It can also suit the promoters. Zandvoort’s decision to stop hosting F1 after 2026 points to the pressures — and costs — involved in staging a race. Spa looked in serious doubt just a few years ago, and while the interest from the local stakeholders has certainly taken an uplift since then, a couple of off years may actually suit the track.

We're a week into 2025, and with preseason testing still seven weeks away, ESPN unpacks the storylines that will define Formula 1 this year.

Max Verstappen has suffered a blow in comparison to his Formula 1 rival Lewis Hamilton following his Ferrari signing. Verstappen and Hamilton are the two names that have dominated the sport and the drivers' championship in recent history,

Formula 1 and the Belgian Grand Prix are in agreement with a new deal that will keep the race on the schedule on a rotating basis through 2031. The multi-year extension will see the F1 drivers flock to the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in 2026,

The deal means the fixture at Spa-Francorchamps – which is among the most recognisable in F1 – will be omitted from the schedule in 2028 and 2030.

The Belgian Grand Prix will appear on the F1 calendar for four of the next six seasons after 2025, taking place in 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2031. It marks a first step from F1 to introduce circuit rotation to its calendar amid sizable demand from countries around the world to host a grand prix.