The 2026 Formula One season has brought a new challenge to the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, as drivers and teams grapple with the energy management implications of the new rules. The famous Ardennes circuit, known for its demanding corners and energy-intensive nature, has undergone a transformation that has left drivers and teams alike struggling to find the optimal deployment strategy.
One of the most striking differences is the speed at which cars approach the braking zones. In 2025, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri noted that the car arrived at the braking zone for La Source at 296km/h, while in 2026, the speed has increased to 283km/h. This increase in speed is due to the more electrical power available on corner exit, allowing the 2026 car to accelerate more quickly and reach higher speeds along the pit straight and at the foot of Eau Rouge.
The second sector of the track, which exposes the biggest weaknesses, has seen a significant change. The 2026 car has less downforce, but the power unit side of the equation is the main culprit. Drivers are forced to complete most of sector two without MGU-K deployment, as they deploy electrical energy from La Source to Les Combes and then again towards Blanchimont and the Bus Stop chicane. This has led to a comparison with Formula 3, as F1's internal combustion engine now produces less power than the Mecachrome engines used in F2.
The comparison with 2025 reflects this perfectly. The difference is particularly striking from Les Combes to Pouhon, especially under braking for Rivage. Just before the braking point, the speed difference between the two years exceeds 40km/h. The 2026 car has less downforce, but the vast majority of the explanation lies on the power unit side of the equation.
Pouhon, which drivers have described as the most painful point of the lap in 2026, has also changed. Last year, the double left-hander posed a significant challenge, but this year it is comfortably flat for everyone, although the speed through both parts of Pouhon is around 30km/h lower than a year ago.
The final sector, meanwhile, mirrors the first. Once again the 2026 car accelerates more quickly out of Stavelot, but the turning point comes at Blanchimont. Norris explained on Friday that drivers lose around 50km/h through Blanchimont this year, and the data confirms that. Antonelli enters the corner at 335km/h and exits at 285km/h, whereas in 2025 the speed continued to build progressively.
The changes in the 2026 season have exposed the character of Spa more clearly than anywhere else. At circuits such as Budapest and Zandvoort, the issue will be less pronounced, but this weekend has demonstrated exactly why the changes planned for 2027 and 2028 are so badly needed. The reduction in downforce is a positive development, forcing drivers to wrestle with the cars more once again, but it is the unnatural aspect of the lap time that has been exposed by Spa.
In my opinion, the 2026 season has brought a new challenge to the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, and the changes have exposed the character of the track more clearly than anywhere else. The reduction in downforce and the focus on electrical energy deployment have forced drivers to adapt their strategies, and the results have been fascinating to witness. The changes planned for 2027 and 2028 are badly needed to ensure that the character of Spa is retained, and the season has been a testament to the importance of these changes.
