The 2023 Belgian Grand Prix gets underway at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend, one of Formula One’s most exciting and iconic tracks.
This track has been witness to some of the most eventful moments in F1 history with countless different winners experiencing the races of their careers at this venue.
Spa also acts as the longest track on this year’s F1 calendar and it has the highest elevation change of any circuit as the drivers are really made to work for their success.
From circuit stats to previous results, The Sporting News tells you everything you need to know about the Belgian Grand Prix and its illustrious history.
MORE: F1 Belgian Grand Prix predictions, odds, betting tips, best bets for 2023 race at Spa-Francorchamps
Spa-Francorchamps circuit facts and layout
- First Grand Prix hosted: 1950
- Number of laps: 44
- Circuit length: 7.004km
- Total race distance: 308.052km
MORE: 2023 season calendar, list of circuits, fastest ever lap times and more
Interesting facts about the Belgian Grand Prix
- The Spa-Francorchamps track is the longest F1 circuit on the 2023 calendar and also has the highest elevation of any circuit. Despite that though, the famous track additionally has the smallest crowd capacity with a 70,000 fans limit on race day.
- Michael Schumacher debuted at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix and holds the distinction of being the only F1 driver in history to win the World Drivers’ Championship here when he sealed his seventh and final such title back in 2004.
- Back in 1998, one of the costliest crashes in F1 history occurred at Spa. On the opening corner of that year’s Grand Prix in very wet conditions, half the grid collided with the damages reportedly costing around $24million in today’s money.
- In 2019, Charles Leclerc became the first driver to score his maiden Grand Prix win at Spa since Michael Schumacher in 1992.
- In one of the most dominant showings in F1 history, British driver Jim Clark won the 1963 Belgian Grand Prix by 474 seconds.
List of previous winners of the Belgian Grand Prix
Below is a full list of winners at the Belgian Grand Prix from when the race has been a regular part of the Formula One calendar.
| 1950 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alfa Romeo |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Giuseppe Farina | Alfa Romeo |
| 1952 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari |
| 1953 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari |
| 1954 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati |
| 1955 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Mercedes |
| 1956 | Peter Collins | Ferrari |
| 1958 | Tony Brooks | Vanwall |
| 1960 | Jack Brabham | Cooper-Climax |
| 1961 | Phil Hill | Ferrari |
| 1962 | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax |
| 1963 | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax |
| 1964 | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax |
| 1965 | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax |
| 1966 | John Surtees | Ferrari |
| 1967 | Dan Gurney | Eagle-Weslake |
| 1968 | Bruce McLaren | McLaren-Ford |
| 1970 | Pedro Rodríguez | BRM |
| 1972 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Lotus-Ford |
| 1973 | Jackie Stewart | Tyrrell-Ford |
| 1974 | Emerson Fittipaldi | McLaren-Ford |
| 1975 | Niki Lauda | Ferrari |
| 1976 | Niki Lauda | Ferrari |
| 1977 | Gunnar Nilsson | Lotus-Ford |
| 1978 | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford |
| 1979 | Jody Scheckter | Ferrari |
| 1980 | Didier Pironi | Ligier-Ford |
| 1981 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams-Ford |
| 1982 | John Watson | McLaren-Ford |
| 1983 | Alain Prost | Renault |
| 1984 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari |
| 1985 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault |
| 1986 | Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda |
| 1987 | Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG |
| 1988 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda |
| 1989 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda |
| 1990 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda |
| 1991 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren-Honda |
| 1992 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton-Ford |
| 1993 | Damon Hill | Williams-Renault |
| 1994 | Damon Hill | Williams-Renault |
| 1995 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton-Renault |
| 1996 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari |
| 1997 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari |
| 1998 | Damon Hill | Jordan-Mugen-Honda |
| 1999 | David Coulthard | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 2000 | Mika Häkkinen | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 2001 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari |
| 2002 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari |
| 2004 | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 2005 | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 2007 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari |
| 2008 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari |
| 2009 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari |
| 2010 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 2011 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing-Renault |
| 2012 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes |
| 2013 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing-Renault |
| 2014 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull Racing-Renault |
| 2015 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 2016 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes |
| 2017 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 2018 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari |
| 2019 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 2020 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 2021 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing-Honda |
| 2022 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing-RBPT |
Who holds the fastest lap record at the Belgian Grand Prix?
Valtteri Bottas — 1:46.286 (2018)
Back in 2018, former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas blitzed the lap record at the Belgian Grand Prix. En route to a fourth placed finish — in a season which saw him finish P5 in the World Drivers’ Championship standings — the ‘Flying Finn’ put in a lap time of 1:46.286, the fastest ever in Formula One around the famous Spa circuit.
