As the Formula 1 paddock prepares for the Belgian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso has once again raised concerns about one of the biggest technical challenges of the 2026 regulations: energy management. According to the Aston Martin driver, Spa-Francorchamps could become the most demanding event of the season in terms of battery deployment, with the risk of extensive superclipping leaving drivers without electrical power for large portions of the lap.
The Belgian circuit has long been regarded as one of the toughest venues for energy management due to its combination of long full-throttle sections and relatively few heavy braking zones. This year, however, the challenge is expected to be even greater. For only the second time this season—after Melbourne—drivers will have access to five designated Straightline Mode zones, allowing them to reduce drag on the straights while placing even greater demands on battery usage.
Alonso warns of a difficult Belgian Grand Prix
The two-time Formula 1 world champion believes the unique characteristics of Spa could produce racing that is heavily dictated by energy conservation rather than outright performance.
Alonso has already criticized the current generation of Formula 1 cars following the British Grand Prix, describing overtaking as little more than “pressing a button on the straight” and claiming it required “no talent.” Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, he has reinforced those concerns, arguing that Spa’s layout could make the situation even more extreme.
“If I had to use battery energy from the very first corner, La Source, all the way to Turn 5 to attack into Les Combes or defend from another driver,” Alonso explained, “then I’d be finished for the rest of the lap.”
“I wouldn’t have any energy left for more than a minute through the second sector. And without any deployment”—referring to the delivery of electrical power from the battery—”we have to remember that this year we have much less power than last season, and even less power than a Formula 2 car.”
Can Formula 2 really be faster than Formula 1?
Alonso’s comparison inevitably raises eyebrows, but it requires important context. If only the internal combustion engine is considered, without the electrical contribution that now accounts for almost half of the total power output, a 2026 Formula 1 power unit can indeed produce fewer horsepower than a Formula 2 engine.
However, Formula 1 cars are designed to avoid running completely out of electrical energy. Sophisticated software continuously manages battery harvesting and deployment throughout the lap, ensuring that drivers rarely find themselves with a fully depleted energy store, even on circuits as demanding as Spa-Francorchamps.
The performance gap between the two categories also remains substantial. Last season, Alex Dunne claimed Formula 2 pole position at Spa with a lap of 1:57.151, while Lando Norris secured Formula 1 pole in Q3 with a time of 1:40.562—almost 17 seconds faster.
Even if the 2026 Formula 1 cars were to lose several seconds per lap compared to their predecessors because of the new regulations and more aggressive energy-saving requirements, it remains highly unlikely that Formula 2 machinery would genuinely challenge them on outright pace.
Nevertheless, Fernando Alonso’s warning highlights a growing concern shared by many within the paddock. At Spa-Francorchamps, success may depend less on extracting maximum performance and more on carefully managing electrical energy throughout the lap. If superclipping becomes as significant as expected, drivers could spend extended periods relying almost exclusively on the combustion engine, fundamentally changing the character of one of Formula 1’s most iconic circuits.
Leave a Reply