PREVIEW: Fast and flowing Spa-Francorchamps hosts Round 6

FIA Formula 3 is back in action this weekend with a return to Spa-Francorchamps for Round 6 of the 2026 season

Ahead of the weekend getting underway, here's all you need to know before the action resumes.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The weekend gets started with Free Practice nice and early on Friday morning, with the green light set for 09:55 local time.

Qualifying follows later in the day, with the grid-setting session scheduled to get going at 15:00 local time.

The first racing action of the weekend starts on Saturday with the Sprint Race. Lights out is slated for 10:00 local time.

Sunday's Feature Race brings the weekend's action to a close, with the final race of the round getting started at 08:30 local time.

STAT PACK

• The F3 Spa-Francorchamps Feature Race has been won just once by a driver starting behind the front row. Taylor Barnard for Jenzer Motorsport from 10th place in 2023

• TRIDENT is the most successful team in F3 around Spa, winning six times. PREMA Racing are next-best, with four victories

• Six teams have taken Pole around Spa in the past: TRIDENT, PREMA Racing, Campos Racing, Rodin Motorsport, MP Motorsport and AIX Racing each achieving at least one Pole since 2019

FROM THE GRID – Noah Stromsted, TRIDENT

"The circuit is fast, flowing and has long straights with big braking zones. The track itself is quite special for the racing there and the history behind it.

"Usually, the best places to overtake are into the last chicane or along the Kemmel Straight. The tyre strategy will be quite interesting in the races. Last year there was a lot of deg so I think the races this year will be very hard to manage."

TECHNICAL PREVIEW

Pierre-Alain Michot, FIA Formula 3 Technical Director

"Spa-Francorchamps is always a tricky test for the teams and drivers. A fine balancing act between aerodynamic demand and straight-line speed usually leads to a conundrum for the teams setup-wise.

"The heavy braking events at Turns 5 and 18 offer up the best overtaking opportunities, but the twisty middle sector means tyre wear and degradation is a performance factor to keep a close eye on through the races.

"New for this season is the addition of a DRS zone after Turn 17 leading into the final chicane. It brings the total up to three across the lap and should lead to even more wheel-to-wheel action."

PIRELLI PREVIEW

The Medium compound will take centre stage during the Belgian weekend. The Spa-Francorchamps circuit was largely resurfaced last year and the new surface, with improved grip, could generate graining on the tyres. Drivers may gain significantly in terms of tyre performance if they manage this phenomenon, particularly through the high-speed corners that characterise a couple of sectors of the track.

If graining does not occur, the focus would instead shift to thermal management of the tyres. This task would be made easier by the long straights, which allow cooling of the axles. At least one further factor must be taken into consideration at the Ardennes circuit: the weather. The circuit’s location makes conditions highly unpredictable, and it is not uncommon to have some sections of the track affected by rain while other parts remain dry.