Belgian Grand Prix storylines include the title race, and Red Bull’s future

Formula 1 returns to action this weekend at the historic Spa-Francorchamps, site of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Here are the storylines we’re excited about this week.

Lewis Hamilton’s win at the Spanish Grand Prix — his first Grand Prix win in Ferrari red — kickstarted dreams of a charge for the Drivers’ title.

And last time out it was indeed a Ferrari driver at hte front of the field, but it was Charles Leclerc who took home the victory at the British Grand Prix, pulling the Montagasque driver to within 71 points of championship leader Kimi Antonell, and it also pulled Ferrari to within 78 points of Mercedes in the Constructors’ title race.

Here is how the top five drivers sit in the standings ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix:

1. Kimi Antonelli: 179 points
2. George Russell: 154 points
3. Lewis Hamilton: 147 points
4 Charles Leclerc: 108 points
5. Lando Norris: 97 points

And now, how the top five teams stand in the Constructors’ Championship chase:

1. Mercedes: 333 points
2. Ferrari: 255 points
3. McLaren: 179 points
4. Red Bull Racing: 128 points
5. Alpine: 60 points

With Spa’s mixture of long straights and fast corners — more on that in a moment — and teams like Ferrari bringing some upgrades to the track this weekend, how will the Belgian Grand Prix shake up the championship picture?

The new technical regulations implemented prior to the 2026 season has turned this year into even more of a battle of the upgrades than usual. With teams working as much as possible to push the spirit of the regulations, and extract every potential tenth of a second on the track, each race weekend brings a host of new components to the track.

This weekend is expected to be no different.

According to reports from Italian media, Ferrari is expected to bring a series of upgrades to the Belgian Grand Prix, including an aerodynamic evolution, and potentially a tweak to the team’s rear wing. Aston Martin, a team struggling at the back of the field, could receive a boost as Honda anticipates an upgraded power unit being ready for the AMR26, perhaps as early as this weekend.

We will get the full picture of upgrades later this week, but expect to see some new components on track this weekend.

This weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix marks the first time the new generation F1 cars head to the historic circuit.

And according to some of the drivers on the grid, that could make for a difficult challenge.

With the emphasis on battery power, energy deployment, and chargind under breaking, the layout at Spa-Francorchamps could leave some drivers struggling at the end of the lap, depending on how they use battery power in the first sector.

As outlined by veteran Fernando Alonso, the layout of the first sector may required drivers to conserve some energy if they want to have something left for the end of the lap.

“Silverstone and Spa, they are very thirsty on energy,” Alonso said prior to the British Grand Prix. “You cannot deploy in all the straights. Next week, it is going to be the same thing. If you deploy in Spa from Turn 1 [La Source] to 5 [Les Combes], it is finito for the rest of the lap.

“So, you need to save a little bit there to have deployment from Turn 14 [Stavelot] to the Bus Stop [chicane, Turns 18 and 19]. But if you deploy in those two straights, which is the optimal deployment, then there is one minute, sector two, 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 is the case when you cut the deployment. So, yes, it is a challenge.”

Alonso was not alone in that assessment.

“I love Spa, but Spa is going to be another painful one, just because of the energy, like here,” added Max Verstappen ahead of the British Grand Prix.

The British Grand Prix marked the second time in as many races that Max Verstappen saw a competitive session end with him in the wall, due to an issue with the rear wing on the RB22.

First, it was qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, where Verstappen found himself in the wall near the end of Q3. Then it was the British Grand Prix itself, when the Red Bull driver was in the hunt for a podium result.

That crash, which Verstappen attributed to a “dangerous” rear wing, confirmed that he will not be in the top two of the F1 Drivers’ Championship standings when the summer shutdown arrives. Which could be critical for his future. While Verstappen remains under contract with Red Bull through the 2028, his contract contains performance clauses, which provide him a potential out.

While the details of that performance clause are murky, many outlets believe that he can trigger that clause provided he is not in the top two in the standings by the summer shutdown. (However, other outlets believe the performance clause comes later in the year, as BBC Sport references October in this piece published recently).

Regardless of the timing, Verstappen’s relative struggles — and corresponding frustration — have sparked rumors of a shocking move ahead of next season to one of Red Bull’s rivals. Given his talent, nearly every team on the grid would at least speak with the driver and his team about a potential move, and according to BBC Sport some initial talks may have taken place with Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren about next year. While all three teams have drivers under contract for 2027, Max Verstappen is Max Verstappen.

It is also important to remember that teams and drivers have discussions all the time, sometimes leading to a move, sometimes leading to nothing at all. That is part of life in F1. For example, look back to last season, a summer that was dominated by rumors of Verstappen leaving for Mercedes. While Toto Wolff confirmed that talks did take place, the Silver Arrows ultimately negotiated new deals for Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, who are one-two in the Drivers’ Championship standings at the moment.

What might be even more interesting at Red Bull, given the history, is what is currently happening next to Verstappen. The second seat at Red Bull has often been referred to as the “second seat of death,” given the team’s preference for a clear “number one” driver, and the corresponding struggles to find a second driver alongside their star.

Could that have changed with Isack Hadjar?

While Verstappen generates the headlines, he sits seventh in the Drivers’ Championship standings with 76 points. Hadjar is just behind him in eighth, with 52 points. If you examine their qualifying performances, while Verstappen has outqualified Hadjar in 6-of-9 Grand Prix qualifying sessions this year, the gap between them in qualifying is an average of just 0.123 seconds.

Not since Daniel Ricciardo in 2018 has a teammate been this close to Verstappen.

Heat was the focus for the teams and drivers during recent race weeks, particularly the Austrian Grand Prix. But this weekend brings the potential for something different in the weather category, something the 2026 season has not seen yet.

Rain.

Current forecasts are calling for rain showers, most prominently on Friday during the first two practice sessions and on Saturday during qualifying. While the chances of rain are diminished for the Grand Prix itself, the size of Spa-Francorchamps — the track is over four miles long — there is still a chance that parts of the track will be wet, while the rest is dry.

Why might this matter? While some teams have carried out testing sessions with Pirelli, the sport’s exclusive tire supplier, in wet conditions the bulk of the field has yet to experience the 2026 cars in that environment.

That could make for an interesting session if indeed we see rain this weekend.

If you have spent any time on SB Nation over the past few months, you have probably seen The Feed, a home for discussion.

In recent weeks, SB Nation has expanded that format to sport-specific Feeds, providing fans a dedicated spot to talk about their favorite sports. That includes a specific Feed dedicated to Formula 1, which debuted ahead of the British Grand Prix.

We’ll be talking F1 now over at the F1 Feed throughout the year, and in particular during race weeks. So sign up and join the conversation!