Watch Formula 1 live at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot on 17 July 2026. This motorsport race offers Friday access to two practice sessions, Formula 2 and Formula 3 action, views of Eau Rouge, Raidillon and Les Combes, and the first true pace comparisons. Plan your ticket purchase and journey in advance
Formula 1 at Spa-Francorchamps: the Friday that reveals the true balance of power
Formula 1 returns to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps from July 17 to 19, 2026, and a one-day ticket for Friday, July 17, provides access to the day when teams test their cars for the first time on the longest circuit on the current calendar. Friday does not have the finality of qualifying or the Grand Prix, but it offers more laps, setup changes and the first indications of who has found the right compromise between straight-line speed and stability through fast corners.
The first Formula 1 free practice session runs from 13:30 to 14:30, and the second from 17:00 to 18:00. Before them, Formula 3 and Formula 2 take to the track, along with an F1 car presentation and a demonstration of historic cars. For a visitor who wants to understand the entire weekend, Friday is the day for comparing aerodynamic configurations, tyre behaviour and longer sequences of laps.
Tickets for this event are in demand.
What takes place on Friday
The entrances are open from 6:00 to 22:00, and the first track activity begins in the morning. The schedule is subject to change, so it should be checked again before departure.
- 09:55-10:40 - FIA Formula 3 practice
- 11:05-11:50 - FIA Formula 2 practice
- 12:00-13:00 - F1 car presentation
- 12:30-12:50 - historic F1 car demonstration
- 13:30-14:30 - first Formula 1 free practice session
- 15:55-16:25 - FIA Formula 2 qualifying
- 17:00-18:00 - second Formula 1 free practice session
- 18:30-19:15 - Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup practice
The first F1 session is used for initial track mapping, checking the car's ride height and comparing setups. In the second session, the longer sequences of laps will be particularly interesting. Spa requires careful management of aerodynamic drag: less downforce helps on the Kemmel Straight, but it can make it more difficult to pass through Pouhon, Fagnes and Blanchimont. That is why looking only at the fastest time is not enough. It is important to monitor whether the drivers repeat a similar pace and in which parts the car becomes unsettled.
A circuit that punishes the wrong compromise
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is 7.004 kilometres long. Sunday's Grand Prix is contested over 44 laps, or 308.052 kilometres. On such a long lap, one run out of the pits provides fewer attempts than at shorter circuits, so a red flag or technical problem costs a great deal of time.
The lap begins with the slow La Source corner, where the exit is important for acceleration towards Eau Rouge and Raidillon. The climb follows, then the Kemmel Straight and braking for Les Combes, one of the main overtaking zones. The new Silver 7 is located at the end of the straight, with a view towards Les Combes and access to the Combes Fan Zone.
The middle section of the lap changes the rhythm. Bruxelles is slower and technically demanding, Pouhon produces prolonged lateral load, and Fagnes requires a precise change of direction. The final section through Stavelot and Blanchimont restores high speed before braking for the Bus Stop chicane.
The elevated grandstands beside Eau Rouge offer views towards La Source and the climb through Raidillon. The grandstand beside Pouhon displays the car's pure speed and stability in one of the most demanding corners. Bronze tickets allow movement through pedestrian areas around the circuit, while the Silver and Gold categories include an allocated seat in a selected grandstand. Some grandstands are covered, but many areas remain exposed to the weather.
Places are disappearing quickly.
Who arrives in the best form
The Belgian weekend comes after nine completed Grand Prix races in the 2026 season. Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' standings with 179 points, ahead of George Russell with 154. Lewis Hamilton has 147, while Charles Leclerc has 108 points. Mercedes leads the teams with 333 points, Ferrari is second with 255, McLaren third with 179, and Red Bull Racing fourth with 128.
Mercedes is the main benchmark, but the latest races do not offer a simple prediction. Russell won in Austria, Hamilton in Barcelona, and Leclerc at the final Grand Prix before Spa, in Great Britain. Ferrari therefore arrives with confirmation that it can win, while Mercedes has the points advantage and two drivers at the top of the championship.
McLaren does not yet have a victory in 2026, but Oscar Piastri won the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix in a race that started on a wet surface and continued in dry conditions. He made the decisive attack after Eau Rouge and Raidillon, using the slipstream towards Les Combes. Lando Norris finished second.
Max Verstappen arrives at Spa with 76 points, behind the leading group, but the circuit rewards confidence through fast corners. Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri are among the active drivers who already have a victory at this venue. Hamilton recorded his fifth Spa victory in 2024 after George Russell's disqualification, while Sergio Pérez holds the race's fastest-lap record with a time of 1:44.701 from the same year.
Friday should show whether Mercedes retains its advantage on the long straights, whether Ferrari can continue its form from Silverstone, whether McLaren is returning to a direct fight for the lead and how competitive Red Bull Racing is in the sector connecting Raidillon, Kemmel and Les Combes. The answer will not be provided by one fast lap, but by a combination of qualifying pace and longer runs.
