Spa Francorchamps: The Ultimate Track Guide

Situated in the heart of the Ardennes Forest, the ferocious Circuit de Spa Francorchamps is one of Formula 1’s legendary tracks. The longest circuit on the calendar, with its own micro-climate and massive elevation changes, means the Belgian Grand Prix is always unpredictable.


FIRST F1 RACE
1950
TRACK LENGTH
4.352 miles
NUMBER OF LAPS
44
NUMBER OF TURNS
19
MOST POLES
Lewis Hamilton (6)
MOST WINS
Michael Schumacher (6)

Spa Francorchamps is one of the original racing circuits, as racing moved from city to city races to racing around circuits. The original nine mile circuit linked the towns of Malmedy, Stavelot and Francorchamps in a triangular shaped course.

Circuit de Spa Francorchamps, which incorporated public roads, was designed in 1920 by Jules de Thier and Henri Langlois Van Ophem and held its first race soon after. For the first years of its existence, the track held only motorcycle races, until – following the success of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race – Spa Francorchamps held its own day long race for cars.

The first Belgian Grand Prix was held in 1925, and was won by Antonio Ascari, the father of future Formula 1 World Champion Alberto Ascari. Further Grands Prix were held here from 1930 onwards, with the iconic Radillion and Eau Rouge corners being added to the track in 1939. The 1939 race itself was held in treacherous conditions, and led to the death of Richard Seamen, who crashed out from the lead.

The 1939 event was the last held at Spa Francorchamps before the onslaught of World War II. The area around the circuit played a role in the war. The Battle of the Bulge, which was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front, took place in the Ardennes forest. The battle saw over 20,000 deaths, including around 3,000 cilvilians.

Racing returned to Spa Francorchamps in 1947 on a slightly alternated track, which saw the average speed increase. The track held a round of the inaugural F1 World Championship in 1950, and hosted the Belgian Grand Prix annually each year until 1957, when the Suez Crisis and the increased price of fuel led to a lack of funds for the race to be held. For 1958, the race returned with a resurfaced track and some new facilities – though the dangerous nature of the circuit was noted by drivers and fans alike.

The legendary Eau Rouge complex at Spa Francorchamps
Image: © Andrew Balfour

After a year off in 1959, the Belgian Grand Prix returned once again in 1960, but it was to be one of the darkest weekends in Formula 1’s history. Stirling Moss suffered one of the worst crashes of his career during practice, which would put him out of action for much of the rest of the year. Mike Taylor then suffered a career-ending accident, as he crashed into the trees.

Two drivers suffered fatal accidents during the Grand Prix itself – Chris Bristow, whose lack of experience saw him crash into an embankment and suffer fatal injuries and Alan Stacey, who was hit in the face by a bird in the same area of track just five laps later. The incident caused him to lose control of his car, and he crashed into a field 25 feet lower than the track. The Grand Prix continued despite the incidents and Jack Brabham eventually took the win.

No change was made to Spa Francorchamps following the crashes, with the race continuing without serious injuries for the next years. Jim Clark won the race four years in a row between 1962 and 1965, despite being terrified of the track after witnessing the aftermath of Bristow’s accident. Some safety barriers were added in 1963, but this did little to appease the drivers.

Jackie Stewart’s crash in the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix saw the start of a drivers revolt for more safety. Stewart suffered a huge accident at the Masta Kink – one of the legendary sections of the old track. The Scottish driver survived the impact of travelling through a hut and hitting a telegraph pole, but was trapped in his fuel soaked car for over half an hour. His situation was helped only by two fellow drivers who had to take spanners from spectators in order to help him escape his precarious predicament.

Image: © Andrew Balfour

The following year, still with no changes to the Spa Francorchamp’s safety, Mike Parkes had a career-ending crash which left him in a coma for a week. In 1968, Bruce McLaren took the first ever victory for McLaren but there was further trouble. Brian Redman crashed into a stationary car, which caused him serious injuries.

By 1969, the drivers had finally had enough. Jackie Stewart visited the track and campaigned for better safety ahead of that year’s event, but the organisers were not willing to pay for the work to be carried out. The race was cancelled due to this.

