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,

The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps will drop off the Formula One calendar in 2028 and 2030 as part of a contract extension announced on Wednesday to host four races in the six years to 2031.

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.

Formula 1 has extended its contract with the Belgian Grand Prix but one of the sport's most established races is set to be dropped from the schedule in 2028 and 2030.