What our writers are wanting ahead to on the F1 Belgian GP

Formulation 1 has simply loved its longest break between races for the reason that season began in 2025 – a complete two weekends with out racing – however a lot has occurred after the paddock packed up and went dwelling from Silverstone.

From Christian Horner's axing at Crimson Bull to the title combat hotting up firstly of the second half of the season, right here's what we're wanting ahead to forward of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Crimson Bull's recent begin as Verstappen future stays unclear – Filip Cleeren

Except you may have lived beneath a rock over the previous few weeks – for those who've spent your summer time holidays on a distant tropical island, we will not blame you – a seismic shift at Crimson Bull has dominated the F1 information agenda. For the primary time in its 20-year existence the squad heads to a race with out being spearheaded by Christian Horner, who has been dumped days after the British Grand Prix.

Horner's exit is the endgame of an extended energy wrestle inside Crimson Bull, coinciding with the crew's gradual slide in efficiency. The precise set off for Crimson Bull giving Horner the boot remains to be not solely clear, however it's apparent what's at stake as Max Verstappen's camp has been having talks with Mercedes because it mulls over the Dutchman's long-term future, whether or not for 2026 or 2027.

Former FIA and Ferrari man Laurent Mekies has been picked as Horner's successor, and the 48-year-old Frenchman will deal with the media in Friday's FIA press convention for the primary time as he units out his imaginative and prescient for the way to get one of the best out of the crew that dominated as not too long ago as 2023. Having inherited a robust squad, however one which has additionally seen a number of stalwarts like Adrian Newey go away, Mekies should persuade Verstappen he's the fitting man to make sure Crimson Bull can stay a title protagonist within the close to future.

Will Crimson Bull revolution affect Mercedes' driver dilemma? – Haydn Cobb

Final month Mercedes boss Toto Wolff mentioned the crew's driver line-up for 2026 might be determined within the F1 summer time break, whereas flirtations with Max Verstappen continued to deepen. Within the aftermath of Christian Horner's Crimson Bull exit, the four-time world champion's future has been debated with even higher depth – fuelled by experiences of two yachts, one owned by Wolff and the opposite by Verstappen, floating in shut proximity off the Sardinian coast.

Whereas Wolff has moved to minimize hypothesis, Verstappen's future and the affect it should have on present Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will stay entrance and centre in focus till the German producer commits to a driver line-up for subsequent season.

“The path of journey is certainly that we need to proceed with George and Kimi,” Wolff instructed Austrian broadcaster ORF this week. “That's the absolute precedence. However you may't look previous somebody like Max and the plans he has for the longer term. We did that, however I do not assume there might be any massive surprises.”

So, with Horner gone, Wolff enjoying it down and the 2026 guidelines reset offering the largest unknown, will Verstappen decide to sticking or twisting, no less than for an additional 12 months, at Spa?

McLaren title combat intensifies – Filip Cleeren

At one stage Oscar Piastri regarded like having the higher hand on Lando Norris within the intra-team combat for the world championship. However as Norris is getting extra comfy together with his 2025 automotive in qualifying, two wins on the trot have introduced the Briton proper again within the recreation, trailing his McLaren team-mate by simply eight factors on the midway mark.

In Silverstone Piastri was significantly aggrieved by receiving the 10-second time penalty that price him the British Grand Prix win to Norris. A pissed off Australian vowed to channel his unprecedented show of rage into even higher performances, and will probably be intriguing to see if he can strike again in Spa to revive his title bid momentum.

Final 12 months Norris edged Piastri by a mere 0.046s in a moist qualifying session, nevertheless it was Piastri who completed forward within the race, categorised in second behind Lewis Hamilton, who took the win after Mercedes colleague George Russell was disqualified. Will Norris and Piastri resume their battles from Canada and Austria as soon as extra? At a quick and flowing circuit like Spa-Francorchamps, that could possibly be field workplace.

Can Ferrari lastly construct momentum? – Owen Bellwood

Ferrari got here into the 2025 season filled with optimism. It had invested closely in upgrading its automotive in contrast with final 12 months's racer and boasted a brand new driver within the type of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

When lights went out in Australia, nevertheless, the outcomes didn't fairly match the hype, and Ferrari has failed to satisfy these lofty expectations ever since – regardless of upgrades rolling out to handle numerous points with the SF-25. There was a whisper of hope in Austria, the place the Scuderia ran a brand new ground that heralded a slight bump in efficiency, and at Spa the crew will convey one other improve within the type of a brand new rear suspension set-up, which was trialled at a filming day in Italy final week.

The mixed package deal of the brand new ground and the up to date suspension is believed to supply as a lot as a tenth of a second in efficiency positive aspects for Ferrari, which could possibly be simply sufficient to enhance the temper of Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc. Equally, although, the replace could possibly be one thing of a final hurrah for Ferrari earlier than it utterly provides up on the SF-25 and switches its consideration to F1's new rules, coming in 2026. As such, Spa and the Hungarian Grand Prix, which follows every week later, might show pivotal for the Scuderia's season.

Dash race success might resolve who turns into F1 world champion in 2025 – Ed Hardy

Let's face it, not many people like a Formulation 1 dash weekend. It's a boring, manufactured means of making extra leisure, solely that it fails in doing so with the shortened race typically being a processional affair that drivers care little about. Simply ask Max Verstappen, who as soon as mentioned he receives “no satisfaction” from a dash victory.

That got here at a time when the world champion was dominating although, so there wasn't a lot on the road within the Saturday contest. However this 12 months, a dash race does matter – greater than ever in actual fact.

Simply have a look at the title image: Oscar Piastri leads McLaren team-mate Lando Norris by eight factors. The identical quantity of factors given for a dash win. So what if this weekend Norris wins the dash, whereas a mechanical situation hits Piastri and he's compelled to retire? Each drivers are then tied on factors however with Norris within the ascendency, having continued his latest momentum after profitable the earlier two grands prix. Or it might go the opposite means, with Piastri placing a much-needed halt into Norris' rise.

The margins are wonderful both means, so dash races might resolve who wins the 2025 F1 championship. For that cause alone, it's time to actually take note of them as a result of dash races are actually a really essential a part of this intriguing title battle.