The FIA Formula 2 championship heads to the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit for Round 8 of the season, as the 2026 campaign moves into its second half.
It’s a track that “has a bit of everything” according to DAMS driver Roman Bilinski and Van Amersfoort Racing’s Nico Varrone.
“Spa is one of those historic tracks which, I believe, all the drivers love coming back to. It’s a dream to drive here. And each time you go up Eau Rouge, it’s a fantastic feeling in the cockpit of the car,” Bilnski told InsideF2.
A Thursday stroll up the steepest incline on the F2 calendar… ?????#F2 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/1iZVrn4YKv
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He said the circuit has its challenges, with a mixture of high-speed, low-speed chicanes and medium-speed corners, adding that he enjoys the “old school” nature of the circuit.
“There’s not really much runoff as well. It’s straight to gravel, which personally I quite like,” the Polish driver said, adding that mistakes are punished.
Argentina’s Varrone agreed, saying: “I would say what makes it so special for me is the high-speed corners, it’s predominantly high-speed. You have the second sector, it combines everything right, but you have a section which is super fast with one of these cars.”
He added that the final sector requires “high commitment”.
Both drivers also highlighted the elevation changes, which make the circuit a bit like riding a rollercoaster, whilst the weather also plays a factor.
On the issue of the weather, Bilinski said: “You never really know what the weather is doing. For example, this weekend it keeps changing, saying it’s going to be dry and then wet. And quite honestly, I think the best thing will be when you wake up and you look outside and then you see what the weather is because it keeps changing so much.”
Your weekend plans just got Spa'd ?#F2 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/J6LcZEnmJy
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“Spa needs a gutsy driver”, says Herta
Hitech’s Colton Herta echoed the thoughts of his fellow F2 rookies, saying it’s many drivers’ favourite circuit.
“For a lot of people it’s their number one track because of its fast-flowing nature. It’s got a little bit of everything, good elevation change, decreasing radius corners, increasing radius corners, off camber, camber, high speed, low speed, and above all, it sets up great overtaking opportunities.”
The American said it’s a challenge to balance the car setup, as the long straights of sectors one and three, but the fast-flowing middle sector. The long run from La Source, Turn 1, to the Les Combes chicane, offers the best overtaking opportunities, as well as into the Bus Stop, the final corners, helped by a third DRS zone from Blanchemont to the Bus Stop, and into La Source as well.
The former Indycar driver adds that he’s looking forward to returning the track in Spa: “It’s been 10 years since I’ve been there, and I only raced there once, but I think the layout is fantastic and it takes a very gutsy driver to get everything out of it there.”
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