For one final time in 1970, F1 took to the full 14km Spa Francorchamps track, with added barriers and a chicane designed to slow the cars down. The situation was untenable though, and the cars had simply become too fast for the track. The Belgian Grand Prix relocated to Nivelles and Zolder, with the latter hosting the majority of Belgian Grands Prix in the 1970s.

Formula 1 eventually returned to Spa Francorchamps in 1983. The track had undergone a major overhaul, which saw the length of the course shorted to 4.3 miles. The circuit had better internal access in case of emergencies, and also kept some of the iconic corners from the old layout. The first race was a success, and the track was well received by drivers and fans. After one last visit to Zolder in 1984, Spa Francorchamps became the permanent home of the Belgian Grand Prix in 1985.

Fans at Spa Francorchamps
Image: © Andrew Balfour

The 1985 event wasn’t without controversy, though, as the newly laid track surface began to break up after Second Practice, leading to the abandonment of the rest of the race weekend. The Grand Prix was eventually re-scheduled for three months later.

Ayrton Senna won four races in a row at Spa Francorchamps between 1988 and 1991. Following Senna’s fatal accident at the Imola track in 1994, and also as a result of Alex Zanardi’s huge accident here in 1993, a chicane was added at the bottom of the Eau Rouge complex. The chicane was then removed ahead of the 1995 race. The racing continued at Spa Francorchamps with some memorable and highly dramatic moments in the late nineties. Up until 2000, parts of the circuit remained public roads, though the circuit is now a fully permanent facility.

As a result of tobacco advertising being banned in F1 due to European law, the 2003 race was left off the calendar, but the sport soon returned to Spa Francorchamps in 2004. The track had changed slightly, with the bus stop chicane toward the end of the track being revised.

In 2006, renovation work led to Spa Francorchamps being taken off the final calendar, as it wouldn’t be ready in time due to the event organisers going bankrupt. The race returned in 2007, with thanks to funding from the Wallonia government, and hasn’t been off the calendar since. For 2007, there was a new pit-lane and paddock complex with the final turn and the first hairpin being moved slightly to allow extra room for the new facilities.

Charles Leclerc took his first victory at Spa Francorchamps in 2019.
Image: © Andrew Balfour

It was announced in June 2018 that the circuit would remain the host of the Belgian Grand Prix until at least 2021. Spa Francorchamps had been unable to secure a long term future on the calendar, signing single-year deals. However, in January 2025, Formula 1 announced a longer-term deal for the Belgian Grand Prix. The race will become a rotational round from 2027 onwards, losing its slot on the calendar in 2028 and 2030. The new contract runs until 2031.


LEARN MORE ABOUT SPA FRANCORCHAMPS


2024 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RECAP

One-stopping Russell won a thrilling 2024 Belgian Grand Prix on track by half a second but an underweight car meant that Mercedes team-mate Hamilton inherited the victory.

As usual at Spa-Francorchamps, rain affected play when it came to the qualifying hour for the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen secured the fastest time in a damp Q3 but a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding the limit of four engines for the season dropped him to 11th on the final starting grid.

Charles Leclerc inherited pole position as a result of Verstappen’s penalty, with the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez lining up alongside him on the front row. The Mercedes and McLarens were next in the starting order, with Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and George Russell completing the top six on the grid.

Leclerc held his lead at the start, with Hamilton finding a way by Perez in the battle for second place, while Norris lost three positions from where he started. On Lap 3, on the Kemmel Straight, Hamilton used DRS to seize the lead of the race. On Lap 11, Hamilton’s team-mate became first of the frontrunners to pit, while Verstappen – who had made his way up to eighth in the opening laps – was also in.

Hamilton pitted on Lap 12 along with Piastri, who Russell was able to pass as a result of pitting earlier, only to be re-passed on the Kemmel Straight. One lap later, Piastri pulled the same move on Perez to gain another position. By Lap 21, Russell had closed in on the back of Perez and overtook in the same area of track. The order ran: Hamilton, Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Russell, Verstappen, Norris as the race reached its halfway point.

Whilst most drivers were ready to pit for the second time, Russell suggested that his team consider a one-stop strategy. As everyone else pitted for fresh tyres, Russell moved to the front of the field with a five second advantage over his team-mate. Meanwhile, at the end of the Kemmel Straight, Piastri went around the outside to clinch the final podium position from Leclerc and set off in search of the Mercedes ahead.

