F1 Belgian GP: The 2026 cars look pathetic on all the best racetracks

Formula 1 returned to Spa-Francorchamps this weekend for the Belgian Grand Prix, one of the sport's most historic venues. However, as the race showed, the current 2026 machinery is utterly ill-suited to this high-speed circuit. The hybrid power units have such limited electrical energy that the battery can only power the electric motor for a few seconds per lap. For much of the rest, the cars run on just the internal combustion engine, producing around 450–500 bhp—roughly the power of a Formula 3 car.

Spa is famous for its fast corners like Eau Rouge and Raidillon, but now drivers have to lift and coast before these sections to recharge the battery. Red Bull's Max Verstappen commented that driving with only 450–500 bhp is "not very exciting" and that he is mentally adjusting to a style he does not love. He joked about not wanting to complain further. Verstappen, who started second after a towing assist from his teammate, briefly led the race at the start but was overtaken by Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli at Les Combes.

Antonelli won the race, his sixth victory of the season. His teammate George Russell struggled with mysterious car issues traced to AI-driven energy management systems. Russell lost straight-line speed and eventually collided with Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari while attempting an overtake, ending his race. The stewards penalized Hamilton despite the incident being a racing incident. The race, while having a few memorable overtakes, was far from a classic—another sad example of how the 2026 regulations produce cars that don't work properly on the sport's most popular tracks. The author laments planning a trip to Monza in September.