The Belgian GP may be an event on the F1 calendar that holds a lot of historical significance, but it is not doing very well financially. Despite having just a $22 million hosting fee—the lowest among all tracks currently—the Grand Prix has been running at a loss in recent years.
In 2024, the event reportedly suffered losses of around $3.06 million to $3.57 million according to Speedcafe. The year before, this figure was approximately $2.34 million. The reason behind this was the investments in infrastructure upgrades and promotional campaigns for the event.
These numbers may look bad, but not as much as before 2020, when losses often ranged between $6 million and $8 million, per AutoHebdo.
Spa-Francorchamps is a beloved track among fans, making it sad for the F1 community to see the organizers running the race at a financial deficit. As a result, rumors of replacing it with another country have surfaced in recent years.
✍ With Belgium extended for 2026, 2027, 2029 & 2031 here’s a look at the updated F1 Circuit Contracts pic.twitter.com/gAC8c572bU
— F1 Grand Slam (@F1GrandSlam) January 8, 2025
The past two Grands Prix have been a result of consecutive one-year extensions by the race promoters to somehow keep Spa on the F1 calendar. However, it will be interesting to see how long they can manage to do so without the race having financial viability from a profit standpoint.
The Belgian GP organizers may consider slightly increasing ticket prices for the 2025 race to offset the losses incurred in 2024. However, they will need to devise a long-term solution to retain their place in F1 while remaining financially viable, especially since their hosting fee is reportedly set to increase with a new contract starting in 2026.
The Belgian GP’s new rotational contract
F1 recently confirmed the signing of a new contract with the Belgian GP organizers to keep the race on the calendar until 2031. However, the caveat in this deal is that Spa-Francorchamps will host only four races during the six-year period from 2026 to 2031.
The announcement highlighted that the race will take place in 2026, 2027, 2029, and 2031. This rotational arrangement will allow other tracks to take Spa’s slot in 2028 and 2030. There are reports that the Dutch GP in Zandvoort, whose deal expires in 2026, could take one of those slots.
Besides Zandvoort, other possibilities exist. The BBC reported that F1 may consider reviving the German or French GP. Additionally, there have been recent reports of FOM working on a race in Rwanda. However, this is yet to materialize, with plans for a new circuit to be built in or around Kigali still in development.
The increased hosting fees and the rotational arrangement may stem from the financial viability issues facing the Belgian GP. With pressure from other prospective countries eager to host a Grand Prix, F1 may have limited options to save the race at Spa. Naturally, this would not be a popular decision among the sport’s purist fans.