Hamilton continued to close on his team-mate as the laps ticked by, closing the gap to under a second in the final few laps. Hamilton was well within DRS but Russell held off his team-mate to cross the finish line first, with Piastri a close third.

After the race, however, Russell was disqualified from the Grand Prix as a result of his car being underweight. Mercedes chose not to appeal the decision. Hamilton inherited the win, Piastri was promoted to second and Leclerc claimed the final step on the podium.

SPA FRANCORCHAMPS FAST FACTS

  • It takes around 22 seconds to drive through the pits at Spa Francorchamps.
  • There is around an 80% chance of a Safety Car during the Belgian Grand Prix. The 1997 Belgian Grand Prix was the first time that a Formula 1 race began under a safety car.
  • In the early days of F1, the field was smaller for this Grand Prix than it was at others due to the track’s reputation. Some drivers, including Jim Clark, did not like racing at the track and many missed the race due to their concerns.
  • 214mph is the highest speed achieved at Spa Francorchamps, on the run to Turn Five.
  • Michael Schumacher, who made his F1 début at Spa Francorchamps, has the highest number of wins here with six.
  • 60% of the lap is spent on full throttle.
  • Although the track is named ‘Spa Francorchamps’, the track is not actually situated in Spa but rather in the vicinity of Francorchamps. The entire track is situated within the municipality of Stavelot – which is, of course, the name of Turn 15.
  • In the race, the drivers will perform 2,112 gear changes each. There are 49 gear changes around a lap of Spa Francorchamps.
  • Very few wins have been taken from low down the grid at Spa Francorchamps. Max Verstappen’s win from 14th in 2022 is a notable exception.
  • The average speed of a lap of Spa Francorchamps is 146mph – one of the fastest on the calendar.
  • The run to the La Source hairpin, the first corner, from the grid is the shortest of the season, hence why there’s usually first corner contact at Spa Francorchamps.
  • Spa Francorchamps is the longest track on the current F1 calendar but has one of the lowest specator capacities.
  • Spa Francorchamps is known for its unpredictability. At one point there was a string of 20 Belgian Grands Prix which were affected by rain.

2023 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RECAP

While Piastri impressed in the Sprint on Saturday, Verstappen fought back from a five-place grid penalty to win the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix.

With Spa Francorchamps hosting a Sprint weekend for the first time, there was just a single hour of practice ahead of the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix. The practice session, much like the qualifying session, was held in damp conditions.

Both Esteban Ocon and Kevin Magnussen tapped the tyre barriers in the tricky drying conditions in Q2. Despite being unhappy with setting the tenth fastest time in Q2, Verstappen set the fastest lap time in Q3, but a 5-place penalty for a gearbox change promoted Charles Leclerc to pole position for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Another wet day on Saturday, dedicated to Sprint activities, saw track action delayed. When the Sprint Shootout eventually begun, it did so in similar drying conditions to Friday’s qualifying. Turn 9 proved to be tricky again, with Lance Stroll crashing out in SQ2.

With the track drying further in the closing stages of SQ3, each passing lap saw a new name at the top of the timing tower. Pierre Gasly set the initial pace towards the end of the session, before being displaced by Carlos Sainz. Oscar Piastri then set the fastest lap time by just 0.014 seconds, before Verstappen bettered the benchmark by a further 0.011 seconds.

More rain between the Sprint Shootout and the Sprint itself saw the Saturday race begin with a rolling start – though most drivers opted to head to the pit lane to switch from wet tyres to intermediates as the race began. Verstappen opted to stay out for the first lap but Piastri made sufficient time on his first lap on intermediates to take the lead at the start of Lap 2.

The Safety Car was called when Fernando Alonso crashed out on a disappointing Saturday for Aston Martin. The race resumed on Lap 6, with Verstappen able to get a run on the leading McLaren to return to the front of the field. That’s how the order remained for the rest of the Sprint, with the rest of the action coming from the two Ferraris and Hamilton and Perez; the latter Red Bull tumbling down the order with a lack of grip.

Verstappen won the Sprint ahead of Piastri, with Gasly securing a top three finish with Alpine, while a five-second penalty for Hamilton due to contact with Perez dropped him from fourth on the road to seventh in the final order.

The first dry day of the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix came on race day, with Leclerc starting alongside Perez on the front row of the grid. Leclerc maintained his lead into Turn 1, while Piastri picked up damage in contact with Sainz. After an impressive Saturday, the Australian’s Sunday afternoon came to an early end.

