Spa GP: Formula 1 only wants eight GPs in Europe
Spa Grand Prix president Melchior Wathelet admits to difficult talks with Formula One to keep its event on the calendar until 2031 as the sport wants a maximum of eight races in Europe.
Last week, F1 confirmed an extension beyond 2026 of the Belgian Grand Prix’s contract, but there’s a twist.
The event’s schedule will be part of a new rotational system implemented by the sport that will see the race drop off the calendar in 2028 and 2030.
The commitment offers Spa a longer-term guarantee, ensuring its financial sustainability while aligning with F1's strategy to keep the calendar within its maximum limit of 24 races per season.
'Difficult Discussions' to Keep Spa on the Map
"I am very satisfied," said Wathelet, quoted by Sporza. "These were difficult discussions. Formula 1 only wants 8 GPs in Europe.
“It was therefore difficult to sign a permanent contract for a long period," added Wathelet.
Formula 1 is experiencing unprecedented interest from potential new host venues, especially in Asia and the Middle East.
In response, the sport has pinpointed several European circuits as potential candidates for a rotational hosting system.
Spa-Francorchamps is therefore the first event to take part in such an arrangement, with Barcelona possibly following suit as the Belgian race’s counterpart.
However, Wathelet signaled that there could be room for change in the future.
"It is not certain that there will be no GP in Belgium in 2028 and 2030," he said. "The spirit of the agreement states that there will be at least 4 races. Maybe it will be up to another country, maybe Belgium."
Financial Adjustments for Long-Term Stability
When asked if Spa Grand Prix had to pay a premium to retain its spot on the F1 calendar, Wathelet acknowledged that the franchise fee had increased but described it as manageable.
"The amount is higher from 2026, but it is an increase of 3 to 4 percent. We thought that was reasonable,” he said.
"It is a reasonable inflation, which we think we can recover."
The organizer will need to attract more fans over the course of their weekend or boost ticket prices in the future to recoup not only the cost of inflation but also the deficit recorded in 2024, which follows the previous years losses.
Declining Government Support Amid Rising Returns
Despite 380,000 fans attending the three-day event in 2024, Spa Grand Prix’s bottom line is expected to take a hit estimated to be between 3 and 3.5 million euros
The Belgian Grand Prix has historically always been partially subsidized by the Walloon government. But Wathelet says the latter’s contribution declined last year.
"The intention is to limit that as much as possible,” he said.
“In recent years, their contribution has even decreased, while the return on investment for the region and the country has increased.
“So that seems to me to be a reasonable investment."
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