressed his displeasure at the prospect of losing Spa from the F1 calendar next year. The 4-time world champion talked about how the track brought a certain level of uniqueness and character that is absent from the new age tracks.

Questioned by the media about his view of the Belgian GP losing its place on the calendar, Vettel said:

“Spa is a great circuit. I don’t know any driver who doesn’t like Spa. On the other hand, I know drivers who don’t like the circuit in Russia. Not because it’s Russia, but because the tracks are all similar. I don’t have a say here, but Spa would have my vote. It would be wrong on so many levels to lose Spa.”

The latest rumor has Spa gone in 2023 but back in possibly 2024 – Working on something now that some fans might like, others won’t.

When questioned on his views on the doubtful future of the race, Verstappen said:

“It would be a big shame to lose Spa. It’s my favorite track in the world, and also with the recent changes they did to the run-off and stuff. Yeah, I think it’s just an amazing track in a Formula 1 car, any car to be honest, with all the high-speed corners and the flow it has in general. And yeah, there are so many tracks out there in the world where I think it will be nice to have a Formula 1 race, but somehow simply not really realistic.” [Examples include Road America, Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio – all extremely substandard tracks that F1 would not touch.]

(GMM) The legendary Formula 1 circuit at Spa-Francorchamps is tipped to be missing from the 2023 calendar.

On the sidelines in Montreal last weekend, team bosses heard F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali’s news that the schedule could be set to grow yet again – to a record 24 races next year.

“It’s not a big difference between 24 or 23 or 22,” said Alfa Romeo team boss Frederic Vasseur.

A full 16 of those 24 races, however, are said to be set aside for grands prix outside of Europe, as Formula 1 mines new markets in the US and even Africa.

However, the famous Belgian GP venue at Spa could be missing, as the promoters are yet to agree a new deal with Formula 1 despite significant upgrades around the fabled Eau Rouge section.

Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost, however, has no time for sentimentality.

“It’s totally easy,” said the Austrian. “No money, no game.

“If they have the money, we go there. If we don’t have the money, we don’t go there.”

According to the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper, the first published draft of the 2023 calendar is not expected until the end of the summer.

Correspondent Jo Bossuyt added: “But the plans are slowly becoming clearer, and they don’t look good for Spa-Francorchamps.”

Bossuyt said Spa’s axe sounded even more likely following a meeting of F1 team bosses in Montreal on Saturday afternoon, during which the 2023 calendar was discussed.

“There are only 8 places on the calendar for European circuits, and Silverstone, Budapest, Spain, Imola, Zandvoort and Monza all have contracts for 2023,” the journalist added.

“Negotiations are still underway with Monaco, and Austria will certainly be fine as the circuit is owned by Red Bull. That means the eight European dates are already filled.”