Aditya ChaudhuriThe Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has announced that the Belgian Grand Prix will stay on the Formula One calendar for at least one more year. The extension will see the race in Spa continue for the 2023 season.
Doubts were raised about the future of the Belgian race. Multiple drivers were also vocal about the importance of the Belgian Grand Prix remaining on the calendar.
The Belgian Grand Prix has been on the calendar since the first-ever Formula One season in 1950. The 2022 race was the 55th one.
Speaking about the decision to keep Spa on the calendar, Formula One CEO and President Stefano Domenicali commented:
“We will see, we do it step-by-step now. We have to be very, very happy to share that information, and we have to congratulate the job they’ve done.You’ve seen the investment that they did, you see the number of people that are coming here.
“We always said that the races that are a part of our tradition have a very important space in the calendar, and this is a fact that we wanted to share.“
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, stated:
“We’re happy also with Belgium.Let’s enjoy the moment for next year and for the future. I’m sure Stefano will make the right decision.“
Further details about the 2023 calendar are yet to be revealed, but the upcoming season will already have a race in Las Vegas, with a race in South Africa also rumoured to be in the works.
Racing is also supposed to return to China and Qatar in the upcoming season, with the 2022 Qatar Grand Prix not being held due to the men’s football World Cup taking place in the country during the same time, while racing hasn’t returned to China since 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