Why the Belgian Grand Prix is important
The first version of the circuit was created in 1921 on public roads between Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot. The original triangle was approximately 14.9 kilometres long. The current configuration was introduced after the 1979 redevelopment, but it retained the character of a fast lap through the Ardennes, with major elevation changes and corners that follow the terrain.
Spa was part of the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship season in 1950, when Juan Manuel Fangio won. Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Niki Lauda and Sebastian Vettel have also celebrated victories here. The event's importance is confirmed by an agreement under which the Belgian Grand Prix will be held in 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2031.
The circuit's reputation is not based solely on history. In a single lap, Spa combines a slow corner, a steep climb, a long straight, fast changes of direction and a final section with heavy braking. Teams cannot maximise one quality of the car without losing performance in another part of the lap.
The weather in the Ardennes can change the entire plan
On a 7.004-kilometre lap, one part of the circuit can be wet while another is still dry. Clouds, wind and local showers do not affect every sector equally, so conditions can change before the driver returns to the pits.
The current forecast for Friday predicts a combination of cloud and sunshine, a daytime temperature of around 23 degrees and a considerably colder night. Lower daytime temperatures are expected for Saturday and Sunday. The forecast may change, but layered clothing and rain protection remain a sensible choice. The asphalt temperature affects tyre warm-up, while sudden moisture can completely change the work in the pits.
Covered grandstands provide greater protection, but open areas may include uneven and muddy terrain. Spa is not a compact stadium. The distances between individual points around the circuit are considerable, and changing viewing locations may take longer than the map suggests.
Arrival, parking and getting around
The complex's address is Route du Circuit 55, B-4970 Francorchamps. Traffic during the F1 weekend differs from the usual approach to the circuit, so the entrance area should be matched with the type of ticket and the selected parking area. A parking space must be reserved before arrival. Waze has also been adapted for the event, displaying access routes, parking areas and campsites.
For arrivals by train, the main connection runs to Verviers-Central station, from where a TEC shuttle travels towards the circuit. Return shuttles to the station operate continuously in the afternoon. City Shuttle routes connect the circuit with cities in Belgium and neighbouring countries, including Aachen, Brussels, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Liège, Luxembourg and Maastricht. The planned arrival is at around 9:00, and the return at approximately 19:00, with the possibility of timetable changes.
The Malmedy parking area is connected by shuttle to the Combes entrance, which is suitable for visitors positioned near the end of the Kemmel Straight and Les Combes. Regardless of the method of arrival, a large amount of extra time should be allowed for local roads, pedestrian approaches and entrance checks.
At the venue, the instructions of the marshals and the prohibition on entering the track must be respected. Access to the racing surface is not permitted during the event, except in specially marked areas after Sunday's race and only after staff approval. For Friday, it is useful to save the entrance map, schedule and return route in advance.
How to make the most of a one-day visit
Arriving around the time stated on the ticket allows enough time for orientation before the F1 sessions. Since Formula 1 takes to the track at 13:30, the morning can be used for Formula 3, Formula 2 and comparing the views towards Eau Rouge, Les Combes or Pouhon.
Between the two F1 sessions, it is not practical to try to walk around the entire circuit. It is better to choose one change of location and allow for the climb, crowds and checkpoints. It makes sense to watch the first free practice session beside a fast corner, and the second beside a braking zone or long straight, where the differences in speed and slipstreaming are more clearly visible.
The Combes Fan Zone offers simulators and additional activities beside the new Silver 7 grandstand, while the main Fan Zone during the weekend includes conversations with drivers and other entertainment. Nevertheless, the greatest value of Friday remains the time beside the circuit: the cars go out on several occasions, change tyres and setups, and provide many opportunities for observation.
It is worth securing tickets in time.
Stavelot as a base away from the circuit
Stavelot is a historic town in the Belgian Ardennes, recognisable for its preserved centre and abbey, whose present-day complex largely dates from the 18th century. The vaulted cellars of the abbey contain the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps museum, with a collection dedicated to the history of the circuit and motor racing.
During the Grand Prix weekend, accommodation and local transport should be planned in advance. Francorchamps, Malmedy, Spa and the wider Ardennes region function as a shared arrival area, so travel time depends on controlled routes, parking and pedestrian access, not only on distance.
Sources:
- Formula 1 - calendar, 2026 session schedule, circuit length, number of laps, lap record, history and viewing zones
- FIA - championship calendar and date of the Belgian Grand Prix
- Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - opening hours, address, mobility and on-site facilities
- Spa Grand Prix - parking, train and shuttle connections, ticket categories, grandstands, Silver 7, Combes Fan Zone and safety information
- Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Formula 1 - current driver and team standings and 2026 season results
- Formula 1 - reports from the 2024 and 2025 Belgian Grands Prix
- VISITWallonia and Tourisme Stavelot - historical context of Stavelot, the abbey and the circuit museum
- Weather forecast for Francorchamps - expected conditions from July 17 to 19, 2026