(Motorsport-Total.com) – After the challenges in Silverstone, the Formula 1 drivers also expect problems with the energy supply of their hybrid drives at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps.
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Above all, the long full-throttle sections and the comparatively few strong braking zones could lead to the batteries not being sufficiently charged.
The traditional track in the Ardennes presents the current generation of cars with similar challenges as recently in Silverstone. Especially the first section of the track from the La Source hairpin through Eau Rouge and Raidillon up to the Kemmel Straight demands maximum performance over a long period.
Alonso expects difficult energy management
Fernando Alonso therefore expects that the drivers could almost completely use up their available electrical energy already in the first sector.
“Silverstone and Spa are very demanding in terms of energy consumption. You cannot use electric power on all straights. Next week will be the same. If you use all the energy from turn 1 to turn 5 in Spa, then it’s over for the rest of the lap,” explains the Aston Martin driver.
In his assessment, the drivers must already save energy in the first sector in order to be able to call up additional power on the later straights. “So you have to hold back a bit there so that you can still use energy from turn 14 to the Bus Stop chicane. If you use the energy on these two straights, which is actually the optimal strategy, then you practically drive the entire second sector without electric support.”
Without hybrid support, engine power drops significantly
Alonso also points out that this has a significant impact on the available power: “When no electric energy is available anymore, we must not forget that this year we have significantly less power than last year and even less than a Formula 2 car. This is the case when the electric support is gone. Yes, that is a challenge.”
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The pure 1.6-liter V6 turbo engine of a Formula 1 car delivers around 540 hp without hybrid system support. According to official information, the current Mecachrome engines of Formula 2 reach about 610 hp. With full hybrid system support, however, the Formula 1 power units achieve a total output of around 1,000 hp.
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Despite the lower power without electric support, Formula 1 cars are still significantly faster than Formula 2 cars. In Silverstone, Kimi Antonelli set the best time in Formula 1 qualifying with a pole lap of 1:28.111 minutes, while Rafael Camara in Formula 2 was more than eleven seconds slower with a pole time of 1:39.690 minutes.
Competition also expects problems
Other drivers also share Alonso’s assessment. Spa-Francorchamps is considered one of the most demanding tracks with the current engine regulations alongside Silverstone, Monza, and Suzuka. Already in Silverstone, Alonso jokingly called the combination of the fast track sections Maggotts, Becketts, and Chapel a “charging station” because the drivers have to recover energy there mainly for later sections of the track.
Oliver Bearman also expects difficulties in Belgium: “We shouldn’t judge too early because next week is Spa. Maybe Silverstone will even feel great in comparison. I love Spa, but because of the energy, it will also be painful there.”
World champion Max Verstappen also expects similar problems: “I love Spa, but Spa will be a painful affair again for the same reason as Silverstone.”
Rule changes are intended to ease the problem
Formula 1 has decided on adjustments to the powertrain concept for the coming years. Both for the current season and for 2027 and 2028, the dependence on the electric energy supply is to be gradually reduced. In the long term, the ratio between the power of the combustion engine and the electric support is to shift from the current approximately 50 to 50 to around 60 to 40.
The goal of the planned changes is a more even power delivery over the entire lap as well as fewer strategic compromises in the use of hybrid energy. Whether the measures will be sufficient to permanently counter the drivers’ criticism will probably only become clear after their introduction under race conditions.
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