Further round the opening lap, on the Kemmel Straight, Perez slipstreamed his way by Leclerc to take the lead. Verstappen moved up to fourth place with a similar slipstream move on Sainz. At the start of Lap 5, Lando Norris lost positions in quick succession to both Lance Stroll and George Russell. Sainz’s wounded car lost positions as the laps passed by.

On Lap 6, Verstappen passed Hamilton for the final podium spot and by Lap 9 he was on Leclerc’s tail, making the move for second stick. Eight laps later, Verstappen had caught his team-mate and led the race for the first time.

Fans in the grandstands began to take out their umbrellas just before the halfway point of the race, with Verstappen having a moment in the slippery conditions at Eau Rouge. Yuki Tsunoda was having an impressive race, making his way up as far as sixth place in the race’s midpoint.

The rain did not necessitate any pit stops for intermediate tyres and the rest of the race passed without incident for the front runners. Verstappen led home a Red Bull 1-2, with polesitter Leclerc completing the podium.

2022 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RECAP

There were grid penalties galore at Spa Francorchamps for the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix, where Verstappen won from 14th on the grid.

Following a crash in a support category, qualifying for the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix was delayed by almost half an hour. No fewer than eight drivers took grid penalties for the race. That included Max Verstappen, who had set the fastest time in qualifying. Charles Leclerc – who bumped the barriers with a spin in Free Practice 3 – was another driver demoted on the grid. 

Verstappen’s penalty meant that he started from 14th on the grid, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz inherited pole position. Sainz maintained his lead at the start and the drivers kept it clean at Turn 1. 

Fernando Alonso, who was moved up to third on the final grid, was running in second place at the end of the Kemmel Straight. He and Lewis Hamilton made contact at the end of the straight, sending the Mercedes off the ground and into retirement. The same area was a hot spot for action on Lap 2, as Nicholas Latifi and Valtteri Bottas collided, ending the Alfa Romeo driver’s race.

The Safety Car was deployed as a result of Latifi and Bottas’ coming together, under which Ferrari took the opportunity to pit Leclerc as a tear off had become lodged in his brake duct. When the Safety Car period ended, on Lap 5, Verstappen continued his progress through the grid and ran fourth by Lap 7 after passing Alonso. He was into the podium places on the following lap. 

Ferrari brought race leader Sainz into the pits on Lap 12 as Verstappen passed his Red Bull team-mate on track for the lead. The Dutchman pitted four laps later and emerged in second place behind the Ferrari. By Lap 18, Verstappen was able to make an easy DRS-aided overtake on Sainz on the Kemmel Straight. Sainz soon came under pressure from the other Red Bull and dropped to third. That’s how the race would end, with Verstappen taking his ninth win of the 2022 season. 

Sebastian Vettel, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon enjoyed a side-by-side scrap for seventh place, with the latter Frenchman eventually coming out on top. The other Alpine of Alonso battled Leclerc on the penultimate lap, overtaking the Ferrari – though Leclerc re-passed on the final lap when trying to set the fastest lap of the race on fresh tyres. However, post-race, Leclerc was handed a five second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane, dropping him back behind the Spaniard.

2021 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX RECAP

A very wet weekend at Spa Francorchamps saw the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix result decided after only a handful of laps behind the Safety Car.

Formula 1 returned from its summer break with the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix weekend. While Kimi Raikkonen crashed on entry to the pit lane in Free Practice 1, Charles Leclerc found the barriers in Free Practice 2. Max Verstappen also brought out the red flags on Friday afternoon with a crash towards the end of the session.

Saturday at the circuit was wet, with drivers acclimatising themselves to the conditions in Free Practice 3. The rain intensified for qualifying, with Lando Norris looking like the driver to beat after topping both Q1 and Q2. However, with conditions worsening, the McLaren driver crashed heavily through Eau Rouge at the start of Q3. After a delay in proceedings, George Russell began to light up the timing screens in the Williams. Russell took provisional pole but his time was beaten in the final seconds by Max Verstappen.

