It’s hard to believe, but two weeks have already gone by and Formula 1 is back with the Belgian GP 2026 preview. And the World Cup final too—let’s see if Spain can beat Argentina, though I’m not expecting much. But let’s check if there’s any news for this race.
Alright, Goguma, focus and stop talking about minor sports
Okay, let’s see what we can expect this weekend. This Grand Prix takes place at Spa-Francorchamps, the longest circuit on the calendar, which can shape strategy quite a bit. An extra lap can cost a lot of time, especially if it rains. You need to cover a lot more ground before you can even pit.
Are we expecting rain this weekend?
Well, in this part of the world the weather is always unpredictable, so rain is never off the table. I checked the Foreca app on my phone, and it’s forecasting no rain during the race or any of the sessions. Though that could still change. On top of that, temperatures might be lower than in previous races, so we’ll have to see how that plays out.
Okay, no rain. Who do you think will win?
We’re coming off a couple of races with really strong Ferrari performances, though it seems they’ve had a bit of luck with Mercedes’ (lack of) reliability. I’ve backed Antonelli in the last few races, and I haven’t gotten a single prediction right since starting this blog, but I’m sticking with him. He still looks like the driver in the best form out there, and if he hasn’t won, it’s down to the car. The fight will likely be between Mercedes and Ferrari again.
Great, what upgrades are the teams bringing?
Since two weeks have passed—and that’s a long time in Formula 1—several teams are bringing upgrades.
Red Bull are bringing the most changes, with a new floor and rear wing. That, combined with the Max Verstappen factor, could give us a surprise. Don’t take your eyes off them.
Ferrari continues its steady upgrade program, bringing changes to the floor and rear wing. They might close the gap to Mercedes a bit more, so we could see another win for the men in red.
McLaren, despite being in a tricky spot right now, keep bringing new parts. They’ll introduce upgrades to the sidepod covers and diffuser tweaks. Still, the reigning champions are having a harder time this year and will have to grind it out.
Finally, Mercedes will bring upgrades to the front suspension and the W16’s floor. They need to sort out their reliability issues and try to stay ahead.
What about the Spanish teams? How are Williams and Aston Martin doing?
Badly. Neither team is bringing anything new, so expect them to keep struggling, especially Aston Martin. They are, however, waiting to bring a big upgrade package for the next race, and they really need it. Word is they could gain more than two seconds a lap, but I’ll believe it when I see it. They’re also so far off the pace that it might not even be enough to escape the back of the grid.
What about the race itself? Do you think it’ll be good?
Honestly, I don’t know what to think. Even though it’s one of my favorite circuits, there’s a lot of full-throttle straight-line running, and with this new Formula 1 era where batteries matter so much, teams might have to manage energy carefully, leading to clipping and super clipping when cars run out of electric power.
So what are you expecting? Did you remember this race, or is everyone focused on the World Cup final? Let me know in the comments.
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