FIA make significant announcement ahead of Belgian Grand Prix

The FIA has made a key announcement that will impact drivers racing at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa.

In the 10th race of the Formula One campaign, Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli continues to lead the Drivers' Championship standings, closely followed by teammate George Russell.

Antonelli has set a relentless pace at the top, but saw his advantage close significantly last time out at the British Grand Prix, finishing in 16th position after being given a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.

Charles Leclerc cashed in by winning his first race of the campaign at Silverstone, while Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton ended with a third-place finish after making a flying start.

Ferrari are on a comeback trail following a difficult start to 2026, as Hamilton closed the gap to just 32 points in the Drivers' Championship, setting up a potentially thrilling battle at Spa.

Ahead of the race, the FIA has confirmed that a straight-line mode will be available on the approach to Eau Rouge.

This is a significant change to the track, as five SM zones are being installed at Spa, the most since the opening round of the season in Australia.

Straight mode is an active aerodynamic setting which flattens the front and rear wings on the long straights of the track to boost the cars' top speed.

Controversially replacing the DRS system for the 2026 F1 season, active aero will not be allowed through Eau Rouge/Raidillon itself, although a move to place an SM zone between La Source and Eau Rouge will see moveable wings used at that section of the lap for the first time in 14 years.

The five active aero zones at Spa

• Start-finish straight (leading down to La Source)
• Kemmel straight
• The back straight between Les Combes and Bruxelles
• The high-speed section leading down from Pouhon to Fagnes
• The straight between Blanchimont and the Bus Stop Chicane

Overtake Mode, which essentially works similarly to the previous DRS system by giving drivers a power boost when within one second of the car ahead, will also be available on the start/finish straight at Spa.

Why the Belgian Grand Prix poses significant issues to drivers

A 50:50 split between internal combustion and electrical power was introduced for the 2026 campaign, and this created several problems for drivers.

Max Verstappen is one of many to publicly express his concerns about the change, and with Spa being the longest circuit on the calendar, the track is expected to pose major problems for the 2026 power unit.

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso is another who has been negatively impacted, warning that some drivers could be left with no deployment at all in Sector 2 if they choose to save energy on the longest straights.

"Silverstone and Spa, they are very thirsty on energy, and you cannot deploy on all the straights," Alonso admitted.

“[At Spa], it’s going to be the same thing. If you deploy at Spa from Turn 1 to 5, finito for the rest of the lap.

“You need to save a little bit there to have deployment from [Turn] 14 [Stavelot] to the Bus Stop.

“But if you deploy on those two straights, which is the optimal deployment, then there is a one-minute Sector 2 with no deployment at all.

“And with no deployment at all, we cannot forget that this year we have significantly less power than last year and less power than F2.

“That’s the case when you cut the deployment. It’s a challenge.”