After the recent exit of Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of Formula 1, on alternating Grands Prix in the future, those responsible for Spa GP want to believe in their chance of maintaining their position every year.
The Belgian Grand Prix is one of the events whose contract will expire at the end of 2025 and while the promoter is at the negotiating table with F1 leaders, Domenicali’s position naturally raises some concerns in the Belgian Ardennes
Vanessa Maes, the general director of Spa Grand Prix, nevertheless wants to reassure fans by qualifying her reaction, convinced that the arguments of the event on “the most beautiful circuit in the world” should still ensure good days ahead.
Note that the 2025 edition will mark the centenary of the first European Grand Prix organized in the Eau Rouge valley won by the Alfa Romeo P2 of Antonio Ascari, the father of Alberto Ascari, last Italian World Champion in 1952/53.
Better than in 2021
“We are still in negotiationsshe explains to our colleagues at Day DH. We seem in a better position than in 2021 where the future of the Grand Prix was clearly threatened. We have made a huge effort to meet the expectations of F1. Rotation, let’s be frank, we don’t want it.”
“But if it is to prevail, choices will have to be made,
she concedes. Better to have Spa-Francorchamps on the calendar every other year than no Spa-Francorchamps at all. If necessary, we will request a financial arrangement. We are in Belgium and we must ensure the viability of the event.”
A single Sprint in Europe for 2025
“There is no contract yet for post-2025 but we are moving forwardcontinues Vanessa Maes. But after the recent release of Stefano Domenicali, we think it should go quickly. I hope we can announce some good news in a few weeks. We remind you that in 2025, Spa-Francorchamps will be the only European round of the F1 calendar to have a Sprint race during its weekend, which is a guarantee of confidence on the part of Formula 1 decision-makers.”
The commercial situation for the 2025 Grand Prix is rather favorable since 50% of tickets have already found takers, which constitutes a good start for ticketing at this stage of the year while there are still nine months before this meeting.
In 2024, a total of 330,000 spectators attended the Belgian Grand Prix, not counting all the staff operating at the event, i.e. 380,000 people over the three days of the Grand Prix, a record attendance. If the Ardennes ring is popular with fans, Spa-Francorchamps is also by far the drivers’ favorite circuit, something Stefano Domenicali, as former director of Scuderia Ferrari, knows better than anyone.
