Belgian Grand Prix: The uncomfortable new F1 reality after extraordinary decision
Belgian Grand Prix: The uncomfortable new F1 reality after extraordinary decision
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It's the move we've all been expecting for some time, but finally we have confirmation that Formula 1 is heading into an era of rotational races. And it is a move which is going to affect some of the sport's most iconic events. For decades, the Belgian Grand Prix has been a staple of the F1 calendar, only ever missing because of extraordinary circumstances like the 2006 circuit refurbishments, arguments over tobacco advertising in 2003 and, way back in 1957, due to a lack of money caused by the Suez Crisis.
But that will change in the coming years. On Wednesday, F1 announced a new contract for Spa-Francorchamps to continue as a world championship venue. But not annually - in 2028 and 2030, the Belgian GP will not be part of the race calendar. It is a move which will alarm motorsport purists. After all, Spa-Francorchamps is one of THE iconic F1 circuits having been one of the seven venues which held a round of the inaugural championship all the way back in 1950. Of those, only Silverstone, Monaco and Monza remain as annual stops on the sport's global tour.
Global is the key word here, really, because it points us towards the reason why Belgium's importance to F1 chiefs is no longer as great as it once was. F1 is a booming sport which has led to an extraordinary level of interest around the world from countries, states and cities desperate to grab a slice of an ever-growing pie.
With millions of new fans having become hooked on F1, there are new markets available to the sport that were simply never really there before. And taking full advantage of them inevitably leads to less room on the schedule for the more traditional events in Europe, some of which are not as lucrative as some of the other opportunities in Asia and the Americas, for example.