The weather was no better on Sunday when Verstappen and Russell were set to share the front row of the grid. The difficult conditions were highlighted by Sergio Perez crashing on his way to the grid. The race was indefinitely halted and, three hours later, an attempt was made to start the Grand Prix behind the Safety Car. However, the drivers completed only three laps before the race was red flagged and called off. It meant that the drivers were awarded half points, with Verstappen taking victory and Russell recording his maiden podium finish. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium.


SPA FRANCORCHAMPS GRAND PRIX WINNERS AND POLESITTERS

Year
Polesitter
Team On Pole
Winner
Winning Team
1950
Nino Farina
Alfa Romeo
Juan Manuel Fangio
Alfa Romeo
1951
Juan Manuel Fangio
Alfa Romeo
Giuseppe Farina
Alfa Romeo
1952
Alberto Ascari
Ferrari
Alberto Ascari
Ferrari
1953
Juan Manuel Fangio
Maserati
Alberto Ascari
Ferrari
1954
Juan Manuel Fangio
Maserati
Juan Manuel Fangio
Maserati
1955
Eugenio Castellotti
Lancia
Juan Manuel Fangio
Mercedes
1956
Juan Manuel Fangio
Ferrari
Peter Collins
Ferrari
1958
Mike Hawthorn
Ferrari
Tony Brooks
Vanwall
1960
Jack Brabham
Cooper
Jack Brabham
Cooper
1961
Phil Hill
Ferrari
Phil Hill
Ferrari
1962
Graham Hill
BRM
Jim Clark
Lotus
1963
Graham Hill
BRM
Jim Clark
Lotus
1964
Dan Gurney
Brabham
Jim Clark
Lotus
1965
Graham Hill
BRM
Jim Clark
Lotus
1966
John Surtees
Ferrari
John Surtees
Ferrari
1967
Jim Clark
Lotus
Dan Gurney
Eagle
1968
Chris Amon
Ferrari
Bruce McLaren
McLaren
1970
Jackie Stewart
March
Pedro Rodríguez
BRM
1983
Alain Prost
Renault
Alain Prost
Renault
1985
Alain Prost
McLaren
Ayrton Senna
Lotus
1986
Nelson Piquet
Williams
Nigel Mansell
Williams
1987
Nigel Mansell
Williams
Alain Prost
McLaren
1988
Ayrton Senna
McLaren
Ayrton Senna
McLaren
1989
Ayrton Senna
McLaren
Ayrton Senna
McLaren
1990
Ayrton Senna
McLaren
Ayrton Senna
McLaren
1991
Ayrton Senna
McLaren
Ayrton Senna
McLaren
1992
Nigel Mansell
Williams
Michael Schumacher
Benetton
1993
Alain Prost
Williams
Damon Hill
Williams
1994
Rubens Barrichello
Jordan
Damon Hill
Williams
1995
Gerhard Berger
Ferrari
Michael Schumacher
Benetton
1996
Jacques Villeneuve
Williams
Michael Schumacher
Ferrari
1997
Jacques Villeneuve
Williams
Michael Schumacher
Ferrari
1998
Mika Häkkinen
McLaren
Damon Hill
Jordan
1999
Mika Häkkinen
McLaren
David Coulthard
McLaren
2000
Mika Häkkinen
McLaren
Mika Häkkinen
McLaren
2001
Juan Pablo Montoya
Williams
Michael Schumacher
Ferrari
2002
Michael Schumacher
Ferrari
Michael Schumacher
Ferrari
2004
Jarno Trulli
Renault
Kimi Räikkönen
McLaren
2005
Juan Pablo Montoya
McLaren
Kimi Räikkönen
McLaren
2007
Kimi Räikkönen
Ferrari
Kimi Räikkönen
Ferrari
2008
Lewis Hamilton
McLaren
Felipe Massa
Ferrari
2009
Giancarlo Fisichella
Force India
Kimi Räikkönen
Ferrari
2010
Mark Webber
Red Bull
Lewis Hamilton
McLaren
2011
Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull
2012
Jenson Button
McLaren
Jenson Button
McLaren
2013
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull
2014
Nico Rosberg
Mercedes
Daniel Ricciardo
Red Bull
2015
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
2016
Nico Rosberg
Mercedes
Nico Rosberg
Mercedes
2017
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
2018
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
Sebastian Vettel
Ferrari
2019
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
2020
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
2021
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
2022
Carlos Sainz
Ferrari
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
2023
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
2024
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
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